Did the Son exist eternally?
The eternal Word was God. The Son was born, given, made of a woman, and sent in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Direct answer
The one who became the Son is eternally God, but Scripture connects sonship to the incarnation, birth, and redemptive mission.
Distinguish identity from role
Jesus did not begin to exist at Bethlehem. The divine identity revealed in him is eternal. Sonship describes the incarnate life brought forth in time.
Let Scripture choose the terms
The Bible explicitly calls the Word eternal and explicitly says the Son was born and given.
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