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God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God

Testimony of Scripture
The Scriptures clearly indicate the relation between God and Christ, and they bring to view as clearly the personality and individuality of each. {8T 268.1}
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?” Hebrews 1:1-5. {8T 268.2}
God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to His Son. {8T 268.3}
Jesus said to the Jews: “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. . . . 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 showeth Him all things that Himself doeth.” John 5:17-20. {8T 268.4}
Here again is brought to view the personality of the Father and the Son, showing the unity that exists between them. {8T 269.1}
This unity is expressed also in the seventeenth chapter of John, in the prayer of Christ for His disciples: {8T 269.2}
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. 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 17:20-23. {8T 269.3}
Wonderful statement! The unity that exists between Christ and His disciples does not destroy the personality of either. They are one in purpose, in mind, in character, but not in person. It is thus that God and Christ are one. {8T 269.4}
The relation between the Father and the Son, and the personality of both, are made plain in this scripture also:
“Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying,
Behold, the man whose name is the Branch:
And He shall grow up out of His place;
And He shall build the temple of Jehovah; . . .
And He shall bear the glory,
And shall sit and rule upon His throne;
And He shall be a priest upon His throne;
And the counsel of peace shall be between Them both.”
Zechariah 6:12, 13, A. R. V. {8T 269.5}
Because Christ was “begotten,” the Father inherently had to exist prior to the Son.
James S. White wrote in the Review and Herald on January 4, 1881, that the Father was greater than the Son because He came first (chronologically as the origin/source), while the Son is equal having received all things from the Father.
In the final year of his life he wrote: “The Father was greater than the Son in that he was first. The Son was equal with the Father in that he had received all things from the Father.” (James White, RH, January 4, 1881) [March 4th, 2020 email to Ty Gibson] https://asitreads.com/james-white-on-the-spirit/
John 5:26 For as the FATHER hath life in Himself; so hath He GIVEN to the SON to have life in Himself;
[So the Father – already existing – gives [at some later point in time] life to His Son = human beings being the similar equivalent. This disproves the trinity doctrine which says that Jesus is co-eternal, co-existent with the Father. Like Proverbs 8:22-30, this verse is, with John 8:42, very important to study.]
[“John 5:26 … shows clearly that the Son of God received his life, and all his mighty creative power as a gift from the Father.” – Review & Herald, August 6, 1889 – Rufus A. Underwood (1850-1932)]
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If GOD were your FATHER, ye would love Me: for I PROCEEDED FORTH AND CAME FROM GOD; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me.
[Literally FROM GOD – like Proverbs 8:22-30, John 16:27, 16:30 & 17:8 this is not limited just to God’s heavenly location. The Father – already existing – gives [at some later point in time] life to His Son = human beings being the similar equivalent. This disproves the trinity doctrine which says that Jesus is co-eternal, co-existent with the Father. This verse is, with John 5:26, very important to study.]
Summary: Before God was a Father He had a Holy Spirit (mind, character, life). When His Son was brought forth, by default He too had a Holy Spirit. When the angels were created through the Son, they also were Holy. There then came up in the mind of Lucifer a different way of thinking, a different spirit – one which was unwilling to serve the Father in His kingdom. After Satan was cast out of heaven we are told, “There are two spirits in the world, the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of antichrist.” RH, June 10, 1890, paragraph 2
And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: [Patriarchs and Prophets 34.1, 1890]
Proverbs 8:22 The LORD [LORD = God the Father] possessed ME [=Jesus] in the beginning of HIS way, before HIS works of old.
Proverbs 8:23 I was set up FROM EVERLASTING, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
[FROM EVERLASTING – NOT THROUGHOUT]
Proverbs 8:24 When [there were] no depths, I WAS BROUGHT FORTH; when [there were] no fountains abounding with water.
[A son is brought forth from his father.]
Proverbs 8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills WAS I BROUGHT FORTH:
[A son is brought forth from his father.]
Proverbs 8:26 While as yet HE had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
Proverbs 8:27 When HE prepared the HEAVENS, I [was] there: when HE set a compass upon the face of the depth:
Proverbs 8:28 When HE established the clouds above: when HE strengthened the fountains of the deep:
Proverbs 8:29 When HE gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass HIS commandment: when HE appointed the foundations of the earth:
Proverbs 8:30 Then I was by Him, [as] One brought up [with HIM]: and I was daily [HIS] delight, rejoicing always before HIM;
[A son is often by the side of his father when he is brought / growing up.]
[See Patriarchs and Prophets 34.1, 1890]
Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, [be] UNTO HIM THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB for ever and ever.
Revelation 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, SALVATION to our GOD which SITTETH upon the THRONE, AND unto THE LAMB.
[SALVATION is in just TWO – God and Jesus; NOT in the Holy Spirit [of God.]]
Revelation 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the THRONE, and [about] the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the THRONE on their faces, and WORSHIPPED GOD,
[Even the heavenly angels worship God the Father – surely they would get things right?.]