Understanding Our Relationship with God
The entire humanity bears the image of God and is, in a foundational sense, His children. Yet when the Messiah arrived in the first century, he found a people who had drifted far from this truth—a separation rooted in Adam’s transgression. Despite this breach, God never abandoned humanity. He worked through chosen individuals, preparing the way for the coming Messiah. Adam himself, though instrumental in humanity’s fall, remained a prophet who heard God’s voice directly. Even after Eden’s tragedy, God continued reaching out through prophets who called His people back.
Two Lineages: Sons of God and Sons of Men
Scripture draws a clear distinction between two spiritual lineages. Those who revered God were called His children, while those who ignored Him became known as “sons of men.” Cain exemplified this separation after murdering his brother Abel, whom God considered His son. Yet among Adam’s descendants, some continued walking with God. Abel stands as the first recognized son of God, followed by Enoch, who “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22-23) and stood against the blending of these two distinct groups.
Genesis 6:1-7 reveals a critical warning: when God’s children intermarried with the daughters of men, corruption spread until only Noah found favor. This pattern echoes throughout Scripture, with Jesus Himself comparing His second coming days to Noah’s time (Matthew 24:37-39). Similarly, Jesus warns believers against compromising with worldly ways in Revelation 3:16-20.
The Precarious Position of God’s Children
The account of Noah’s generation reveals an uncomfortable truth: being counted among God’s children offers no guarantee of remaining faithful. A person may walk closely with God, only to slip back into corruption. Conversely, someone living entirely for the world may turn and become God’s child before death. This uncertainty explains why God takes special delight in the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15)—when their faithfulness reaches its secure conclusion.
The Uniqueness of the Only-Begotten Son
The birth of Jesus unveiled something unprecedented: the only-begotten Son of God, who alone was guaranteed to remain faithful unto death. Unlike us, Jesus possessed no possibility of backsliding. The distinction is profound—He was God before taking on humanity, and in identifying with us, He called Himself the Son of Man.
“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” (John 3:16-17, NIV).
A Question of Fatherhood
Those who uphold the Trinitarian doctrine emphasize Jesus as part of what comprises the Godhead. Yet this raises a question: How could Jesus be distinct from humanity while still addressing God as His Father? The matter deepens when we recall Jesus’ startling instruction to His disciples:
“And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9, NIV).
This verse often catches Bible students unprepared. Like their Master, the disciples were directed to recognize only one heavenly Father. Much confusion surrounding the Father-Son relationship stems from a misunderstanding of what this relationship means. If Jesus was God’s Son, His disciples were also called sons of God—hence the instruction to invalidate their earthly fathers.
When Did Jesus Become the Son of God?
The answer emerges not from scholarly speculation but from Scripture itself, beginning in Genesis:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26-27, NIV).
A fundamental principle of understanding is duplication before interpretation. What Scripture asks us to duplicate is this: God created humanity in His own image, fashioning something not different from Himself—beings who transcend mere physical existence, just as He does. Humans, made of flesh and blood, are naturally children of God. In the same way, Jesus, recognized as the Son of God, became human and was also called the Son of Man. His role as God’s Son is shown through this title, fully sharing in our humanity.
The Image Restored
When Philip requested, “Lord, show us the Father,” Jesus responded: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:8-9, NIV).
Though fully human, Jesus perfectly embodied the divine image described in Genesis. Had Adam not fallen, we too would have reflected God’s image as Jesus did, without the need for the cross. After Eden, no human except Jesus is recorded as fully displaying this original likeness.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4, NIV).
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NIV).
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being“ (Hebrews 1:3, NIV).
The Forgotten Truth
Difficulty understanding these Scriptures arises from overlooking humanity’s original creation in God’s image—a truth obscured since Eden. Jesus came to restore what was lost, working to bring humanity back to its intended state as reflections of God’s likeness.
Some, seeking comfort, place Jesus exclusively within the Trinitarian frameworks. Yet in doing so, they risk missing what Genesis 1:27 declares about every person: each bears God’s image.
“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:19-21, NIV).
The Mark of God’s Children
Those who cannot tolerate this teaching about humanity’s dignity may find themselves resisting not just the author’s perspective, but also the very words of John and Jesus. John presses further:
“Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:15-16, NIV).
The sons of God are distinguished by compassion, responding to others’ suffering. The sons of men remain absorbed in self-interest, finding empathy difficult. Jesus made this division explicit in His teaching about the final judgment:
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40, NIV).
Testing the Spirits
The question of whether Jesus is the only-begotten Son finds clear answer in Scripture. Teachings that obscure this truth lead away from life rather than toward it.
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:1-2, NIV).
The Spirit of Christ reveals itself in two ways: refusal to devalue others, and rejection of the authoritarian distance between Jesus and humanity. Some who claim to represent Christianity act against its essence—just as Judas walked with Jesus while harboring betrayal.
The Narrow Way
True children of God live humbly among us today, awaiting transfiguration and resurrection, to share in Christ’s glory. This is why treating others with kindness carries such weight—we are, in fact, encountering Jesus Himself in them. Sharing His teachings and following His example remains the path to authentic Christian life.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14, NIV).
Those who stand on the side of truth recognize their fellow children of God and join their mission, knowing with certainty that Jesus Christ is indeed the only-begotten Son of God—the firstborn among many brothers and sisters who, by His grace, are being restored to the image they were always meant to bear.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, relieving those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions, leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99