Billboards are popping up across America and soon to be around the world…the message is simple; the message is profound… the message says, “JESUS IS NOT GOD” but the message is a LIE!
John 8:23-24 “And he [Jesus] said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”
At a crucial point in his ministry, Jesus asked his disciples, (Mat 16:13-17) “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (14) And they said, Some say that thou artJohn the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. (15) He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed itunto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
The is one of the most important questions anyone will ever answer! Is Jesus God?
Does it matter? What do I believe… a billboard written by man or the Bible written by God?
Understanding the deity of Jesus is a fundamental truth of the Christian faith.
All false religions and cultic groups reject the doctrine of deity of Christ. Some reject the Godhood of Jesus because they think their reasoning is superior to the Word of God. They will say things like, “Well, I thought it through and it just doesn’t make sense to me that God would become a human.” Or they may tell you that the Bible is just a book of made-up stories. Some object because they have a misunderstanding of what the doctrine teaches. Regardless of alternative beliefs, they are wrong. The Bible is clear; Jesus is the only begotten Son of God who took on the likeness of men, that he might die to save us from our sins. (Jn 1:1-34, 3:16-18; Rm 8:1-11; Php 2:5-8)
Why we believe Jesus is God: The reason Christians believe in the deity of Jesus is that we are forced to come to this conclusion by the clear teaching of Scripture. Unless and until we believe that Jesus is Devine (that he is God) we are not and cannot be saved. John 8:23-24 “And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”
Here are 10 reasons… 10 biblical proofs, that we know Jesus is God…
1: The Bible teaches that there is only one God…but three persons. 1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
· In the Bible, these three persons are referred to as the “Godhead.” The Greek word for “Godhead,” is theotēs, and refers to “the state of being God.”
· with Jesus being God’s Son (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Acts 17; Rm 1) Jesus is the Son, within the Father, Son and Holy Ghost trinity of God. Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: (9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Many objectors to the deity of Jesus misunderstand what Christians believe about the Trinity. Christians believe what the Bible teaches—that there is only one true and living God (Deuteronomy 6:4; cf. 1 Corinthians 8:6). Jesus’ divinity is part of the doctrine of the Trinity, which states that within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three co-equal and co-eternal persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is a distinct person, yet each is identified as God: the Father (1 Corinthians 8:6), the Son (John 1:1–3; Romans 9:5), and the Spirit (Acts 5:3–4). We must also remember that it wasn’t the Father or the Spirit who became incarnate; it was the Son (John 1:14).
2: The Bible Teaches That Jesus Pre-Existed Before Creation
The New Testament clearly teaches that Jesus existed in eternity past.
Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In John 1:1 we read the same words, “In the beginning.” John informs us in John 1:1 that in the beginning was the Word (logos) and that the Word was not only with God but was God. This Word is the one who brought all things into being at creation (John 1:3). John 1:1 teaches that the Word is eternal, the Word has had an eternal relationship with the Father, and the Word is deity.
In his prayer in John 17 Jesus both refers to his pre-existence and his deity:
Jn 17:3-5 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
To have eternal life is to know two persons: both the Father and Jesus (see John 14:6-7; 16:3). But notice, Jesus is distinguished from the Father because Jesus is the one speaking to the Father. The personal pronouns (me, your, you) clearly show that this is one person speaking to another. In this conversation, the Son is speaking of the glory he has shared with the Father before the world was the words “in your own presence” refer to their sharing of divine glory. John 17:3–5 is not an example of the “human side” praying to the “divine side” but of a divine, yet incarnate (John 1:14) person, the Son, communicating with a divine, but non-incarnate person, the Father in heaven.
Paul’s words in Philippians 2:5–8 teach not only the deity of Jesus but also the distinct personhood of the Son prior to his incarnation. In this passage, Paul says Jesus was “in the form of God” before his birth in Bethlehem.
3: Jesus Is Creator Not Creature
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Paul’s statement in Colossians 1:15, that Jesus is the “firstborn of every creature” teaches that Jesus was a created being. However, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teaching resembles the view of the ancient Colossian heresy that Paul had to combat.
The Colossian false teachers believed that Jesus was just one of many created mediators between God and men. By using the specific Greek word prōtotokos, “firstborn,” Paul rules out the idea of Jesus as a created being. “Firstborn” does not mean “first created.” Rather, Paul uses a term that was based on the ancient designation of the authority, or pre-eminence, metaphorically given to the firstborn (Genesis. 49:3–4; Exodus 4:22). In the same way, David, the youngest of Jesse, was named “firstborn” (Psalm 89:20–27) who ruled Israel. Manasseh was born to Joseph first, but Ephraim, his younger brother, was “firstborn” due to his position as given by Jacob/Israel (Genesis 48:13–20, Jeremiah 31:9).
By describing Jesus as the “firstborn of every creature,” Paul is saying that he is the absolute ruler over all creation.
Furthermore, if Paul had wanted to describe Jesus as a created being, he could have used the Greek word protoktistos, which means “first created.” So why didn’t he use it? Because Paul did not believe Jesus was created.
In fact, the evidence that Jesus is supreme over all creation comes in Colossians 1:16. Here, Paul absolutely rules out the idea that Jesus is a created being because he presents Jesus as the Creator of the entire universe which exists by his creative power (John 1:1–3; Hebrews 1:2, 8–10). The reason Jesus can “create all things” is that “in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). The Greek word for “Godhead,” theotēs, refers to “the state of being God.” It is only God who can create (Isaiah 42:5, 44:24, 45:18).
4: Jesus Identifies Himself as Divine
In John 8:24, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”. The Jewish people reacted to Jesus’ statement by asking him, “Who are you?”. Jesus then told the Jews exactly who he is: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58). This “I am” (ego eimi) statement was Jesus’ clearest example of His proclamation, “I am God,” from its background in the book of Isaiah (Ex 3:14; Isaiah 41:4; 43:10–13, 25; 46:4; 48:12; cf. John 13:19).
These are the very words (ego eimi) that caused the Roman soldiers to fall to the ground after they came to arrest Jesus (John 18:6). Jesus’ explicit identification of himself with Yahweh of the Old Testament is why the Jewish leaders wanted to stone him for blasphemy (see John 5:18; 10:33).
5: The Apostles Identified Jesus as Divine
Both Jesus and his apostles identified him as divine. The Apostle Peter described Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” and“our Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1; cf. Titus 2:13).
Jesus’ own half-brother James, who was an unbeliever at first (John 7:5), described him as “the Lord of glory” (James 2:1; cf. 1 Corinthians 2:8; Psalm 24:7–10). What man or prophet could be described in this way? The Apostle John also attributed titles to Jesus that were used only of God by describing him as the “Alpha and Omega” and the “first and the last” (Revelation 22:13; 1:8, 17–18; cf. Isaiah 44:6). The writer of the book of Hebrews also has insight into the identity of Jesus In Hebrews 1, the author identifies Jesus (the Son) as superior to any prophet, the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person (v. 1–3), above the angels (v. 5), worthy of our worship (v. 6–8; cf. Psalm 45:6–7), and the creator of all things (v. 2–3, 10; cf. Psalm 102:25).
Paul’s letter to the Philippian church identifies Jesus as divine Phil 2: -11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 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 [kurios – God, Lord, master, supreme], to the glory of God the Father.
6: The Jewish Leaders Recognized Jesus’ Claim to Divinity
One of the clearest evidences of the deity of Jesus is the Jewish leaders’ reaction to Jesus’ words and actions. In Mark 2, Jesus not only heals a paralytic but also forgives his sins (Mark 2:5). This is one reason that the scribes cry blasphemy, because it is God alone who can forgive sins (Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:18; Mark 2:7). I can only forgive someone’s “sins” that touch my life, (e.g. theft, assault, adultery, et.al). I cannot forgive/remove/wash away the underlying sin, which is rebellion against God’s law. That sin is between you and God. And it is that sin that carries eternal weight. A man may sin against me, and I may never know it, and you may never be punished for it…but a sin against God is always known by him and punishment is certain. Only through repentance can God’s forgiveness be granted and the punishment removed.
In his trial before the Sanhedrin Jesus is once again charged with blasphemy because of his response to the high priest’s question: “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (Mark 14:61) Jesus responded, “I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62). Then the high priest tore his clothes, charged Jesus with blasphemy, and condemned him to death (Mark 14:63,64). Why did the high priest respond that way? Because Jesus quoted from Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13–14 and applied the words to himself. In Daniel 7 the divine Son of Man comes before the Ancient of Days, and all peoples and nations serve him. The Pharisees recognize Jesus’ divine claim here and charge him with blasphemy and determine him to be worthy of death.
7: The Early Church in the New Testament Prayed to Jesus
Prayer is something that should be addressed to God alone, but Jesus calls his disciples to pray to him (John 14:13–14; 16:26). In the book of Acts when Stephen is being stoned to death, he calls out to the Lord Jesus to receive his sprit (Acts 7:59). Interestingly, the term for “calling on” (epikaloumenon) recalls the appeal of Peter to the people in Acts 2:21 to “call on” (epikaleshtai) the Lord to be saved. Paul also describes the Corinthians as those who “call upon [epikaleo] the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:2). In the Old Testament, people “called on” on the name of Yahweh (Joel 2:32). The Corinthians were people who addressed Jesus as Lord in prayer, as we do today.
8: Jesus Accepted Worshipped Because He Is God
Worship belongs to God alone (Ex 20:3-5; 34:14; Deu 8:19; Ps 81:9; Mt 4:10; Revelation 22:9). Jesus accepted worship from people (Matthew 2:2, 14:33, 15:25; 28:9,17, etc.). One of the greatest examples of this comes from the lips of Thomas when he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). If Jesus was not divine, then Thomas made a serious error; but Jesus made no effort to correct Thomas in his worship. Yet Peter (Acts 10:25–26), Paul (Acts 14:14–15), and the angel in Revelation (Revelation 19:10; 22:8,9) all corrected others for trying to worship them. But because Jesus accepted Thomas’s worship of him (John 20:29), the confession of deity here is unmistakable.
What’s more, in the book of Revelation, the elders and every creature in heaven and upon earth ascribe universal worship to “him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb” (Revelation 5:11–14; cf. John 1:29).
9: Jesus Made Claims That No Human Being Could Ever Make
Jesus not only identified as God, but he also showed his deity through his words and actions. Jesus said that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we must call him Lord (kurios, Romans 10:9; cf. Matthew 7:21). Just saying that Jesus is Lord does not get you into the Kingdom, but to enter the Kingdom, you must confess Him as Lord. The entrance into God’s Kingdom, according to Jesus, is dependent upon a person’s knowledge of him and his knowledge of the person (Matthew 7:23).
Jesus even promised rest to all those who come to Him (Matthew 11:28). Could Moses have ever made a claim like this? No! How could a human being give anyone rest from the Law? Jesus also claimed, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). God never gave any man or prophet all authority in heaven and on earth, but this same authority was given to the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13–14 (see also Matthew 26:64).
10: Jesus Is the Son of God
It is often pointed out that the words “Son of God” are not an exclusive title for Jesus. For example, in the Old Testament, Israel was called God’s son (Exodus 4:22–23; Hosea 11:1), and the angels were called God’s sons (Job 38:7). Even in the New Testament, Adam and believers are referred to as son(s) of God (Luke 3:38; Romans 8:14).
There is, however, a difference between an adopted son and a relational Son of God, the latter being a deity by nature (John 1:1). More than anyone else who has walked this earth, Jesus the Messiah is uniquely entitled to be called the Son of God (Psalm 2:7)— “the only begotten Son” (John 1:18; 3:16).
People who say that Jesus never claimed to be God must answer why he was crucified on the charge of blasphemy. Whatever Jesus said about himself must have been provocative enough for the Jewish leaders to call for his crucifixion on that charge. What did he say that brought the charge of blasphemy?
In John 10:30,33,36, Jesus says, 30) “I and my Father are one. 32) Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33) For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” 36) Jesus answers them, “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; “because I said, I am the Son of God?”
In Jesus’ trial before Pilate, the Jewish leaders clearly understood that Jesus’ use of this term was not just generic, for they wanted him put to death: “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God” (John 19:7; cf. John 10:36). According to the law, it was blasphemy to misuse God’s name, and the punishment was death by stoning. (Leviticus 24:16).
{Why, if God’s punishment for blasphemy was death by stoning, was Jesus crucified? Because Jesus had not blasphemed, he is God. The perfect picture of an innocent man dying for the guilty, would have been tainted if it appeared that Jesus had indeed been guilty of blasphemy. Both Pilate and Herod “found no fault in this man” (Lk 23:4,14-15; Jn 18:38); no two witnesses could agree on a false testimony against Jesus (Mk 14:56-59); the Jews didn’t have Roman authority to kill anyone (Jn 18:31); and since there was no Roman law against blasphemy, it was a miracle of God’s love provided Jesus as our substitute. And as God’s sinless Lamb (Heb 4:15; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 Jn 3:5, et.al.); it was also a miracle for him to die, for the wages of sin is death (Rm 6:23) he would have to choose to “lay down his life.” This miracle is noted in the reason for Moses and Elijah’s appearance on the Mount of Transfiguration… when they “spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.” (Lk 9:31) Sin had no power over him, therefore death had no claim on him… Jesus chose to lay down his life for us! (Mk 10:45, 15:37,39; Lk 23:46; Jn 10:11, 17,18, 19:30, Jn; 1 Jn 3:16, et.al.)
Conclusion
How we answer the question, “Is Jesus God?” is not a matter of life and death; it’s more important than that! Believing that Jesus is God is vitally important to our eternal condition. Because, If we do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God:
1) We do not understand the most basic foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. (Jn 1:1-34, 3:16-18)
2) We are do not have the Father or the Son (3 John 1:9)
3) We do not have eternal life. (1 John 5:11–12)
4) We will die in our sins. (John 8:23-24)
5) We are a liars and will have our part in the lake of fire (1 Jn 2:22; Rev 21:8)
6) We are deceivers and anti-christ [antichristos=opponents of Christ](1 Jn 2:18-22; 4:3; 2 Jn 1:7)
Although many offer objections to Jesus’ deity, the New Testament clearly provides eye-witness testimony to the words and deeds of Jesus that prove his deity. If we do not get the identity of Jesus right, we will die in our sins. A false Jesus cannot save you. The law of sin and death will continue to reign over you. (Rm 8:2; 1 Cor 15:22; 2 Cor 5:17) There will be no hope, no redemption and no reconciliation to God for you… unless you exercise faith in Jesus Christ. (Rm 3:24; 1 Cor 1:30; 15:19; 2 Cor 5:19,20; Eph 1:10-12; 2:4-10)
The promise of salvation, life and immortality is only in Jesus Christ (Mt 1:21; Jn 3:36; 5:39-40; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 10:42,43; Rm 1:16; Eph 3:4-11; 1 Tim 2:5-6; 2 Tim 1:1, 9-10; 1 Jn 5:11,12)
Remember, it was Jesus who said, “Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:23-24 This is not a suggestion of the conscience or a tenent of some religion, it is a declaration of God in the flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord.
May the Lord keep us in the assurance of His deity, no matter what the world may say!
Pastor Homer S. Hutto
When God called Moses to lead the Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage; The Angel of the Lord appeared in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush that burned but was not consumed. The Lord declared 8 remarkable things to Moses that day:
1) He called his name twice: Moses, Moses.
This puts Moses in a very elite group of only 7 people in the Bible:
2) He commanded Moses to: “Draw not nigh hither:” put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
3) God then said: “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At which point Moses hides his face for fear of looking upon God.
4) The Lord then says: I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt; I’ve heard their cry; I know their sorrows and I have come down to deliver them…
5) God then tells Moses: “Come now therefore”, and I will send you to Pharoah to my people out of Egypt. Moses then asks God; “Who am I” to go to Pharoah and bring the Israelites out?
6) God says, “Certainly I will be with thee: and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When you have brought Israel out, you will serve God this mountain.
Moses then says, When I go to the people and say, The God of your fathers hath sent me to you; they will say, “What is His name? What shall I say unto them?
7) God says, “I AM THAT I AM…Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”
This established the pattern of God having a relationship with man “by the power of His name.”
(Php 2:9-11) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of thingsin heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And thatevery tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Act 4:7,12) And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this… Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
(Mar 16:17-18) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Believers are washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus - (1Co 6:9-11) …And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Jesus promised that whatsoever is asked in His name, He will do it - (Joh 14:12-14) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John 16:23) ...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Repentance and forgiveness are through his name - Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, evento them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Acts 4:7- … By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
1 Cor 5:4
Eph 1:21
Phil 2: -11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and thingsunder the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ isLord [kurios – God, Lord, master, supreme], to the glory of God the Father.