One-Minute Answers by Stephen R. Gibson

Contents of One-Minute Answers

Why is Christ Only "A" Son of God?

Question: How can Latter-day Saints be Christians when the Book of Mormon states that Christ is just "a" son of God, not "the" son of God (Alma 36:17)?

One can be amazed at how many truths one overlooked in their search to find one point which anti-Mormon writers can claim to be an error or a fault. The Book of Mormon refers to Christ as the son of God at least 50 times and refers to him as a son of God only once. To conclude from that single example that we think less of him because Alma referred to him as a son rather than the son is not only foolish but hypocritical. It certainly is an example of what length critics will go to as they try to find new things to trip up LDS members.

In the Bible, we find a parallel in Luke 2: 11: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Using the same logic as the critics, could we then say someone who believes in Luke 2:11 is not a Christian since he believes Christ is just a Savior, not the Savior? Of course not. Another example from the Bible referring to Christ as a son is found in Hebrews 5:8, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered."

In Latter-day Saint theology, Christ is both a son of God and the son of God. He is a Savior and the Savior, but most importantly he is our personal Savior. He died for each of us.

The major difference between his sonship and that of other offspring of Heavenly Father is that Jesus Christ is the "only begotten Son" (that is, in the flesh)" (John 3:16). Perhaps even greater evidence of the centrality of Christ in the Restored Church is the fact that the 531 pages of the Book of Mormon contain 3,925 references to the Savior. That is one reference every one and one-half verses!