Christian theology

=====God as Son=====
{{Main|God the Son}}
According to the Bible, the second Person of the Trinity, because of his eternal relation to the first Person (God as Father), is the [[Son of God]]. He is considered (by Trinitarians) to be coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. He is [[Hypostatic union|all God and all human]]: the Son of God as to his divine nature, while as to his human nature he is from the lineage of David.<ref>{{bibleverse|Rom|1:3–4}}</ref><ref>Compare.{{Bibleverse|Galatians|4:4}};{{Bibleverse|Jn|1:1–14}};{{Bibleref2-nb|Jn|5:18–25}};{{Bibleref2-nb||Jn|10:30–38}}</ref> The core of Jesus's self-interpretation was his "filial consciousness", his relationship to God as child to parent in some unique sense<ref name="Stagg">Stagg, Frank. ''New Testament Theology'', Nashville: Broadman, 1962.</ref> (see [[Filioque]] controversy). His [[Ministry of Jesus|mission on earth]] proved to be that of enabling people to know God as their Father, which Christians believe is the essence of [[Eternal life (Christianity)|eternal life]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|17:3}}</ref>

God the Son is the second person of the [[Trinity]] in Christian theology. The [[doctrine]] of the Trinity identifies [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] as [[God]] the Son, ''united in essence but distinct in person'' with regard to [[God the Father]] and God the [[Holy Spirit]] (the first and third persons of the Trinity). God the Son is co-eternal with God the Father (and the Holy Spirit), both before Creation and after the End (see [[Eschatology]]). So Jesus was always "God the Son", though not [[Revelation|revealed]] as such until he also became ''the'' "Son of God" through [[incarnation]]. "Son of God" draws attention to his humanity, whereas "God the Son" refers more generally to his divinity, including his pre-incarnate existence. So, in Christian theology, Jesus was always God the Son,<ref>"A brief account of the early Church councils and the Church fathers shows that they adopted the doctrine of the eternal subordination of the Son, and that this doctrine continues in the Church as orthodoxy to this day." Stephen D. Kovach and Peter R. Schemm Jr., "A Defense of the Doctrine of the Eternal Subordination of the Son", ''[[Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society]]'' '''42''' (1999): 461–476.</ref> though not [[Revelation|revealed]] as such until he also became the [[Son of God]] through [[incarnation]].

The exact phrase "God the Son" is not in the New Testament. Later theological use of this expression reflects what came to be standard interpretation of New Testament references, understood to imply Jesus's divinity, but the distinction of his person from that of the one God he called his Father. As such, the title is associated more with the development of the doctrine of the Trinity than with the [[Christology|Christological]] debates. There are over 40 places in the New Testament where Jesus is given the title "the Son of God", but scholars don't consider this to be an equivalent expression. "God the Son" is rejected by [[anti-trinitarians]], who view this reversal of the most common term for Christ as a doctrinal perversion and as tending towards [[tritheism]].

Matthew cites Jesus as saying, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (5:9)." The [[gospel]]s go on to document a great deal of controversy over Jesus being ''the'' Son of God, in a unique way. The book of the [[Acts of the Apostles]] and the letters of the New Testament, however, record the early teaching of the first Christians– those who believed Jesus to be ''both'' the Son of God, the Messiah, a man appointed by God, as well as God himself. This is evident in many places, however, the early part of the book of Hebrews addresses the issue in a deliberate, sustained argument, citing the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible as authorities. For example, the author quotes Psalm 45:6 as addressed by the God of Israel to Jesus.
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]] 1:8. About the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever."
The author of Hebrews' description of Jesus as the exact representation of the divine Father has parallels in a passage in [[Epistle to the Colossians|Colossians]].
*Colossians 2:9–10. "in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form"
John's gospel quotes Jesus at length regarding his relationship with his heavenly Father. It also contains two famous attributions of divinity to Jesus.
*[[Gospel of John|John]] 1:1. "the Word was God" [in context, the ''Word'' is Jesus, see [[Christ the Logos]]]
*[[Gospel of John|John]] 20:28. "Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!'"
The most direct references to Jesus as God are found in various letters.
*[[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] 9:5. "Christ, who is God over all"
*[[Epistle to Titus|Titus]] 2:13. "our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ"
*[[Second Epistle of Peter|2 Peter]] 1:1. "our God and Savior Jesus Christ"
The biblical basis for later trinitarian statements in creeds is the early baptism formula found in Matthew 28.
*[[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 28:19. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name ''[''note the singular'']'' of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. See also [[Great Commission]].