The Deity Of Christ

THE DEITY OF CHRIST

When witnessing to a muslim friend who has many questions concerning our religion, he asked among his many questions, about how Jesus was God, when we also claim that the Father is God. I gave him many verses of Scripture concerning Jesus' deity, and I always welcome this man's questions, because it makes me exercise my mind and reminds me of the many facets of our doctrine that we need to keep in mind ourselves, for when we forget, we sometimes fail to follow Jesus' teachings or example!
Jesus Himself testified of His deity, as well as many others in the gospel alone, let alone Paul in a number of his letters. Here is one place where Jesus stood firm under fire concerning who He was; "But Jesus held His peace. And the high priest answered and said unto Him, 'I adjure thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God.' Jesus saith unto him, 'Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.'" (Matt. 26:63 - 64) Plainly He was painting Himself as our deity, our Savior, and our God; and there are more verses to this effect.

"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matt. 28:20) Here Christ is affirming that He is onmipresent, something only God can be.

To the unbeliever, the beginning of John's gospel may appear to be mumbo-jumbo, but to the understanding Christian, it makes sense. in John 1:1 - 14, 18, Christ is testified of as being the Word, and to the mystification of unbelievers, John's first verse declares the triune Godhead in part by declaring Jesus to be with God AND God at the same time; if you want to confuse an unbeliever right away, start to teach him or her with this passage! It is an excellent description of Jesus and His purpose, and from the beginning declares Him God; Emmanuel!  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by Hm; and without Hm was not any thing made that was made.  In Hm was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made by Hm, and the world knew Hm not.  He came unto Hs own, and His own received Hm not.  But as many as received Hm, to them gave H power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on Hs name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld Hs glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:1 - 14)

"For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of Mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me." (John 5:26 - 30) Here Jesus is claiming His divine capability to raise whomever He will from the dead, a feat only God can do, omnipotence unable to be claimed by any other entity.

"I and My Father are one." (John 10:30) Here Jesus is straight and to the point using only six words!  If we understand the Father to be omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, then here Jesus is declaring that He also is God, as He is one with the Father.  He is saying that there are not three separate Gods, as false teachers want to teach, but rather that there is one God alone, with three parts, He being one, and the Father being another.

There is another place in the gospel where Jesus tries to reiterate the reality of He and the Father being one God.   In this passage, Jesus seems disappointed in that Philip has not yet grasped exactly who he has been in association with since the day Jesus chose him as one of His disciples, and hereby our Lord patiently tries to put it plain enough for Philip to understand that he is not just following a prophet! "Jesus saith unto him, 'Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip?  He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, "Shew us the Father?" Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?  The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.  Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works' sake.'" (John 14:9 - 11)

"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John 16:13 - 15) Wow. Here Jesus is explaining a working between the three persons of the one God. He is herein declaring the interaction of the three as one God. Also, He is again testifying of His deity and being God. If all things that belong to the Father God belong to Jesus also, then we are to understand that both Jesus and the Father are God indeed, in perfect agreement with one another! Here also the Holy Spirit is in perfect accord with the Father and the Son, declaring them the perfect Triune Godhead!

In this next passage, Jesus again testifies that He and the Father are one deity, yet separate entities. While on earth, Jesus was in human form, yet 100% God, and inseparably joined to the Father in Spirit, one God without regard to the difference in form between He and the Father! "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." (John 17:9 - 12)

"And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, 'Peace be unto you.' Then saith He to Thomas, 'Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing.' And Thomas answered and said unto Him, 'My Lord and my God.'" (John 20:26 - 28) Because Thomas knew Jesus had been crucified, and because Jesus suddenly materialized in the room with them, despite the doors being shut, for this reason the overwhelming evidence of the truth struck Thomas, and thereby he exclaimed Christ's deity.

When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he wrote of the full essence of deity of Christ, and of His firstborn place over all creation, the first to rise from the dead in a resurrection body. It is written that we shall have a body similar to His resurrection body, but He is the first fruit of the dead with a resurrection body: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2) "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell;... For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. 1:15 - 19, 2:9)

Paul also penned to Titus a letter that, within it, he wrote concerning Jesus' second coming and of Jesus being our great God and Savior! "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" (Tit. 2:13)

When writing to the Hebrews, Paul wrote of Christ's deity over all mankind, in that the Father gave all creation to Christ; but then, Christ affirmed His omnipotence already in the gospel! Paul wrote that Christ's image was of God, and His position was seated at God's rightful position in honor. "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;...But unto the Son He saith, 'Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom.'" (Heb. 1:2 - 3, 8) "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." (Matt. 28:18)

"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." (1 John 5:20) Here John confesses Jesus' deity and His gift of eternal life for those who believe on Him. Believers are those who understand Him to be the true God. Let us praise God for opening our eyes, that we have come to believe in Him!