What is the doctrine of eternal generation and is it biblical?

Answer

The concept of eternal generation dates back to the early periods of the Christian church. This concept, together with the eternal procession of the Holy Spirit, establishes the foundation for the comprehensive doctrine of the Trinity. The formulation of this doctrine was formalized in the Nicene Creed, which is widely acknowledged as an accurate expression of faith in both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. Additionally, this doctrine has been incorporated into Reformation confessions of faith such as the Belgic Confession (Articles X & XI) and the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter II.3). These two confessions serve as the doctrinal benchmark for numerous Reformed and Presbyterian churches globally.

When delving into the Trinity, we are immediately faced with the realization that it is a doctrine veiled in mystery. As finite, created beings, we will never fully grasp the concept of the Trinity; it surpasses our complete understanding. Any human analogies employed to elucidate the Trinity eventually fall short. Therefore, we must approach these matters with humility. It is unwise to venture beyond what is supported by Scripture. Every heresy related to the Trinity has emerged from attempts to clarify the unexplainable.

Having said that, let us examine the commonly held beliefs within evangelical circles concerning the doctrine of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity asserts four fundamental principles:

1. There is one and only one true and living God.

2. This one God exists eternally in three Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

3. These three Persons are entirely equal in attributes, each sharing the same divine nature.

4. While each Person is wholly God, the Persons are not identical.

These four assertions are universally embraced by all professing Christians, whether Roman Catholic or Protestant. Each of these four assertions can beDefended with Scripture. If we acknowledge these as true, then we should be able to compare the doctrine of eternal generation against them and see if it stands firm.

The doctrine of eternal generation essentially teaches that God the Father eternally and necessarily generates or begets God the Son in a manner that the substance (the divine essence) of God remains undivided. In simpler terms, there is a sharing of the complete, indivisible substance of the Godhead so that God the Son perfectly represents (or is the exact image) of God the Father. There remains one divine essence that eternally exists in two persons through eternal generation. Reformed theologian Louis Berkhof articulates the doctrine of eternal generation as follows:

It is that eternal and necessary act of the first person in the Trinity, whereby He, within the divine Being, is the foundation of a second personal subsistence like His own, and grants this second person the entire divine essence, without any division, separation, or alteration (Systematic Theology, Eerdmans, 1938, p. 94).