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"EVEN the knowledge of the Son of God" (Eph. 4: 13).
No creed was ever so simple. None ever so exhaustive and complete. We might have
expected that the apostle often spoke of Christ as the Son of God, but this is not the case.
The passage before us is the only occurrence of the title in the four prison epistles, nay, in
any epistle of Paul written after Acts 28: It stands therefore the one unique utterance
in the dispensation of the mystery. In his earlier epistles Paul uses the title three times,
namely in Gal. 2: 20, which speaks of his identification with the death and the life of the
Son of God; in II Cor. 1: 19, where he declares that all the promises of God find their
yea and their amen in Him; and in Rom. 1: 1-4 He is seen as the sum and substance of
the gospel of God, marked off as "the Son of God with power according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection of the dead".
There are however other references besides these, for the passages wherein occur the
words "His Son" must be included. If the unity of the faith is comprehended in the
knowledge of the Son of God, then all that is revealed concerning that Son must go to
constitute the oneness of the faith. It is not possible to enter into a careful study of each
occurrence, but we can set the passages before the reader who will not fail to appreciate
the contribution to a fuller knowledge.
*Gal. 1: 16.
The Son revealed in Paul, that He might be preached among the
Gentiles.
Gal. 2: 20.
The Son of God. His faith, His life, the life lived by Paul
Gal. 4: 4.
The Son sent in the fullness of time.
Gal. 4: 6.
The Spirit of the Son in the hearts of all God's sons.
I Thess. 1: 10.
The believers wait for His Son from heaven.
I Cor. 1: 9.
The fellowship of His Son.
I Co. 15: 28.
The final act of His Son.
II Cor. 1: 19, 20. All the promises of God. Yea and Amen in the Son.
Rom. 1: 3.
The gospel of God concerning His Son.
Rom. 1: 4.
Declared the Son of God with power, by resurrection.
Rom. 1: 9.
The gospel of His Son.
Rom. 5: 10.
Reconciliation by the death of His Son.
Rom. 8: 3.
Sent in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Rom. 8: 29.
Conformed to the image of His Son.
Rom. 8: 32.
God spared not His own Son.
*The reasons for placing Galatians first are given in our Book,
"THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION".
Evangelical truth, church fellowship, individual experience, dispensational truth, Age
purpose and promises, all find their goal, their assurance, their centre in the Son of God.
These are the facets of truth illuminated by the apostle Paul. There is however a vast
field in the Gospels and the Acts, where messianic prophecies, the kingship of Israel,
aionian life, the raising of the dead, and other themes are found associated with the same
title. It will be seen that the unity of the faith is a mighty comprehension. The four
passages of Paul's writing which definitely use the title Son of God speak of:--