Savior of the World
The Son is sent to be savior of the world (1 John 4:14). And it’s only as the only-begotten Son that He can be Savior. This is true in the usual sense that Jesus is the “contact point” between God and man.
But it’s also true in a more subtle sense. Jesus saves us by communicating life (1 John 4:9). But is life something that can be communicated? Is life something that can flow out from the Father? Is life something that can be shared? Yes, of course: It always has, because the Father has never been without His Son; the life of the Father has always been shared with His Son. Life can be distributed to creation only because there is an only-begotten Son.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
In Medias Res
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