How great is the Son of God?

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:1-3.

The only begotten Son of God

That is how great He is, and He is the only begotten Son of God. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

“… who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” Philippians 2:6-7.

The fact that Jesus, the Son of God who was the sole heir, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, demonstrated that He wanted to have brothers who had also partaken of divine nature and who could inherit with Him. It was this possibility, this salvation, that Jesus accomplished while He was on earth; and when He had finished, it is written of Him, “But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’” Hebrews 1:6. Here He is called “the firstborn.”

It is written further about the Son of God: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” Hebrews 1:8-9.

He is the firstborn – and it’s possible for us to become His brothers!

From this we see that He has brothers, but He is the firstborn; and it is He who completed the work, giving us the possibility of becoming His brothers in truth. He considered this as very great, because as soon as He arose from the dead, He said: “Go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” John 20:17. We read how enthusiastic He was to receive brothers. “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” Hebrews 2:12. We can also read the glorious promises He gives to His brothers: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne.” Revelation 3:21.

But now the question is: do we regard the fact that we are His brothers as great a thing as He does, so that we count everything as rubbish in order that we might gain Christ? John gives us an exhortation which is extremely needful: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1.

This is not some kind of make-believe, something we are merely called, something we are merely imputed to be. No, we read: “He who overcomes ... as I also overcame.” We are to be His brethren in truth. “Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1. If we have this proof, we can rejoice. O how sorely we need this exhortation: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us!” 1 John 3:1.