# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S6
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

6 Proceedings of the twenty-fifth convention

9. Brothers of Christ.
(Rom. 8:29.)

Christians are Christ's brothers. As he is, so are we also in this world. (1 John 4:17.) There is, to be sure, a difference between Christ and his brothers. Christ was begotten and born of the Father's essence. He is the radiance of his glory and the express image of his being. (Heb. 1:3.) To him the Father has said: You are my Son; this day have I begotten you. (Ps. 2:7.) His brothers, the Christians, on the other hand, have been adopted as God's children only through him. God's Son redeemed those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (that is, adoption in the place of a child). (Gal. 4:5.) But Christians now stand in a real relationship of children to the heavenly Father. "Behold, what manner of love the Father has shown us, that we should be called children of God! And we are." (1 John 3:1; original text.)

Christ is the firstborn among many brothers. He is that in the order of time, for he is God's Son from eternity. He is the firstborn of all creatures. For through him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth. And he is before all things; and in him all things hold together. (Col. 1:15–17.) Christ himself asserts his eternity when he says to the Jews: "Before Abraham was, I am." (John 8:58.) — Christ is the firstborn also in rank and honor. He was indeed born of the Virgin Mary, but he was not begotten by a human father; rather the Holy Spirit had come upon Mary, and the power of the Most High had overshadowed her; therefore the holy one born of her was also called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35.) He is the firstborn from the dead and a prince of the kings of the earth. (Rev. 1:5; cf. Col. 1:18; Acts 26:23.) Christ has risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who sleep. (1 Cor. 15:20, 23.) He is also the head of the church and has the preeminence in all things. (Col. 1:18.) God has set him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Eph. 1:22, 23.) God has exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:9–11.)

Christians are Christ's brothers; they have been born again to be his brothers. And Christ is not ashamed to call them his brothers. (Heb. 2:11.) They stand closer to him than his blood relatives. When someone once told him: "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside and want to speak with you," he answered: "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And he