James F. McGrath has a good post interacting with the arguments of Larry Hurtado on the term "Son of God" and its application to Jesus (link). The final quote of the post is right on the money:
This ties into a previous post where Daniel McClellan refuted Matt Slick's utter abuse of the term "Son of God" to prop up a Trinitarian Christology.
For an informed, scholarly discussion of "Son of God," see Michael Peppard, The Son of God in the Roman World: Divine Sonship and Political Context (Oxford, 2012).
This also ties in nicely with the biblical teaching that we will receive what Christ has received from the Father. As I wrote in a post on the role of Joseph Smith in LDS theology:
Jesus is depicted as welcoming others into the relationship that he has with God the Father. And in the works of both these authors, as everywhere else in the New Testament, referring to anyone as “son of God” distinguishes them from God, rather than including them within the definition or identity of God.
This ties into a previous post where Daniel McClellan refuted Matt Slick's utter abuse of the term "Son of God" to prop up a Trinitarian Christology.
For an informed, scholarly discussion of "Son of God," see Michael Peppard, The Son of God in the Roman World: Divine Sonship and Political Context (Oxford, 2012).
This also ties in nicely with the biblical teaching that we will receive what Christ has received from the Father. As I wrote in a post on the role of Joseph Smith in LDS theology:
Additionally, Gilpin would have to, if he wishes to be consistent, argue that Jesus Christ Himself advocated idolatry, promising something only reserved to deity (in the Trinitarian view, and, as a result, in the theological view of Bobby) to glorified Christians. How so? Note one of the glorious promises to those who endure in Rev 3:9, 21 (this is Christ Himself speaking through John):
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee . . . To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
In 3:21, believers are promised to sit down on Christ’s throne, which is the Father's very own throne! Interestingly, Christ sitting down on the throne of the Father is cited as prima facie evidence of his being numerically identical to the “one God” (see the works of Richard Bauckham on “divine identity” on this issue), and yet, believers are promised the very same thing! This is in agreement with John 17:22 in that we will all share the same glory and be one with Christ and God just as they are one. Sitting in it does not indicate, contra Robert M. Bowman, Richard Bauckham, et al, ontological identification with God (cf. Testament of Job 32:2-9, where Job is promised to sit on God’s throne, something that is common in the literature of Second Temple Judaism and other works within the Jewish pseudepigrapha and elsewhere).
As for Rev 3:9, believers are promised that they will be the future recipients of προσκυνέω. While some may try to downplay the significance of this term, in all other instances where it is used in the book of Revelation it denotes religious worship (Rev 4:10; 5:14; 7:11; 9:20; 11:1, 16; 13:4, 8, 12, 15; 14:7, 9, 11; 15:4; 16:2; 19:4, 10, 20; 20:4; 22:8, 9). Only by engaging in special pleading and question begging can one claim it does not carry religious significance in Rev 3:9 (cf. my discussion on whether Jesus receives λατρευω in the New Testament).
To add to the discussion, here is the exegesis provided by New Testament scholar, Jürgen Roloff, on these important verses:
[3:9] With the same words that are in 2:9, the claim of the Jews to be the assembly (synagōgē) of God and the people of God's is rejected as false. Because they rejected Jesus as bringer of God's salvation, in truth they subordinated themselves to the dominion of God's adversary. Israel's heritage and claim are completely transferred to the Christian community. To it, therefore, also belongs the promise, originally made to Israel, that at the end time of the Gentiles will enter the city of God and subjugate themselves to the people of God (Isa. 60:14 and elsewhere). Indeed, among those who then come will be the unbelieving Jews, who will realize that Jesus loved them and that means he chose them; (cf. Isa. 42:1) and made them into the people of God. When mention is made of "bowing down" before the feet of the church, this assumes full participation of the church in the kingdom of Christ and sitting with him on his throne (v. 21) . . . [3:21] The final word about overcoming in the series of letters has particular importance. It summarizes in conclusion the central promise of salvation, which is the promises heretofore was sounded several times with variations and modifications, by using another Synoptic expression of Jesus (Luke 22:30b; Matt 19:28 [Q?]: to those who overcome is promised here participation in Jesus' heavenly kingdom. Thus, just as Jesus sits on his throne (cf. 5:6) beside God as equal ruler on the basis of his having overcome and thereby shares his dominion, so also will those who have overcome for his sake receive a place in his messianic rule (cf. 20:6) with unlimited communion, and even equality, with him. (Jürgen Roloff, Revelation [Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993], 61, 65-66)
This is yet another area where Latter-day Saint theology and practice is more commensurate with “biblical Christianity” and not the theologies of our Evangelical opponents.
