“In the past God spoke to our people through the prophets. He spoke to them many times and in many different ways. And now in these last days, God has spoken to us again through His Son. He made the whole world through His Son. And He has chosen His Son to have all things. The Son shows the glory of God. He is a perfect copy of God’s nature, and He holds everything together by His powerful command. The Son made people clean from their sins. Then He sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3 (ERV).
God’s only Son
That is how great He is, He is God’s only Son. “For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (GNB).
“Christ was truly God. But He did not try to remain equal with God. Instead He gave up everything and became a slave [servant], when He became like one of us.” Philippians 2:6-7 (CEV).
Jesus, who was the Son of God and His only heir, gave up being equal with God. He wanted to have brothers and sisters who had also gained godly nature and who could inherit together with Him. It was to give us this possibility, this salvation, that Jesus came to the earth. And when He had finished the work, it is written of Him: ”When God brings His first-born Son into the world, He commands all of his angels to worship Him.” Hebrews 1:6 (CEV). Here He is called the "first-born”, and not God’s only Son.
It is written further about the Son of God: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever… You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” Hebrews 1:8-9.
He is the firstborn – and it’s possible for us to become His brothers and sisters!
We see that He has companions, in another Bible translation it is written that He has brothers, but He is the firstborn; He is the one who completed the work and gave us the possibility of really becoming His brothers and sisters. Jesus saw this as very great because as soon as He arose from the dead, He said: “But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going back to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” John 20:17 (NCV).
We read how very glad He was to have brothers. “He says, “Then, I will tell My brothers and sisters about You; I will praise You in the public meeting.” Hebrews 2:12 (NCV). We can also read of the wonderful promises He gives to His brothers: “He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21 (WEB).
But now the question is: do we see the fact that we are His brothers and sisters just as great as He sees it, so that we will give up everything to win Christ? John writes something which is very important: “See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God's children.“ 1 John 3:1 (GNT).
This is not just something we are just called to, but it is really true. As we read: “He who overcomes ... as I also overcame.” We must really and truly be His brothers. “This is why the world does not know us: it has not known God.” 1 John 3:1 (GNT). If we have this proof, we can be full of joy.