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AND so it is clear that through the mystery of the Word of God joined
to man, the Word, which was sent to save men, can be termed Saviour, and
the Saviour, who was born in the flesh, can through union with the Word be
called the Son of God; and so through the indifferent use of either title,
since God is joined to man, whatever is God and man, can be termed
altogether God. And so the same Apostle well adds the words: "Whoever
believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and the love of
God is perfected in him." He tells us that he believes, and declares
that he is filled with divine love, who believes that Jesus is the Son of
God. But he testifies that the Word of God is the Son of God, and thus
means us fully to understand that the only begotten Word of God, and Jesus
Christ the Son of God are one and the same Person. But do you want to be
told more fully that,--though Christ according to the flesh was truly born
as man of man,--yet in virtue of the ineffable unity of the mystery, by
which man was joined to God, there is no separation between Christ and the
Word? Hear the gospel of the Lord, or rather hear the Lord Himself saying
of Himself: "This," says He, "is life eternal, that they may know Thee,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." You heard
above that the Word of God was sent to heal mankind: here you are told that
He who was sent is Jesus Christ. Separate this, if you can,-- though you
see that so great is the unity of Christ and the Word, that it was not
merely that Christ was united with the Word, but that in virtue of the
actual unity [of Person] Christ may even be said to be the Word.
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