Is The Word "Begotten" Important?

John 3:16
KJV
 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

ESV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

NRSV
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Is Jesus merely the son of God or is he the begotten son of God?

In the first place, if Jesus is the only son of God, then the Bible has many contradictions. If Jesus is the only son of God, then John 1:12 cannot be true. If Jesus is the only son of God, then Luke 3:38 cannot be true. If Jesus is the only son of God, then Romans 8:14 cannot be true. If Jesus is the only son of God, then no one else can be a son of God. There are passages of Scripture that clearly say God has other sons or teach how one may become a son of God. So, can Jesus be the only son of God? Or, is he the only begotten son of God? There is a difference and it is a significant difference.

I didn't realize the significance of the word, begotten, until I watched a Muslim teacher explain his belief about who Jesus is (link below). He was asked to explain how followers of allah can be called sons of god in his religion but Jesus cannot be called the Son of God. He made several good points while explaining his beliefs and he even used the Bible to make his points.
He pointed out that followers of God are referred to as sons of God in the Bible, and in that sense, he believes it can be said of Jesus that he is the son of God. But, to say that Jesus is the only begotten son of God is heresy, in his belief system. Of course, the opposite is true, it is heresy to say that Jesus is not the begotten son of God.

Now do you see why the word, begotten, is so important?

Islam has no problem with the new translations of John 3:16.

The muslim teacher points out that Adam is called the son of God in the Bible, but that does not make Adam God.

Luke 3:38 KJV 
Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

The teacher also brings up the passage in Romans 8 which states that those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God.

Romans 8:14 KJV
For as many as are led of the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

The muslim teacher then points out that the newer translations of the Bible do not call Jesus the begotten son of God and that most "Christian" scholars agree that the word "begotten" is a fabrication.

You see, by eliminating the word "begotten" from John 3:16 these translators have made Jesus a pious person. He is no longer God in human flesh.
There are many passages of scripture that speak of people being sons of God.

John 1:12
But as many as receive him, gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

If you are interested in listening to the video clip I referenced you can do so by clicking HERE. I thought it was very interesting. Good Muslims live very "holy" lives. They live separate from the world. They abstain from alcohol, they dress modestly, they pray five times a day, they observe times of fasting, they try to keep the law as given by Moses. In other words, they go about establishing their own righteousness and refusing the righteousness of God found in Christ Jesus.

Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

God only has one BEGOTTEN Son and his name is Jesus. He is fully God and fully man. He is the only saviour for mankind.

  Acts 4:10-12

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.