1. Jesus is clearly called "the Son of God" in the Bible.
True, but His Sonship is distinct from all other uses of the term "son of God."
One of the things I would suggest to be important in understanding the use of
the "Son of God" in regards to Christ is that we are dealing with the incarnation of Eternal God in human flesh. This is not true of Adam, Angels, or born-again believers.
There is a point in time when the Eternal Creator takes up residence in human flesh and it is at this point this designation is attributed. While "The Son" is Eternal, God the Creator, The Christ has a beginning in time, that is, when He takes up residence in the flesh He created in the womb of Mary.
2. Adam is called the "son of God" in
Luke 4.
23 Now Jesus Himself began
His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed)
the son of Joseph,
the son of Heli, 24
the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi,
the son of ... 37
the son of Methuselah,
the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared,
the son of Mahalalel,
the son of Cainan, 38
the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth,
the son of Adam, the son of God.
Mankind in general can be viewed as "sons" and "daughters" because they were created by "Father" God. Thus the Lord's use of "...your Father in Heaven."
The use of "Son" in Christ's case is familiar terminology of description but we rely on the full teachings of Scripture to see that He is set apart from all other "sonship" due to Who He is, rather than what He is.
Note "...as was supposed" as an indication that Jesus the Christ was not the son of Joseph. Nor was he formed of the elements of the earth and given a spirit, as Adam. He was the pre-existing Creator Who took up residence in a body He created for the specific purpose of dying in the stead of the sinner.
2b. Given that on any world God has created in the entire universe, any first-Adam for that race of beings on that world - is going to be "the son of God" having no other father but the Creator of the Universe - (and all Angelic beings have that same "direct creation" relationship to God and so are also called "sons of God" in the Bible ) then there could be this other context for that term (as we see in
Job 1 and
Job 2)
2b or not 2b—that is the question.
I take the position we are alone in this universe. Not because I don't think God could have created other worlds with life, but because I view this universe as specific to Man. Angels belong to another realm, that is—a/the Spirit Realm which may or may not be the Realm of God, that is, what we call Heaven.
One way to understand my own viewpoint might be to compare the difference between our world and worlds on TV. Heaven, God's Realm, has the substance our world has, whereas our world would have the substance television has. We cannot pass into that realm in our current condition (though it is implied this may be possible for our spirits before we die (such as Paul and John's visits and/or visions of Heaven)), and it is possible there was a similar scenario of existence for Angels. Perhaps they had a beginning of physical nature which became spiritual as will be the case for us when we are glorified. They can pass into this existence, being spiritual creatures, and this might be similar to "guest appearances," lol.
One of the greatest assumptions I think people make in regards to Job is that the appearing of the "sons of God" before God takes place in Heaven. It is more likely that this takes place in another setting.
3. The third context for that term: All born again Christians according to
John 1:12 are given the right to be called "the sons of God" -- because as part of the new birth - the new creation - they too are a direct creation of God.
Because we do not know completely the state of Holy Angels, we cannot be certain that they are or are not in eternal union with God as those who are born again are. My own perspective is that this is unlikely because the Church (comprised of those who are "in Christ" and eternally indwelt by God) is presented as unique among God's creations.
We are called sons of God because we are new creations, and—we are in eternal union with God. He is in us and we are in Him. This never took place in the Old Testament, thus it is unlikely that it took place before this universe was created.
Adam was created a dichotomy according to Scripture: he was given a physical body and a spirit. Eve, like Christ, was formed of the elements of Adam's body and given a spirit. But the Christ was made of a woman and took up residence in that body that was formed. Completely unique to all of Creation.
I view the use ot the term "Son" in regards to Jesus the Christ as more for our benefit in understanding Him. There is only one context for "The Son of God," and Jesus stands alone in that context because He is God our Creator.
This is given for the purpose of discussion, as well as a counter to the idea presented in the thread (though I understand you did not present it) that there are multiple "sons of God" into which Jesus Christ "fits into."
God bless.
