The Eternal Functional Subordination of the Son is the teaching that Jesus Christ has always been in submission to God the Father throughout all eternity. This view does not teach that Jesus is a lesser God. This view holds that Jesus is God just like the Father and the Holy Spirit are God. Jesus is co-equal in essence as the Father and the Holy Spirit. This view makes the distinction between someone's essence and someone's role. Advocates of this view say that Jesus is equal in essence with the Father, but He has the role of submitting to the Father and He has been doing this through all eternity. They say that Jesus's submission to the Father for all of eternity does not imply that He is less than God.
Opponents of this view say the following:
Jesus's submission to the Father mentioned in the Gospels have to do with the Incarnation only. Jesus's submission to the Father only pertains to His humanity, not to His divinity.
If Jesus's submission to the Father is eternal, then this would jeopardize His essence. One's role is grounded in one's essence.
If Jesus's submission to the Father is eternal, then this would imply that there are different degrees of authority within the Godhead and that there are different degrees of being divine.
If Jesus's submission to the Father is eternal, then this would imply that the divine will is divided.
What do you think about this? Does the submission of Jesus to the Father pertain only to His humanity or pertain to both His humanity and divinity?
Opponents of this view say the following:
Jesus's submission to the Father mentioned in the Gospels have to do with the Incarnation only. Jesus's submission to the Father only pertains to His humanity, not to His divinity.
If Jesus's submission to the Father is eternal, then this would jeopardize His essence. One's role is grounded in one's essence.
If Jesus's submission to the Father is eternal, then this would imply that there are different degrees of authority within the Godhead and that there are different degrees of being divine.
If Jesus's submission to the Father is eternal, then this would imply that the divine will is divided.
What do you think about this? Does the submission of Jesus to the Father pertain only to His humanity or pertain to both His humanity and divinity?
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