Jesus – Son of God
“The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35 NIV
There are many names and titles in Scripture for Jesus Christ, each offering a unique insight into His identity, character, and purpose. Over the past few years, I have made it a personal tradition to study and reflect on at least one of Jesus’ titles as a way to prepare my heart for Christmas.
You can read my previous articles by clicking on the links below.
- Immanuel: God with Us
- Prince of Peace, Light of the World, Lion of Judah
- Jesus: A Reflection on God’s Gift of Salvation
- Man of Sorrows: Jesus Understands our Pain
This year, my heart has been drawn to Jesus as the Son of God. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to wish you a very Merry Christmas and to share my reflection on Jesus as the Son of God.
Who do you say Jesus is?
So, let me ask you a question: Who do you say Jesus is?
It might sound simple, but it’s actually the most important question you’ll ever answer. What you believe about Jesus shapes the way you live, the choices you make, and ultimately where you will spend eternity.
Most people don’t deny that Jesus was a real person who walked this earth. The real difference is in what people believe about who He really is.
Some say He was just a good man. Others say He was a great teacher. Still others call Him a prophet—just as many did when He walked the earth (Matthew 16:14).
When Jesus posed this question to His disciples, Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, replied, saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16 NIV
Jesus – Son of God
Colossians 1:15-20 and Hebrews 1:2-3 both give us a clear revelation of Jesus as the Son of God.
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Colossians 1:15-20 NIV
“In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:2-3a NIV
God has existed eternally as One God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus shares the same divine nature as God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Son of God refers to Jesus’ deity as the second Person of the Trinity and God Himself. Jesus, Son of God, is God the Son.
Jesus is “the image of the invisible God,” and “the radiance of God’s glory”—God Himself who came to earth and took on human flesh to reveal God’s nature to us.
Jesus is not the Son of God because He was created by God the Father. He could not have been, since the Scriptures above clearly indicate that He was present at creation and that all things were made by and for Him (Colossians 1:16). God took on flesh and lived among humans. Therefore, Jesus is fully God and was also fully human while on earth. As the Angel Gabriel explained to Mary when he visited her, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, not through natural means.
“The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35 NIV
Jesus is the firstborn of all creation, which does not mean that He is the first to be created, but that He is supreme over all living things that have ever been created (Colossians 1:15).
Jesus is “the firstborn from among the dead,” which means He is the first to overcome death and never die again. Lazarus and everyone else who has ever been raised from the dead eventually died again. But Jesus beat death and never died again.
Scroll up and re-read Colossians 1:15-20. Count how many times the word ‘all’ is used to describe Jesus’ dominion.
Jesus is the Son of God and forever remains supreme over ALL THINGS!!
Jesus’s Own Words on Being the Son of God
One way to get to know someone is by listening to them talk about themselves. Jesus Himself did not shy away from revealing who He is while He was on earth. On multiple occasions, He used various descriptors to disclose His identity and purpose to His listeners and disciples. He did not go around parading Himself in pride and shouting, “I am the Son of God.” However, He clearly affirmed Himself as the Son of God, as documented in all four gospels.
When the high priest asked Him directly, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” Jesus answered, “You have said so” (Matthew 26:63-64). In Mark’s gospel, when asked if He was the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One, He replied, “I am” (Mark 14:62). In Luke’s account, when the council demanded, “Are you then the Son of God?” Jesus responded, “You say that I am” (Luke 22:70). And in John’s gospel, Jesus said plainly, “Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?” (John 10:36).
These were all straightforward responses where Jesus told people exactly who He is.
At other times, Jesus spoke more indirectly, but His message was still very clear—He was showing that He is one with God the Father. He said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), making it clear that He was not just a prophet sent by God but equal with Him. He also said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9), showing that to see Jesus is to see God Himself.
Jesus said, “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well” (John 14:7), and “I am in the Father, and the Father is in me” (John 14:10). He even made the bold declaration, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58), referencing His eternal nature.
Furthermore, in John 19:7, the Jewish leaders insisted that Jesus must die for claiming to be the Son of God because they understood that the phrase “Son of God” means being of the same nature as God.
Multiple Signs Confirm Jesus’ Identity as Son of God
While Jesus was on earth, He healed the sick, cast out evil spirits, raised the dead, calmed storms, walked on water, and fed thousands from a single person’s lunch. All these signs testified to His identity as the Messiah and the Son of God (John 20:30-31).
At Jesus’ crucifixion, several signs accompanied His death: supernatural darkness covered the land from noon until 3 pm, and a powerful earthquake shook the ground. The Roman centurion and those guarding Jesus were filled with terror and concluded that Jesus truly was the Son of God (Matthew 27:54).
Jesus’ resurrection is profound evidence of His divinity. He not only foretold His death and resurrection but also kept His promise (Matthew 16:21; John 2:19–21). After His resurrection, He appeared to many witnesses on multiple occasions, including more than five hundred people at one time (1 Corinthians 15:3–8).
“regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:3-4 NIV
Old Testament References
Some people accept the Old Testament as God’s Word but do not recognize the New Testament as inspired. Yet the Old Testament contains powerful clues that point to Jesus as the Son of God.
In Daniel 3:25, King Nebuchadnezzar describes a fourth figure in the fire with the Hebrew boys who “looks like a son of the gods” (NIV), a reference many believers recognize as a glimpse of the pre-incarnate Christ.
Proverbs 30:4 asks a question, “What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!” (NIV), pointing to the Son revealed fully in the New Testament.
Isaiah 9:6 announces, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (NIV). Jesus was born on earth as a child, but He was given as a Son, indicating that He has existed from the beginning as the Son of God. In this prophecy, He is identified as Mighty God and Everlasting Father!
Together, these passages demonstrate that the Son of God existed long before the New Testament was written.
If Jesus is the Son of God, So What?
How does this impact our lives? If Jesus truly is the Son of God, then so what?
Jesus being the Son of God matters to every one of us because, according to Scripture, He is the unique, exclusive, and only way to God (John 14:6). There is no other way to be reconciled to God except through Him (Acts 4:12).
We are all born into this world as sinners (Romans 3:23). Without Jesus, our sins separate us from God, who is pure and holy (Isaiah 59:2). None of us can muster enough goodness or holiness on our own to enter God’s presence. We were all headed toward death and eternal separation from Him (Romans 6:23).
God loves us infinitely and desires a relationship with each of us. But He is also a just God who cannot simply overlook our sin. So, to bridge the gap between our sinfulness and His holiness, He sent Jesus to die in our place and save us from our sins.
Jesus is the only one who could pay the price for our sins because, as fully God, He is sinless, and as fully man, He could perfectly represent us before God (see Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:14–17).
Believing in Jesus Christ
According to John 3:16, we must believe in Jesus to receive eternal life—new life that reflects God’s nature and lasts forever in His presence.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18 NIV
Believing in Jesus means recognizing that we are sinners in need of a Savior and turning away from sin. It involves wholeheartedly accepting Jesus as the Son of God and the only Way to God, who died on the Cross for our sins and rose on the third day. It also includes declaring Jesus as the Lord of our lives (Romans 10:9-10).
This is more than just mentally accepting that Jesus is the Son of God; it requires surrendering your heart, mind, and entire life to Jesus.
I grew up in church and always acknowledged Jesus’ divinity. However, I did not yield my life to His Lordship until I was a young adult, when I surrendered my life to Jesus after a chaotic teenage existence. I am eternally grateful for the new life I have in Christ and for the transformation I continue to experience from the inside out.
I wholeheartedly believe that Jesus is the Son of God who has saved me from my sins. As the Lord of my life, He continues to guide and shape me as I yield to His Spirit, and I look forward to seeing Him face to face and spending eternity with Him.
What about you?
Who do you say Jesus is?
Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Lord, and Savior?
If so, let this article serve as a reminder to worship Him more sincerely, with deep awe and wonder at His greatness and majesty, as you anticipate His return.
If not, then are you ready to commit your life to Jesus? If so, I invite you to pray in your own words or use the prayer below as a guide.
Prayer
Father, I ask You to forgive me for my sins. I repent for rejecting Jesus as the Son of God and Savior. Today, I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead to give me eternal life. I surrender my life and receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I commit to follow Jesus and obey Him all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Footnotes
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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
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