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Is Jesus really God and how can that be?

by Tony Warren


    There are those who think that the question is a non-essential, but the truth is that believing in the deity of Jesus Christ is a fundamental component of being a true Christian. If Christ was just a man, or even an extraordinary man, then believers are of all men most foolish to be looking to him to be the Saviour. Because there is no man who could have borne in His body the weight of every single sin, of every child of God who ever lived, suffered death as the wages for those sins, and be risen up without corruption, free from that debt of that sin. Only one strong as a Rock, the Perfect God who alone is without sin, could have accomplished that task.

Deuteronomy 32:4

Hebrews 4:15 1st Corinthians 10:4 Only in the strength of Christ whose work was perfect, and who was without sin, could there be a fountain of waters for the Salvation of man. There could not be any man who could purge us from our sins by His shed blood (as required), it would take a God to prevail under the hand of the wrath of God for sins. And there is only one God who qualifies, and that is Jehovah. In point of fact, the whole idea of Christ being just a man, or of Him coming as just fallible lesser god, makes the Christian belief of deliverance, ineffectual and foolish.

Isaiah 43:10-11

That word translated Lord is in the Hebrew [yehovah], or Jehovah. There is no god before Him who is the Saviour, and there is no god after Him who could be the Saviour. Jehovah God is the only possible answer to the sin question. Neither man nor superman could accomplish the task of being burdened with our sins, suffer the wages for them, which is death (the second death), and be resurrected uncorrupted and without fault. Even a non-christians can understand the bankruptcy of any theory of a mere man bearing the weight of the sins of the world on his shoulders. When you actually stop to think about this seriously, it is in fact quite ludicrous. Unless this man was the very revelation of God (the only one able to become sin for us, and withstand the decreed judgment thereof), then we have no Saviour.

1st Timothy 2:3

And that is exactly what the Lord God said in Isaiah 43:11. Who could accomplish such a feat as to be the Saviour of man? The answer in all reasonableness is, no one besides Jehovah God could be the Saviour.

Which brings us to the question, "how then was He God, and yet judged of God for our sins?" And the answer is found in His Word of promise to His people to send a Saviour, and yet there being no man that could Save. If the Word of promise was to be kept lawfully, then God has to (by His own arm), bring Salvation.

Isaiah 59:16

Man played no part in his own Salvation, the Lord was the one who blotted out man's transgressions, and has remembered his sins no more (Isaiah 43:25). Without God Himself coming as our help and the propitiation for our sins, we would all die without a Saviour.

Isaiah 63:5

God illustrates that He really has no hope for man's help for the deliverance of his people, He alone must deliver His Church, for no one else could. If we put our hope in man for Salvation, we hope in vain. It is the Lord God Himself who is our only hope, and it is only in His strength will we be set free. As it is written:

Psalms 146:3-8

That word translated LORD there is Jehovah. Jehovah God made Heaven and earth and all that therein is, and we read that it was Christ that made Heaven and earth and all that therein is (John 1:3). There is no contradiction, for it is self evident that Christ is Jehovah God. There is one God, and one saviour, but God reveals aspects of Himself in the three persons of the Godhead. The number three "symbolizes" the will and purpose of God. Thus, in three, the purpose and will of God is worked out for man. God manifesting Himself as the Father, God manifesting Himself as the Son, and God manifesting Himself as the Holy Spirit. The Father showing God revealed in all his Omnipotent Glory, Might and Majesty, while the Son shows God revealed in the revelation of the Word, the faithful promise, Judgment, Salvation, mercy, and Sacrifice. And the Holy Spirit is God revealed to man in His omnipresence, to perform His will throughout the earth in man. This is one God, and one Power, not three. God has made it clear "from the very beginning" about the three in the one Godhead.

Genesis 1:26

In the Hebrew text this is plural, not singular. God making it very clear that there is one God, and yet that one God works out His will in man in three. All throughout scripture we see this same picture of one God, working out His purposes and His will on earth, in three.

Isaiah 48:16

Here we see God give us this illustration again. Three, from the very foundation of the world, from the time that the beginning was, there was the great I AM, and the Lord God, and His Holy Spirit. Very concise and very spiritual language showing us the three in the Godhead. It's just one more example (of many) of the way God's Word is consistent, and in scriptural harmony throughout. Even as He said "before Him there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Him". You see, contrary to what some cults claim about multiple gods, God Himself denies it saying there is "one" God in heaven. But His purpose for man is revealed in three.

With all these facts, still there are some misguided souls who insist that, "..Christ and His Spirit weren't there in the beginning with God, and He didn't create the heavens and the earth." But since God refutes this, that simply is denying the obvious. Because the scriptures tell the very same story of the Godhead being revealed in three, throughout scripture. So these are not isolated or out of context verses. Jesus was was fully God, who was made of no reputation by leaving the glory He had with the father, and was revealed in flesh (in the likeness of man), that He could be the promised Savior that only God could be.

Colossians 2:9

How could God make that statement if it was not unequivocally true? He both couldn't, and He wouldn't. In Christ dwells all the fulness of God in bodily form.

We are all aware that there are those groups who go to great lengths manipulating the Greek in a vain attempt to prove this word translated Godhead should have been translated "divine" (referring to a divine nature), that it not refer to the person of God. But the [theotes] verses [theiotes] controversy is clearly contrived. Such self-serving re-translations cannot change the real meaning of the text. In fact [theotes] relates to the person of God [theos], while [theiotes] is more establishing God's eternal attributes or power. This can be seen in how it was deemed very appropriate by God that the Greek word [theiotes] be used in Romans 1:20 because God is speaking of His eternal power over creation, and how [theotes] is used in Colossians 2:9 where God declares that in Christ dwells all the fullness of the person of of God. The truth is that this controversy is devised by those who have an agenda to push, or an axe to grind. In the plain understanding of the text, it really doesn't change the meaning anyway. For in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead Bodily, or in Christ dwells the fulness of the Divine bodily, speaks of the same divine God in Christ. Not a god. Unless we are going to do some extraordinary scriptural gymnastics, the meaning is clear. He is the eternal God who left Glory in Heaven, to abase Himself and became flesh, and suffer as a man for the redemption of His People. This is the mystery of God we see darkly through a glass, and of which we can only grasp at ways to fully understand. Even though God plainly tells us..

1st John 5:7

Here we see the illustration by God of the trinity, that is to say, there is one God who manifests Himself to us in three, to signify His will and purpose. God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Word. The Word is a synonym for (Revelation 19:13) Christ. He is the fulfillment of the promise, the Word of God made flesh for the Salvation of man. The confirmation of the Covenant or oath God made, revealed in the flesh. Man's word means nothing, and his promise is often broken, but God's Word is sure, reliable, dependable, and law. It is the one thing that man can be confident in. And that Word declared that God alone was to be the Saviour. Therefore, the creator of all things Himself became flesh to fulfill that faithful promise of a Saviour.

Hebrews 1:1-3

Christ is the Lord God who is the creator of all the worlds. He is the express image (figure, or exact copy) of the person of God. These things shouldn't even be debatable, unless we deny that the Word of God is infallible and every word divinely inspired.

Colossians 1:15-19

It is self-evident that being the firstborn of every creature does not mean that Christ is a created being, since we read in the very same context that He was before all things and by Him all things consist, and He created all things whether in heaven or in earth. Rather, we understand that being the firstborn illustrates His preeminence in the resurrection from the dead, that all who are raised up (Old Testament saints or New testament saints) must be raised up in His first resurrection. i.e., positionaly, He must have preeminence because without His "First Resurrection" to life, there is no resurrection to life for the saints. For no man cometh unto the father except through Him. His position is paramount. There is none other name under heaven whereby men may be Saved. The Salvation of every creature is through His being the first born (resurrected) from the dead. He is the Root, the Beginning, the Firstborn in whom is our inheritance. It was for this reason that He became flesh. The same Word that was God, and that created heaven and earth, became flesh fulfilling this prophecy of being the firstborn from the dead, that we might live.

John 1:1

Here is understanding. The Word was not only with God, but the Word "was God!" Which of course is totally consistent with everything else we read throughout scripture. He is part of the divine Godhead, being with Jehovah God, and being God, He created all things. If scripture tells us that there is only one creator God, and you are with that God, and you are God, then it would be tortuous of scripture to claim that this means this is not that creator God.

John 1:2

This is because (as we read) these three persons of the Godhead are one. The Word was there at the beginning, with God, because the Word was God. He did not come into existence two thousand years ago when the Word was made flesh and dwelt among men, He has been God from the beginning. He was made flesh that the oath (the word of promise) of God to Abraham might come to fruition. i.e., the Word of God in the flesh of a man, that the law be not broken. Salvation had to be by legal (lawful) means.

Galatians 4:4

And this could only be done because He that was sent to fulfill the oath or promise was God, the Saviour. As indeed we read clearly in verse three of John 1:

John 1:3

Not only do we see that from the beginning this Word was with God, and 'was God,' but confirming these declarations we read that as God, the Word was the creator of all (not some) things, and that there was nothing that was made that was made by anyone but Him. Everything that was made was made by this Word of God. It doesn't get much clearer than that. And despite some religious groups claims to the contrary, it doesn't take a Ph.d, or a doctorate in Greek and Hebrew to understand what is being said. As the Creator of all things, He simply has to be Jehovah God.

Genesis 1:9

Genesis 2:4 Hebrews 11:3 God Spake His Word, and it was so. The Word of God created Heaven, earth, and everything therein. The very same Word of God that John chapter one says created all, and which was made flesh. If that doesn't make Jesus God in man's eyes, then I'm afraid nothing nothing will. He was at the beginning, He was with God, He was God, and He created all things. What is ambiguous about that statement? The Word of God framed the worlds, and scripture says that it is by faith that we understand this. And that is the key to our believing this. John continues in verse fourteen:

John 1:14

If there was any doubt, it should be removed by this statement. That which was both with God from the beginning (trinity), and indeed was Jehovah God who created all things, was 'made flesh and dwelt among men' as the only begotten of the Father. God, come to earth in the form of a man from a woman (begotten of God, the Spirit) in order to fulfill His Word of promise as the "only" Saviour. This is the cornerstone of true Christianity which no other religion can touch. A Saviour who is actually powerful enough to Save man from the wrath of God hanging over him, for his sins.

It is indeed sad that there is debate from some quarters about this first chapter of John. It has become the source of some controversy, albeit unjustifiably and without sound Biblical exegesis. There is one train of thought by a certain group that the translation of "The Word" is wrong. And they claim that scripture is not really talking about Jesus Christ until verse fourteen. This group is fond of saying, "first came the spoken word, then the written word, then the living word which is Christ." They believe that we've read Jesus into this, and that He is not really mentioned until verse fourteen where it says, "..the word was made flesh." May I say quite boldly (and frankly, without hesitation), that this idea is absurd, no matter what learned scholars they might find to support it. It is an inconsistent, irrational, illogical, and quite self serving twisting of what the text says. The whole context and structure of the passage is both clear and concise. The verses preceding and following make that abundantly clear. It is tortuous of scripture to try and make "The Word" mean anything but Christ there.

John 1:10-13

Now why would anyone think this is not talking about Jesus? It clearly says that He came to His own, and they wouldn't receive Him, and that as many as received Him believed on His name. This is obviously Jesus. The only way one would not receive that this is Christ is if he were interpreting scripture by his own private subjective presuppositions. And then in verse fourteen we are to believe that (without so much as a pause) it starts talking about some other Word, which is not Jehovah God, but Jesus? Such an interpretation would be almost beyond comprehension, except that we understand what indoctrination is, and how strong the will of man is to rationalize anything which he doesn't choose to believe. Some people just don't want to be confused by the facts. But honestly, the facts indeed speak for themselves. It's not a question of if it says this, it's a question of man having ears to hear what it says.

Another method which is used to try and chip away at the authority of the Word, is to attempt to convince people that John 1:1 was a mistranslation (A familiar refrain in our day), and that it should read "the Word was with Divine and the Word was Divine". Meaning that Christ had the divine nature of God, but was not God. They key on the Greek words, God [theos], and Word [logos], and claim it's not really God, and should be translated divine. When one is indoctrinated in a certain position, anything can be used in order not to receive what is 'actually' written. All that is required is a little wresting (twisting of scripture), or a little obscuring meanings in the Greek, and an excuse to do so. But let us simply test this theory that this is not God, by the context of the word itself.

John 1:1

That sure sounds like divine is God doesn't it? It sure sounds like divine created all things doesn't it? And that would make Him Jehovah God. Try as they may, they cannot force the scriptures to say something that they do not say, or to not say something which they do say. This is adding and taking away from the Word of God, and is condemned in the strongest of terms. That Greek word there [theos] is translated God over 900 times with no problem, yet because of their indoctrination in the view that Jesus is not God, they arbitrarily decide to change it here in order to make the Word conform to their teachings. It's rationalized in order to facilitate the acceptance of their doctrines. But the proof is in the manipulations. Again, let's substitute the word logos with anything they choose.

Again, that sure sounds like the logos is divine, and divine is God, and He created all things, doesn't it? Generally speaking, whenever man doesn't want to receive what is written in the Word of God, it inevitably becomes either a "translation problem" or a case where scripture doesn't really mean what it actually says. I guess that's why God calls it false teachings, because they don't follow the truth of the Word. When man attempts to lead the Word rather than follow it, then He has become his own ruler, and his own god. One false gospel may do it one way, and another false gospel might do it another way, but it always boils down to changing God's Word to suit their own traditions and beliefs (doctrines of men). But in truth (as we can see from reading the content in context), their changes actually change nothing in the Word.

Still another method used to deny that Christ is Jehovah the Saviour, is to claim that this really should be translated [a] God, instead of God. This is also a self-serving theory, for there is no article [a] in these scriptures, and no justifiable rationalization for adding it here. The definite predicate nominative [theos], never has an article when it precedes the verb ([en]). To translate this as [a] God is gross error because [theos] is a predicate nominative of [en] in the third sentence-clause of the verse, and so must refer back to the subject, which is [logos].

But all this is really academic, because anyone who goes to such lengths is not going to be convinced by arguments back and forth by one Greek expert with another. The Holy Spirit is He which reveals truth. It is evident that this is simply another attempt to justify changing God's Word to conform to their own presumptions. Any Church who believes this is a god, not thee God, simply does not have the knowledge or understanding of the gospel facts, that if Jesus is not God in their religion, then they have no Saviour. For besides God (says God), there is no Saviour. By faith we hear that, not by the words of men arguing from Greek tense. But even when we look carefully at this verse, even in the literal Greek, word for word, the meaning 'should' be abundantly clear to all true Christians. 

           en'  arche   en  ho  logos      kai  ho  logos  en

           theos       kai  theos  en   ho   logos

And here is the word for word interlinear rendering of what the Greek means. 

      en'    arche     en    ho   logos    kai   ho    logos   en
      in  beginning   was   the   word     and   the    word   was


      theos   kai   theos   en    ho   logos
       God    and    God    was   the   Word

All the rationalization known to man is not going to change what God has inspired written there. Even when man tries to supplant God's Word with their own private interpretations, the truth shines through. These aren't obscure Greek words which we can't be sure what the meaning is, they are words and tenses used liberally throughout scripture, and their meanings common knowledge. And they clearly show that Jesus is God. As seen in the prophecy of Zechariah.

Zechariah 12:9-10

Here The Lord God is talking about Himself, and then transitions right into saying, "and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced.." This is a reference to the piercing of Christ's side with the spear at the crucifixion, and God is declaring that it is Himself. There are some groups today who say the correct translation should be, "they will look onto Me concerning whom they have pierced and they will mourn for him." But again, even if this were right (which it's not) it would change nothing. But it gives these people some way to have just a crack of an opening where they can plant the seed of doubt that it refers to Christ. Many Jewish groups take the exact same tactic in trying to nullify all the Old Testament passages which so clearly speak of Christ. Proving again that one has to be predisposed to unbelief, and antithetical to these scriptures referring to Christ in the first place. Then it is easy to think up excuses to read passages in an unconventional way.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

Jesus is the Lord [Jehovah] our Righteousness, and there is no mistaking that this refers to Christ. No other god can be a Saviour to man, and no other god is to be worshipped. No other god qualifies.

Exodus 34:14

And yet we read in Matthew of the visiting wise men who were drawn of God by a Star to bring gifts for the Lord Jesus Christ, that they bowed down to worship Him. This was lawful because He was God.

Matthew 2:11-12

God was moving them and revealing truths to them, drawing them to worship the Lord Jehovah, who 'alone' is the Saviour.

Another point for us to wisely consider is the very fact that God was the Father of Jesus, assures us that the Son must be God. There was no earthly father, and so the Son cannot possibly be a mere man. He must of necessity be a God-Man! We need to understand, Mary only provided flesh, "everything else" was God in this Woman. Think about that carefully and intelligently. No sin passed on to Christ, he took on only the flesh, yet without sin, so that very literally, it was God in the Flesh. The God Man. The promised Seed via Jehovah God. Certainly not some other lessor god, as some surmise. He is the Son of the Spirit, and the Spirit is God. What is to debate? It's most certainly not some 'other god.'

Matthew 1:18

God, the Word, made Flesh by the Holy Spirit. If God wanted a good man, He could have used John the baptist whom He said was the greatest man alive. But by "the Word of the Law," Salvation requires Jehovah be our Saviour, for no man, no matter how virtuous, could carry the load of the wrath of God poured upon Him. A good man, even if we could find such a person (which is impossible), at best could keep himself out of Hell. He could never take on the sins of the world upon himself, pay for those sins, and be raised up His own body not seeing corruption, and free from Sin. That is impossible. There is none who could do it. Which is why it had to be God, the Saviour. No one else meets the qualifications. No mortal man could do it, and yet it was man who had sinned in the flesh, and so by law it had to be man to pay the price of his sin in the Flesh. How could flesh be found guilty, pay the price, and live? The only answer is, by God in the flesh. His own arm would bring Salvation. He Himself would have to be the Saviour of man. He would have to Come down from heaven and deliver us from the death (Romans 6:23) that hung over us.

Philippians 2:5-11

Here we have the testimony of God saying that Jesus was in the form of God, and being equal to God (Only possible if He WAS God) thought it not robbery to make Himself of no renown and be "made in the likeness of man" that He could suffer the death of the cross. Christ in the form of God, making Himself in the form of man, in order to be the promised Saviour of man. And in order to do that, He took on the flesh through Mary. And this is why He is called the Son of God. Because he is God, through seed in Mary, revealed in the form of man to be the Saviour of the world. Men today may have a hard time understanding the truth that Being the father through mary makes Jesus God, or that Christ Himself declared Himself equal with God, but the people of the day at least partially understood it. But the real lesson in these words is for us.

John 5:18

The Jews sure understood the things which Christ was putting forth. And it is hard to deny what is meant by the phrase that, "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of the father. -Philippians 2:10-11." This is the one true Great God, to the glory of the Father. The Son who is creator of everything, is exalted above everything. A fulfillment of scripture.

Isaiah 45:21-23

Again, the LORD Jehovah is He to whom every knee should bow and every language confess, and it is He who is the Saviour, and none else. These truths just keep shinning through again and again because they are immutable truths of the eternal God.

1st Timothy 6:14-16

This most assuredly is not speaking of a mere man, it speaks of the only potentate (authority or ruler), King of Kings, who only one who has immortality dwelling in the light. How could this be anyone but God almighty. We say, "He that hath an ear, let him hear."

The fact is, with a little careful study in the scriptures (and the Holy Spirit as your guide) it's very easy to see that Jesus is God. That is to say, if we believe the scriptures themselves and choose not to ignore what they say. Because we have example after example. God says that He is the First and the Last. Jesus being God, also confirms in Revelation chapter one verses seventeen and eighteen, saying that He is the First and the Last, and He is He that liveth and was dead, and is alive forevermore. Total consistency "only" because Jesus is God.

Isaiah 41:4

Revelation 1:11 And when John heard that voice and turned to see who was speaking to him, who did he see? ..He saw Christ in the Midst of the Candlesticks speaking to Him saying, He was alive and was dead and is alive for evermore. This is Jesus Christ the Alpha and Omega, the First and the last. i.e., He is God. There can only be one first and last. If Jehovah God says He is, and Christ says He is, then it is undeniable (if scripture be true), that Jesus is God. No real mystery, because without Christ being God and suffering death for us, there would be no Savior. That is exactly what was promised in God's Word, and that is exactly what we got. The Word made flesh. And we, as the true Church, are the witnesses of that truth, for we believe that He is our Saviour.

Isaiah 43:10-11

Reference Philippians 2:6 where Jesus was in the Form of God, and was made in the Likeness of man. And here God tells us there was no God formed before Him, neither shall there be after Him. So all those people talking about another god in heaven are denying the Word which declares there is no other God formed there that created heaven and earth, neither shall be. There is One God, and Jesus is all the fullness of the godhead bodily. When we are at peace with the Word, there is no fighting or warfare with it. We simply accept that it says, "other than Jehovah God, there is no Saviour." We don't retort, "NO, you're wrong God, Jesus Christ who is "NOT" the almighty Jehovah God, is our Saviour?"  God Forbid! But that, in essence, is exactly what some people do. The question is, who is right on this question, God or man?

Romans 3:4

The fact is (demonstrated in Isaiah 43:10-11), if God is not our Saviour, then we have no Saviour! It's as simple as that. We are in a gospel where the Saviour is someone else, and that someone cannot Save. Jesus and God are One, so that when we see Jesus, we have seen God. Which is what Jesus declared when His Apostle Philip asked to see the Father.

John 14:7-9

Very Good Question. Philip asks, "show us the Father," and Jesus replies, "have I been here all along and yet you have not known me?" That's an important statement. No man when asked of the Father could have justly said "I am he," unless He was God. That would indeed be a "blasphemous" statement if Christ were not the Father. When they had seen Christ, they had seen the Father. The Jews of the day understood Jesus' words (even though many today choose not to), as they took up stones to stone Him for declaring that He was God. They understood exactly what Christ was saying.

John 10:30-33

Those people were just like the pious of many religions today. They appear very sincere and zealous, but they are deceived. Yet unlike many today, they understood "clearly" that Jesus was declaring that He was all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. What they didn't understand (as some also today) is that what Jesus declared was true. He indeed was God. Therefore, there was no blasphemy. They thought He was simply a man, perhaps a learned man, or a prophet at the best. But they were wrong. They were men of good works, men of their convictions, but what was their zeal and conviction worth? It's value was nothing. The same value man's convictions are worth today if they are not founded solidly upon the Word of God. Just calling on God or saying we are Christian is not enough.

Matthew 7:21-23

People today may sincerely think that they are children of God, but they will be sincerely wrong. They hadn't kept God's Word faithfully, and so they missed the whole point of the saviour. Just as those who wanted to stone Jesus for blasphemy had. They read the scriptures, but they just hadn't Heard them. They didn't receive the love of truth. There are many that have a form of Godliness, but deny the power thereof (Titus 1:16). When we deny the Word, we deny the Spirit. Because the Spirit of God "works" through the Word. That is why these people couldn't understand Jesus was God and sought to stone Him for His words. The Word of God to them was "just words." It had no power in them, so that by their works they denied that Word. In truth these people had no justification even from the scriptures, but they sought to stone Christ, choosing to ignore the body of evidence of both the scriptures and Christ's work. Would some today also stone Him because He makes himself the Great "I AM?" Yes, many would. But when they deny that He is God, they deny that He is the the prophesied Saviour. Though many professing Christians will make the claim that scripture never says that Jesus was God, as we've seen, this has been declared in the scripture on many occasions. And in my view, without "real" ambiguity. For the mystery to the Old testament saints of the deliverer being God come in the flesh, is today revealed.

1st Timothy 3:16

The word mystery here means what had been hidden or concealed before. But now the doctrine of God as the Saviour which was kept hidden from the world, is now made known in the revelation of the incarnation and work of the Messiah. God has been made manifest to man, or has made an appearance to man in the flesh. The mystery of the Godliness or righteousness of man that could only be accomplished in the eternal God being manifest in the flesh. And Jesus is the eternal, who is before all things, and prophesied to be the Saviour and rule over all.

Micah 5:2

The Saviour was to be born in the flesh in the town of Bethlehem, but He has been going forth from everlasting or eternity, because He is God. This passage asserts the eternity of the coming Messiah, just as we read in the first chapter of the book of John. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. His going forth is from everlasting.

Another example of this glorious truth of Christ from eternity is when our Lord was teaching the Jews that if a man would keep His saying, he would never taste of death. They understood the import of this, and were so amazed that they asked Jesus if He thought that He was greater than their father Abraham. In other words, they wanted to know just who was it that Christ made Himself out to be?

John 8:56-59

Here Jesus not only made the claim to them that He was eternal, being present even before their father Abraham was born (Colossians 1:17), But used the title of God, "I AM." The very name with which God identified Himself to Moses. In this He is again declaring Himself to be God, the eternal creator and deliverer. And again we see they attempt to stone Him to death for declaring it.

Exodus 3:14

This is one of the names or titles of God. God is the Great "I AM." That is why Jesus, as God, could righteously declare that, "before Abraham was, I AM!" Not because He didn't know good grammar, but because He was God. The Jews asked how could He have seen Abraham when He was not yet fifty years old, and it was then that Jesus told them that before Abraham was, "I Am." How indeed could He be before Abraham was 'unless' He was the eternal God? The Jews knew and understood perfectly that Christ was saying that He was God. They didn't pretend that He was using esoteric language that they couldn't figure what He meant, they knew that He was making Himself out to be God, and they thought that was blasphemy. Christ saying that He was the "I AM" was enough to send them into a religious frenzy to stone him to death (John 8:59). To say that we cannot understand this to be Him declaring that He is God is nonsensical. Just as we read in John (when they attempted to stone Him before), it was for the very same reason.

John 10:33

They understood Christ's Words plainly declared that He was God. He is the eternal, the great "I AM." Even when Christ was betrayed of Judas and the soldiers came to take Him, He again demonstrated He was God, yet without rejecting the path He had to take as the suffering servant.

John 18:6

Does God tell us this simply to indicate that they just happened to stumble backward just as Jesus was saying this? God Forbid! They fell to the ground to illustrate that the great "I AM" was speaking. The word he may be italicized in some versions to illustrate that it is not in the Holy canon. They went backward and fell to the ground prostrate to 'signify' that as God His Word was with divine power, (Isaiah 28:13) and at His name of "I AM" they were under His divine power and influence. He could have destroyed them on the spot, or escaped at will (as He had before), yet the Lord willingly submitted Himself to these soldiers as a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7 Jeremiah 11:19 Acts 8:32], showing that He went without argument to suffer on the cross voluntarily. Falling backward in scripture is an illustration of God's judgement (Genesis 49:17; 1st Samuel 4:18; Psalm 40:14; Isaiah 1:4; Isaiah 28:13). This falling backward illustrating that that at the name of God, their judgement awaited. By all rights fire from Heaven should have come down to consume them at the sound of His Name, but that couldn't happen because of the will and purpose of God to go to the Cross. For this purpose was He born in the flesh. He had to go to the Cross willingly with them and be crucified for His People. But they went backward signifying their Judgment. God has said it in a hundred different ways. But like the Scribes and Pharisees many do not want to hear that Christ was the almighty God. It's certainly not that scripture doesn't make it clear Jesus was God (even though some claim it doesn't), it's that some don't want to receive what God says, nor do they have the Spirit which would guide them into the truth of it. This truth is given by Grace of God.

Hebrews 1:8

Note that this verse clearly says the Son (Jesus) is God [theos] and the throne of His kingdom everlasting! How do you have two Kings ruling in one Kingdom of God. Jehovah says He alone is God and there will be no other gods after him, nor has there been any before Him. He is the First and the Last whose Kingdom is forever. Do we have two forever Kingdoms ruled by two separate Gods? No, there is one Kingdom and one ruler thereof, God.

We cannot force anyone to believe these truths no matter how clearly it is written. The mind will rationalize away absolutely anything which it wants. Our job as witnesses is to bear faithful testimony to the Word of truth.

Titus 1:3

Titus 2:10-13 This is the harmony of the scriptures which consistently show us God declaring that, "besides Him, there is no Saviour!" Those claiming they have a Saviour, but it is not God almighty, simply are declaring something which is unbiblical. If they have a Saviour who is not God, then they have a saviour who cannot Save.

Isaiah 45:21

Hosea 13:4 We shall know no saviour but God, and yet some professing Christians continue to claim that there is another god in heaven who created all things, but who is not Him. They simply will not receive the witness of truth of these myriad of scriptures. Nevertheless, these Words stand for God's people a testimony of righteousness.

Hosea 11:1

Matthew 2:14-15 The Son Israel is Christ, and all in him shall be Saved. Salvation is of Israel. He is "thee" seed to whom the promises were made. Not as to many, but as to one. All we have to do is follow scriptures carefully via the Spirit, and the truth shows through. And of course this is both logically and Biblically, the only way to go. That we follow, not try and lead it where we want it to go. When John the Baptist came preparing the way for Christ, He was preparing the way for Jehovah God. Because Jesus was God and the scriptures confirm this.

Matthew 3:3

This is the "fulfillment" of the prophesy of Isaiah:

Isaiah 40:3

John the Baptist prepared the way for God, because Jesus was God. John had to decrease while Christ increased. And that word LORD there is [yehovah] Jehovah. Jesus is Jehovah God who John prepared the way for. This is the true God the latchets of whose shoes John says He was not worthy to unloose. ..Because He was God.

Luke 3:16

The only one who can baptize anyone with the Holy Ghost is God. No one else qualifies to cleanse us from our sins but God. Which is why Jesus Christ can baptize or cleanse us from our sins with the Holy Spirit. He is God.

Mark 2:7

The only reason He didn't speak blasphemy was because He was God, and thus could forgive sins committed against God. The Holy Spirit is God, and God reveals Himself through it. He alone cleanses with the Holy Spirit. i.e., who else can forgive sins but God? The answer is, no one. And so with such abundance of scriptures confirming that Jesus is God, we are left to wonder what the controversy is all about.

1st John 5:20

Again, Christ is the true God, and eternal life. These things are made very clear to us when we receive what is written. From the very beginning, the promise was that God would be coming, not of a man. We saw this as we looked at Matthew 1:18, the fulfillment of the virgin Mary being with Child of the Holy Ghost (God). Even His very name portrays God's mission to redeem man by taking on the flesh of man.

Matthew 1:23

That's what the Word (interpreted by God, not man) means. Unfortunately, as is often demonstrated, man doesn't like God's interpretations and defers to his own private interpretations. And man's private or personal explanations is that somehow Christ was not "God with Us," and that all these scriptures (and more) should be reasoned away, rationalized away, or deemed misunderstandings. But we should know by now that man often makes things ambiguous for his own self-serving purposes. But Scripture is very clear on the matter. Names in the scriptures carry great spiritual significance, and this is no exception. Consistency is the hallmark of truth, and inconsistency and contradiction is the hallmark of error.

Isaiah 9:6

There is no one who would be called the everlasting or eternal Father by God, but the Everlasting Father. As Jesus said, call no man Father but your Father in Heaven (Matthew 23:9). This is what Jehovah means. Not that you shouldn't call your physical father, father, but that you should never call anyone God, the Father, but God. There is only one who is the everlasting Father, and it is Jehovah God. Therefore, Jesus being the mighty God and the everlasting Father, is of course, this one and only Jehovah, the only Saviour. Even doubting Thomas understanding the great truth of the resurrected Saviour declared it:

John 20:28

When Thomas had seen and put his finger forth to touch His wounds of the resurrected Saviour, he confessed without restraint, My Lord [kurios], and my God [theos]. Blessed are those who have not seen or felt the nail prints in His hands, and yet believe that Jesus is the Lord, God.

I guess I should be careful to stress that I don't mean to put forth the idea that I believe that everyone who doesn't understand the full import of the deity of Christ is a demon from hell. I am simply stating that contrary to the belief of some who call themselves Christian, scripture is clear on the matter if we "receive" all that it has to say. And it is not an incidental matter, it is a basic fundamental truth of the historic Church that Jesus must be God. Of course there are some very legitimate questions that are raised about this, and these should be addressed honestly by theologians. e.g:

"If Jesus is God, then why does scripture say that God is greater than Christ (John 14:28, I Corinthians. 11:3)."

That is a legitimate question, but the answer is not as difficult as one might imagine. Jesus said that "the Father is greater than I," because He left the glory of God in Heaven and abased Himself to become the suffering servant and be humiliated for us. To take the wrath of God the father, upon God the Son, on behalf of those whom God elected unto salvation. When He took on the flesh that he could be the propitiation and pay the penalty for man's sin, He made Himself of no reputation. Man could not look upon God the father and live (Exodus 19:21; 33:20) for God is a consuming fire. Still, the Glory that He had in Heaven, he would have again after His Work on the cross, and ascension to the throne. As was explained in verses such as,

John 17:5

So it is no real mystery. God revealing Himself to man as the Saviour, left the Glory in Heaven, poured Himself into the form of a man to be the suffering Saviour. It's the same as we already read in Philippians chapter 2 of Him being in the form of God, leaving that to be made in the likeness of man, of no renown. Again:

Philippians 2:6-7

He was in the form of God, equal, but made Himself as the Servant, not as the Glory of the Father. And so of course He says the Father is greater than He. Because God, the Father, is in His Glory, and God revealing Himself as the Son left that Glory He had in the form of the Father, in order to be the Saviour of man and suffer the wrath of that God for us. So though these are certainly things some consider hard to understand (and which none of us can understand perfectly), there is really no confusion in those statement, considering all of scripture. Of course, there will always be those who take these hard to understand scriptures and wrest them to try and distort other truths. It's to be expected.

2nd Peter 3:16

Another objection which is often made (sarcastically) is that, "if Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, how can God sit besides Himself?" It is true that this can be a legitimate question, but it's usually asked mockingly. But the truth is just as scripture declares it to be. There are three in the Godhead, and yet these three are one. The mystery can be equated (no where near perfectly) to a river of water which at the head forks into three streams. One stream may water the lilies of the field, another stream may go in another direction to wash the dirt off the busy workers of the field, and still another stream may be for thirsty travelers who pass by that way. Still, it's all one water from 'one' stream head, but that one head is doing three different tasks simultaneously. The water therefore is one, but it is for 'three purposes.' That doesn't mean it has to be three waters, nor that each individual stream of water is not the source water. All three are one well of water but the well manifests it's work in three. It's one source, and one water, but gets it's work done in three. Of course as I said, it goes without saying that this is an imperfect analogy (as any would be) but it makes my point. God is one God, but works out his purposes and His will in three. the "spiritual" significance of the number three is the Purpose and Will of God. (see the significance of the number three in scripture).

Of course, it also goes without saying that anyone can ask rhetorical questions. They can ask, "How can God be sitting beside Himself," but I can likewise ask, "How can God pass by Moses on the mountain, and yet be on the other side of the World also?" You see the folly in such questions? He can because He is God! It's the same question really. And yet we all believe God passed by Moses on the mountain and yet He still was everywhere present. Which only proves that the question about the seating near Himself on the throne is one of self justification, not sincere misunderstanding. How can God be in China, and working in New York at the same time? Because He's Omnipresent. How can God dwell in Peter, be dwelling in Paul, and John, at the same time He is making intercession for Luke by His Spirit and numbering the hairs on our heads while watching the sparrows at the same time? Of the asking of questions there is no end. All is vanity saith the Preacher. These type questions are usually not questions in a search for an answer or knowledge of truth, they're usually sarcastic mocking, or products of ego/pride and self justification. The mind set is usually one of, "..Let's see him answer this one, or, I'll get him with this one." Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Atheists are a bit more open with their mockery.

"If God can do anything, can He make a Rock so big that he Can't lift it?"

If you say yes, they say, then if He can't lift a rock, He can't do everything. Likewise, if you answer no. But it's all a silly self justifying exercise in vanity. What does the question prove? That he's clever? No, it proves nothing. We could write ten books asking rhetorical questions, but it doesn't solve the basic question of Christianity. Namely, are we going to receive what God actually says, or are we going to wrest (twist) His Words until they resemble our own words and our own doctrines? That is the question! Are we going to accept God's Words as the Words of the Wise, or will we build our own doctrines by what is right in our own eyes.

Ecclesiastes 12:10-14

That is the conclusion of the whole matter. Believe what God says. Keep the law of His Word faithfully. We have no ability to make Christ Lord, He either is LORD or He is not Lord. Christ either established the Kingdom of God, and is King in that kingdom, or we are of all people of the earth most foolish to believe. The truth is, He has established the Kingdom of God. And how is someone ruling as King in the Kingdom of God, who is not God? How is He then King in the Kingdom of God? The truth as written is, it is the Kingdom of God. And thus God rules on the throne. It's not a Kingdom of this world, and all Christians have a part in it. We have no right to change the laws of the Government because Christendom is not a democracy. It's a Kingdom with a Sovereign King. We are servants of that King, and we are Sons by "Grace," not by any Sonship rights (except in Christ). We worship only God in this kingdom, and we come to God the Father, through God the Son, who makes intercession for us by His Work on the cross that His Spirit intercede on our behalf. Three persons of the Godhead working in One.

John 10:30 "I and the Father are one."

Here are a few more of many excellent Bible references to the deity of Christ!

Psalm 45:6-7; Hebrews 1:8-9; Rev 6:2, 19:12-13)
Psalms 68:17-18; Ephesians 4:7-8
Psalms 102:1, 25-27; Hebrews 1:8-12
Matthew 4:10
Matthew 20:28
Matthew 21:16
Matthew 22:44-45
Matthew 28:18
John 1:4
John 1:18
John 5:19
John 5:23
John 5:25
John 9:38
John 14:6
Mark 2:5, 7, 10
Acts 10:25-26
Romans 10:9-13
2 Corinthians 13:14
Philippians 2:10
Colossians 2:9
1 Timothy 1:16-17
2 Timothy 4:18
Hebrews 13:6
James 1:17
Revelation 1:6
As we saw, John chapter one is an unmistakable statement as to the eternal existence of the Person of the Word of God, who is God, and Who was and is with God the Father, and has been from the beginning. To state (as some do) in respect of John 1:1 that "the Word was a god is irreverent, derogatory to Christ, and is blatant heresy. Those who deny the deity of Christ, deny that He is the only Saviour, for there is no Saviour but God. Since the Deity of Christ is unquestionably established, there is no need for doubt about His Work, and no problem in accepting His eternalness.

We should all be very grateful to merciful God, who has supplied us with all of the truths that we need on this issue. The scriptures are sufficient for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness: It then follows that we should take every opportunity to first consult the scriptures for the guidance we seek, and to rely on them. Let us put our trust in God who has authored and inspired them on our behalf.

    May the Lord God who is Gracious above all give us the Wisdom to discern the truth of His Holy Word.

Amen.

Peace,

Copyright ©1998 Tony Warren
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Created 4/9/98 / Last Modified 5/31/03
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