Article 2

Concerning the eternal birth and Godhead of the only and eternal Son of God, we confess: that the Son of God was born and proceeded from all eternity, in a manner beyond words, from the true God, His Father; of the essence and substance of the almighty God, as a Light from the true Light, true God from the true God; being in the form of God, the likeness of the invisible God, the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person; so that He was born and proceeded from God His Father as the brightness of the everlasting light, the spotless reflection of the power of God, and the image of His goodness; being equal with His Father in essence, form, and attributes; as eternal, almighty, holy, and the like. For it is an unavoidable consequence that like produces like.

Thus, as the stone spoken of by the prophet Daniel, which was cut out of the mountain without hands, and itself became a great mountain, is of the same essence and substance as the mountain; so also the precious, elect cornerstone, Jesus Christ, was born or proceeded from God the almighty Father (who is called a mountain and rock forever), and is of the same essence and substance as Him.

Therefore Christ Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, is to be believed in, confessed, served, honored, and worshiped by all believers, as the true God with His Father. But since this is also a matter of faith, and not of reason or comprehension, all of it must be viewed, believed, judged, and spoken of, not humanly, nor carnally, but divinely and spiritually.

Concerning this high, eternal birth, issue, and Godhead of the Son of God, read: "You are my Son; this day I have begotten you." Psalm 2, verse 7. "For to which of the angels did he at any time say, You are my Son, this day I have begotten you? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son. And again, When he brings in the first begotten into the world." Hebrews 1, verses 5 and 6.

"So also Christ did not glorify himself to be made a high priest, but he who said to him, You are my Son, today I have begotten you." Hebrews 5, verse 5.

"And we declare to you glad tidings, that the promise which was made to the fathers, God has fulfilled it to us their children, in that he raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, You are my Son, this day I have begotten you." Acts 13, verses 32 and 33. Observe that this passage of Paul refers not only to the raising up of Christ from the dead, but chiefly to His eternal birth from God His Father.

The prophet Micah, speaking of Bethlehem, says: "Out of you shall he come forth who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5, verse 2; John 16, verses 28 and 30.

Again, Paul says: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born (mark, the first born) of every creature." Colossians 1, verse 15; Revelation 3, verse 14.

Also John: "No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son (mark, the only begotten Son) who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him." John 1, verses 18 and 14.

Read also: Proverbs 8, verse 23; Daniel 2, verses 34 and 45; Sirach 24, verse 13; Romans 8, verse 29. Concerning the Godhead of Christ, read: Psalm 45, verse 6; Hebrews 1, verse 8; John 1, verse 1, and 20, verse 28; Romans 9, verse 5; First John 5, verse 20. [n527-2]