Most contemporary Christians believe that God has one and only one son and that that son is Jesus. They also believe that Jesus is literally God's offspring. This belief probably stems from the fact that the term "Son of God" is used to describe him in the Bible. That conclusion is too hastily made, however, because the Bible also calls several other persons sons of God. Even Satan is called a Son of God! Whether or not Jesus was literally God's only son, the fact remains that the term has several meanings in the scripture, and even the nature of Jesus's sonship seems to change between books.
             Jesus is not the only person whom the Bible calls a Son of God. In Genesis 6:2 and Job1: 6, the term sons of God is used in reference to angels or other divine spirits. In the verse from Job, Satan is included among God's sons. In Psalms 2:6-8, we are told that the Lord has taken the king of Israel to be His son. In Hosea 11:1, God calls the entire house of Israel his son. Mathew 5:44-45 tells us that anyone can be a Son of God if they love their enemies. John 1:12 tells us that everyone who receives Jesus and believes in him is a Son of God.
             The meaning and nature of the term Son of God in relation to Jesus does not remain constant throughout the New Testament. One reference to Jesus as the Son of God is found in Romans 1. Here we are told that Jesus is designated the Son of God by his resurrection. In this view Jesus was not God's son until after he died and was raised back to life. It is also interesting that this passage says that Jesus was, "...designated Son of God in power."(Romans 1:4) Here, the term seems to be more of a title or grant of authority than an actual claim of kinship.
             In Mark 1 the spirit descends on Jesus "like a dove" after his baptism by John the Baptist. At this point, God tells Jesus that he is His son. After the spirit has descended on Je...