The perfect unity existing between the Son and the Father

 

 

In the days of His flesh Jesus spoke in various ways about the perfect unity which existed between Him and the Father. Let’s see what He said: “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30); “It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me” (John 8:17-18); “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake” (John 14:11); “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him” (John 5:19-23); “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man” (John 5:26-27); “He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me” (John 12:44-45); “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him” (John 14:7); “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Matthew 11:27); “All things that the Father hath are mine” (John 16:15); “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:22-23).

Now in order to explain to you this perfect union and collaboration which existed and which still exists between the Son and the Father, I will compare some verses of the Scripture with some others.

 

● One day Jesus spoke to the Jews about His resurrection in this way: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19); so according to these words of Jesus, He Himself would raise His body up. Peter said to the Jews: “And [ye] killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” (Acts 3:15); so according to Peter it was God who raised Jesus from the dead.

 

● Jesus, in speaking to His disciples of the coming of the Holy Spirit, said: “But the Comforter, which [who] is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26), and also: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which [who] proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26). Therefore, according to Jesus, the Holy Spirit would be sent by the Father and also by the Son (however, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, as Jesus Himself said).

 

● Jesus, in speaking about His sheep, said: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28), and in the prayer He addressed to God on the night He was betrayed He said: “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him” (John 17:1-2). Therefore, the One who gives eternal life is Jesus. However, Paul says to the Romans: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23), and the apostle John says: “God hath given to us eternal life” (1 John 5:11). Therefore it is God who gives eternal life. So we can affirm that eternal life is given by the Father and also by the Son.

 

● Jesus said: “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40). Please note that Jesus said that He himself will raise the believers from the dead. However, it is also written that God will raise us from the dead, for Paul said to the Corinthians: “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power” (1 Corinthians 6:14).

 

● Paul says to the Romans: “Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:6). Therefore the One who called us is Christ. However, Paul himself in the same epistle says that those whom God foreknew “he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified ….” (Romans 8:29-30). Therefore we have been called by God and by Jesus Christ.

 

● Paul says to Timothy: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (1 Timothy 1:12). That means that Paul was counted faithful by Jesus Christ who put him into the ministry of the Word. However, the same apostle says to the Thessalonians: “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). Therefore Paul was put into the ministry by God as well as by Jesus Christ.

 

● Paul said to the elders of Ephesus: “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). Therefore it was Christ who gave the ministry to Paul. The apostle confirmed this to Timothy when he said: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (1 Timothy 1:12). However, Paul says to the Colossians that it was God who gave him the ministry: “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God” (Colossians 1:25 – The NIV reads: “I have become its [of the Church] servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the Word of God in its fullness”).

 

 

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