"Begotten" signifies an impartation from one to another where the other becomes a copy of the first. Like the word "procreate", there is a continuation of the original in the form of the new.
Did Paul have a son while in prison?
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I am willing to accept Paul called people his children in a loving, endearing, sort of family-oriented way but perhaps spiritual father or spiritual son isn’t a real thing. We are God’s children.
John 1:12,13
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12,13
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
It is not typical for the NT writers to use terms of endearment.
Like in 1 Corinthians 4 Paul wrote: "Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel."
This is not a term of endearment but an outcome of a process. He continues:
"Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church."
Who better to represent the father of the Corinthian believers (Paul) than his "beloved and faithful son in the Lord" (Timothy)? And what an exhortation! "Imitate me". If we said that today in church we would get run out for being a heretic
But being a father of Timothy (like Paul) does not exclude either he or Timothy from being a child of God. Of course we are all God's children: we all, who are born again of the Spirit, call Him Our Father.
A father and son in the Lord do not necessarily share DNA. It is a relationship signifying a connection in the spirit where the elder watches over the soul of the younger and is responsible for his/her maturity. To the extent that the father must give an account to God.
When we read the following verse: "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you."
The question should arise: who watches over my soul to the extent that they must give an account to God? If the answer is, "Well, my pastor" then good. Go ask him for the account he gave to God regarding your unique soul: who you are as a person, your struggles and celebrations, how you are walking out your calling. He should know the names of your children and spouse, who they are in the Lord, the things that they are doing, etc.
If we don't have one who watches over our soul then we have accepted a congregational model (not the house/family model Christ demonstrated) that neglects the believers. It leaves the saints as orphans having to fend for themselves. It fractures the house of God with no one to address divisions and disagreements. In that model there is no one like Paul who can say "Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?" So errors/problems simply foment more problems until apathy sets in. Apathy, apeitheō is the English term "disobedient". The church cannot be obedient to a standard of the House of God if it in never presented. This is largely the condition of the church today. This is because we continued what Rome taught us (the congregation model) when we should have continued with fathers and sons, the House of God arranged like a family.
or...got knocked up, had a bun in the oven...Learn something new every day. Another one to insert into the memory bank.
Anyway Onesimus wasnt a BABY obviously nor was Timothy yet Paul still refered to him as his son.
I sometimes wonder what Bible peeps are reading or maybe they only reading snips of verses and not the whole chapters and books. Because how can you conclude Paul having a biological son if you had actually read the entire letter to Philemon?!
only in the English Language.
to know what the Bible claims is to use Monogenes, which has nothing to do with natural physical laws of reproduction but more like a mold creating the same thing over and over. we are the Begotten of God. one Believer + another Believer + another and another and millions and billions is like a Mold creating Begotten's of God!
We use the word "father" in different ways.
We say that Henry Ford is the "father" of modern automobile assembly. Yet we are certain he did not give birth to the factories.
When Paul wrote: "..Timothy... my beloved and faithful son in the Lord.." we know Timothy was not a child from his flesh as Paul had no natural children. Furthermore, Timothy was Paul's son in the Lord because of a spiritual application, unless we say faith is a matter of a superior mind. Therefore, it is not improper, or a stretch, to say Timothy was a spiritual son to Paul and that Paul was his spiritual father. They are connected not by the flesh but by the spirit. And it's more than simply being from the same womb of God, as His spiritual children. Paul watched over Timothy's soul and raised him in his calling in the Lord. This is house the Lord strengthens His house and maintains continuity in the earth: one generation at a time.
We say that Henry Ford is the "father" of modern automobile assembly. Yet we are certain he did not give birth to the factories.
When Paul wrote: "..Timothy... my beloved and faithful son in the Lord.." we know Timothy was not a child from his flesh as Paul had no natural children. Furthermore, Timothy was Paul's son in the Lord because of a spiritual application, unless we say faith is a matter of a superior mind. Therefore, it is not improper, or a stretch, to say Timothy was a spiritual son to Paul and that Paul was his spiritual father. They are connected not by the flesh but by the spirit. And it's more than simply being from the same womb of God, as His spiritual children. Paul watched over Timothy's soul and raised him in his calling in the Lord. This is house the Lord strengthens His house and maintains continuity in the earth: one generation at a time.
Always love the way you put things and it makes more sense to me now and I agree with you. So there can be such a thing as a spiritual father or perhaps someone who is shepherding the flock, so to speak.
Yes. In my view of scripture, we should all have such a relationship with an elder: someone with whom we have a close walk in our faith. If you think about it this is a similar walk we have with our natural children: we raise them with the wisdom we have gained. But, with that said, it is different. I have certain obligations toward my children simply because I am their natural father and I love them. However, each one has asked me to be their spiritual father, too. With their request I am free to dispense grace in their lives concerning their walk with the Lord. I have other spiritual sons with whom I have no natural obligations save for the affection I have for them. Yet, because they have asked me to watch over their soul as a father in Christ the grace that God gave me is available to them.
Most of my spiritual children are married couples. They enjoy the right of appeal in matters they cannot otherwise resolve together. So, if a wife has a matter with her husband that has caused an impasse they will ask for my help to resolve the matter. And I judge the issues with an eternal view of who they are in the Lord. I once gained a son this way: he was not my spiritual son but his wife asked me to be hers. An impasse arose and she convinced him to speak with me together. He thought I would take her side because of my walk with her, but I judged the matter from his position of head of the household, indeed, head of his wife in Christ (he was a believer just not walking as a son). With some time they both experienced peace on the matter with no division between them. He called me shortly after asking to be my spiritual son. We've been walking that way for about five years now. They are also dear friends.
My neighbor in the USA tried to be something like that to me, but he didn’t know I actually am quite biblically literal and spiritually gifted. I kind disagreed with many things he said, but i didn’t want to argue.
Really I could just rarely get a word in when he would randomly come by and peach the gospel or just want to rant about the Bible. I figured it was better I just listen to him and let him talk. He’s a good man and God bless his soul I love him too.
I also confided in him sometimes and he wasn’t one of those people who just quickly forgot about it. He really was concerned about all of the little things I told him. He was also cognizant of some other struggles I was having due to his proximity to my house.
I had someone like a spiritual father in India, but we haven’t talked in a while. We had a ministry and I was thinking of going there and see if we can do some missionary work around there. Anyway, presently I mostly just read the Bible on my own, pray, and have discussions here on this message board.
Onesimus was a slave that ran away from his master Philemon and went to Rome. There he embraced the gospel through the teachings of Paul and converted and became a helper to Paul. He was referred to as begotten by Paul, not of the flesh but of spirit.
Seems that’s likely the case. Paul referred to people as his son or child sometimes. Even today people do that. Even I sometimes say “Hey son” to people I know really well but I use it as a term of endearment.
Sometimes I wonder if Paul actually had many biological children. Some things he said makes me think he wouldn’t want anyone to be of him in a spiritual sense.
1 Corinthians 1:12-14
12What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas ”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized in my name.
Onesimus was Philemon's slave who ran away. It seems likely that Paul is saying that he won him to Christ. He sent Onesimus back to his master, wanting Philemon to receive him well and to allow him to go back to Paul.
Compare to I Corinthians 4:15
For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.