Early Adventist Teachings on the Begotten Son of God

Early Seventh-day Adventist pioneers indeed held a specific view regarding the Son of God, teaching that while He possesses the same nature and substance as the Father, His personality as the Son had an origin in the far-distant eternityATO 128.1+1. According to these teachings, Christ is the only begotten Son of God, having been begotten and not createdPTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7.

The Distinction Between Begotten and Created

Early pioneer writers emphasized that Christ’s sonship is a literal relationship of birth by inheritance rather than a result of creative powerPTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7+1.

• By Inheritance: Christ obtained His name and His nature by inheritance from the Father, just as a human son takes the name and characteristics of his father Hebrews 1:4PTUK February 2, 1899, page 69.4+1.

• Of the Same Substance: Because He is begotten, He is of the very substance and nature of God, possessing all the attributes of Deity by birthrightPTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7.

• The Firstborn: Ellet J. Waggoner and others pointed to Colossians 1:15 to show that Christ is the "first born of every creature," meaning His birth occurred before any created being in heaven or earth existed Colossians 1:15-17ATO 128.1.

• Life in Himself: Having been begotten of the Father, Christ has "life in Himself" and possesses immortality in His own right, which allows Him to confer it upon others John 10:17-18PTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7.

The Question of Priority and Beginning

The pioneers argued that the terms "Father" and "Son" naturally imply that the existence of the one preceded the subsequent existence of the otherATO 128.1.

• Order of Nature: It was taught that in the order of nature, the Father must have existed before the Son, as an "eternal son" was viewed as a contradiction of termsATO 128.1.

• From the Days of Eternity: James White and Ellet J. Waggoner frequently cited Micah 5:2 to explain that Christ’s "goings forth" have been from of old, from the days of eternity Micah 5:2PTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7.

• Finite Comprehension: This point of origin was described as being so far back in the ages of eternity that to finite minds it is practically without a beginning, even though a point of proceeding forth from the Father did occurPTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7.

• A Unique Nature: The pioneers maintained that Christ is the "express image" of the Father's person and that it was the original, pre-existent Christ who later suffered and died for mankind Hebrews 1:3CHR 11.3+1.

Christ’s Divinity as the "Beginning of the Creation"

The pioneers also addressed Christ's role in the beginning of all things, viewing Him as the active agent of God’s powerSITI January 6, 1888, page 16.17.

• Efficient Cause: The phrase "the beginning of the creation of God" was understood not to mean that Christ was a created being, but that the work of creation was begun through Him as the efficient agent Revelation 3:14DAR1909 400.2.

• The Divine Word: John 1:1 confirms that the Word was with God in the beginning, and through Him all things were made John 1:1-3PTUK December 18, 1890, page 409.4+1.

• Unity with the Father: Despite the concept of a beginning for His personality, the pioneers insisted on the perfect unity and equality of the Father and the Son, stating that they have one spirit and one interest John 10:30SITI November 20, 1884, page 697.15.

Summary of the Pioneer View

James White and others guarded against the idea that the Son existed as soon as the Father, as they believed this detracted from the honor due to Him as the "only begotten"PTUK December 18, 1890, page 409.4. They concluded that Christ is truly Divine because He is a Son by nature, not by creation, and thus possesses the "fullness of the Godhead bodily" Colossians 2:9PTUK December 18, 1890, page 409.4. This divine personality was brought forth to reveal the character of the invisible God to all created intelligences Colossians 1:15SSP 98.2+1.