Can Can you explain more about the relationship of the Father to the Son? Are they the same Person revealed in two different ways?

It is not "they" that say God sent the Son, but God Himself. "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world" (1 John 4:14). "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17). The Gospel is called "the Gospel of His Son" (Rom 1:9). The death by which we are saved is "the death of His Son" (Rom 5:10). Believers are, according to the purposde of God, being "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29). God has "called us into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor 1:9). God has "sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying Abba Father" (Gal 4:6). The commandment to us is that we "believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 3:23). The Gospel is called "the testimony God has given of His Son" (1 John 5:9-10). As you know, the revelation the Father gave Peter was that Jesus "is the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matt 16:16-18). This is the confession that qualified the eunuch to be baptized--that "Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37). This is also the truth Satan attacked when Jesus was tempted at the threshold of His ministry (Matt 4:3-6).

These texts could be multiplied many times, but I am sure you are familiar with them. My point in sharing them is to confirm the sanctity of the term "the Son of God." He is the "only begotten Son of God" (John 3:16), or the "only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). We never need to fear using language the Holy Spirit authored, or saying things the way the Scriptures say them.

Perhaps some of the confusion has come by the false representation of this by the Jehovah's Witnesses. They say the "Son" is the first personality the Father created, and that He is not equal to God. This is not, however, the case. The "Son" was "the Word" in the beginning, Who was "with God and was God" (John 1:14). He is a different personality, but is still God. The Father Himself said of Him, "But to the Son He says: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever . . . " (Heb 1:8). Like God, the Son is eternal, having no beginning nor ending of days (Heb 7:3) -- in direct contradiction of the Jehovah's Witness heresy.

When Jesus said, "I and the Father are One," He did not mean there are the same Person. When He prayed to the Father in Gethsemane, He mentioned this oneness. "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me" (John 17:22-23). Theologically, we would say they are "one in essence," with no variance between them. Both are eternal, omnipotent, and omniscient. In a lower sense, husband and wife become "one flesh" (Gen 2:24), and those in Christ Jesus become "one" (Gal 3:28). That is only a faint reflection of the oneness that exists between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Candidly, their oneness goes beyond our capacity to understand--but not beyond our ability to believe.

In the case of the Lord Jesus, there came a point in time when He "humbled Himself," divesting Himself of Divine preogatives, and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil 2:5-8). The Father, however, did not Himself stoop to become like those He was going to save, and die for them. He "sent the Son" to accomplish this. Hebrews 10:5-10 declare the Son volunteered for this assignment, accentuating His great love for us and the will of God. The Son did not cease to be God, but He did become a man, for we needed a man to save us.

Knowing people would wrestle with this matter, the Spirit affirms, "For it pleased the Father that in Him (Jesus) all the fullness should dwell" (Col 1:19). That "fulness" brought God within the range of human perception. Later the Spirit declares, "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col 2:9). This is most remarkable from a human point of view, yet was absolutely essential to our salvation. In fact, it was becoming of God to do it this way (Heb 2:10).

This truth is further accentuated by the conferment of blessing upon the people of God by both the Father and Jesus Christ--AFTER the Son returned to heaven. "Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; 6:23; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:2; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Tit 2:14; Philemon 3).

A most precise statement of the case is made by John in 2 John 3: "Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love."

The agonizing prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane was certainly not a prayer to Himself, as some affirm. "And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done" (Lk 22:41-42). The extended prayer of John 17 is filled with repeated references to the Father by the Son. "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You . . . O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was . . . Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are . . . You, Father, are in Me, and I in You . . . Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world . . . O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me" (John 17:1,5,11,21,24,25).

During His ministry, the Lord Jesus declared His dependency upon the Father. This by no means meant He was not Divine -- it did mean He had humbled Himself to become like us in order that He might die for us, and become a faithful and effective Intercessor. We must not recoil from His expressions. "I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things" (John 8:28).

Also, those who confess Jesus before men will be blessed by the Son confessing them to the Father. "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matt 10:32-33). Everything Jesus had (in the capacity of a Man) was given to Him by the Father. Jesus further said only He knew Who the Father was, and only the Father knew wo the Son was. "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" (Matt 11:27). In fact, Jesus said no one could come to Him unless the Father drew him (John 6:65). Jesus, in turn, brings us to God (1 Pet 3:18).

In the end, when the saints shall be glorified, and forever with the Lord, it is written, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God" (Rev 21:3). The Son will also be with us, as it is written, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" (Rev 7:10) . . . "These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb" (Rev 14:4) . . . "But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple" (Rev 21:22).