DEITY OF CHRIST

Rev J Djan

DEITY OF CHRIST:

Deity is from the Latin word Deus which means god, or divinity.

It is essential for one to know the God that he serves : Many people are confused about who Jesus really is. Scriptures clearly show that Jesus Christ is God. What confuses people is the misunderstanding of some texts that seem to contradict that truth . We will look at the truth that Jesus is God first, and then clarify those scriptures that seem to contradict the truth but actually does not.

Evidence by prophecy.

Before Jesus physically came into the world, it was prophesied that he is God. Isaiah 40:3,5,9

(vs 3) The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

(5) And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

(9) O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! (Isaiah 40:3, 5, 9 KJV)

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 KJV)

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)

In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness. (Jeremiah 33:15, 16 KJV)

But thou, Beth–lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2 KJV)

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Psalms 45:6, 7 KJV)

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalms 110:1 KJV).

Jesus’s own testimony .

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58 KJV)

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? (John 14:9 KJV)

I and my Father are one. (John 10:30 KJV)

That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. (John 5:23 KJV)

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:8 KJV)

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Revelation 1:8, 11 KJV)

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:17, 18 KJV).

OTHER NEW TESTAMENT ACCOUNT THAT PROVES THAT HE IS GOD

Col.1:15-16, Phi. 2:5-8 Jn. 1-14 1Tm. 3:16

SYSTEMATIC PROOF OF CHRIST'S DIVINITY :

*HE DEMONSTRATES THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

1. He is ETERNAL. (without beginning ,without end) Micah 5:2, Jn.1:1-2 Jn 17:5

2. He is OMNIPOTENT (All powerful). Matt 28:18, Jn.10:18 Heb1:3,

3. He is OMNIPRESENT . Matt.28:20 Matt.18.20 , Jn 3:13

4. OMNISCIENT(knows all things) Jn 18:4, Matt 12:25, Lk 6:8, Jn 2:24-25, Jn 16:30 Col.2:3 Lk .5:22

5. He is IMMUTABLE: (unchangeable) Heb 13:8 Jn 8:58

* HE DEMONSTRATES GOD'S PREROGATIVES

1. He forgives sin. Lk 5:20, 7:48

2. He receives worship : Jn 9:38, Matt 8:2 Matt 9:18 ,15:25

3. Coming with his angels Matt 13:41,

4. He is not an angel nor demon but can dwell in man. Jn 14:23

5. He is the creator of all things. Col. 1:16, Jn 1:3

6 .Only God is good. Jesus is good. Jn 10:14

7. He shares God's glory. Jn 17:5

8. He is the Alpha and Omega. Rev 1:8, 11, 22:13

9 . His kingdom is for ever. Dan.7:13-14 Ps.45:6

Hank Hanegraf has this to say..

“The biblical witness is clear and convincing that Jesus Christ is the eternal Creator God (John 1; Colossians 1; Hebrews 1; Revelation 1). Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus claimed to be God in word and deed (Mark 14:61–62; John 5:18, 20; 8:58; 10:30–33) and vindicated his claims to deity by living a sinless life (John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5; 1 Peter 2:22), by manifesting his power over nature (Mark 4:39), over fallen angels (Luke 4:35), over sickness (Matthew 4:23), and even over death itself (John 4:50; 11:43–44; 1 Corinthians 15), and by accurately prophesying God’s judgment on Jerusalem through the destruction of the Temple that occurred in AD 70 (Matthew 24:1–2, 32–35)” ..by HANK HANEGRAF.

SCRIPTURES THAT HAVE BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD TO CONTRADICT CHRIST'S DEITY.

First Born:

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. (Colossians 1:18 KJV)

Critics use the word "firstborn " to mean that Christ was born. This is misunderstanding of scripture. The word "firstborn " here means preeminence.

In the sense of Israel as God"s firstborn, it means adoption.

Servant :

Jesus is sometimes referred to , as a servant because of his mission.

Mark 10 - 45. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. So the designation "servant" applied to Jesus is a descriptive functional title and not a description of His being.

Jesus is equal to God but he voluntarily lowered himself as a servant . This is called

" The Self-emptying ". ( KENOSIS) of Christ.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 KJV).

Begotten:

Jn.3:16. ...the only begotten Son of God...

Begotten here means he proceeds from the same kind. . Remember God is one and nowhere in scripture does it say that Jesus was created but rather he is from eternity. Micah. 5:2 Jn.1:1-3

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 him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3 KJV)

Prophet :

Deut.18:15. Moses refered to him as prophet . "Prophet" was one of Jesus's ministerial offices and it does not negate his deity. Jesus has three ministerial offices. PROPHET, PREIST and KING. The Koran of the Muslims says Jesus is only a prophet but that is not true. He is not just a prophet .

NOT KNOWING THE LAST DAY./ MY FATHER IS GREATER THAN I ( Mk.13:32, Jn.14:28)

When Jesus makes such claims , he is referring to his humanity

Son of David.

Son of David denotes his human lineage and royalty as King. And the common people heard him gladly. (Mark 12:35-37 KJV)hip which will sit on the throne of David forever.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:32, 33 KJV)

And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son?

Son of man/Son of God

And Jesus said unto , Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (Luke 9:58 KJV)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25 KJV)

The term " Son of man" denotes his humanity but connotes the concept of God-man because it invokes the quotation from Daniel 7:13-15 which is also confirmed in Isaiah 9:6 which describes him as a future governor born of a virgin but with the appellations as Mighty God and Everlasting Father. With such term therefore as The Son Of Man , Christ's divinity and Kingship is affirmed.

The term " Son of God " denotes his Deity . This is what is described by the term HYPOSTATIC UNION meaning Jesus is fully God and Fully man

Son of God does not mean his biological birth. It means "OF THE ORDER OF" and it also means son in the sense of OBEDIENCE. Also note that in the Old Testament "son of God is used always to refer to angels.

Jesus's biological birth was a supernatural one through a virgin ( Is 7:14) but he was existing in the world before he came to be manifested in the flesh through Mary. This is what is called INCARNATION

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, In 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 him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3 KJV).

Human limitations :

Jesus in his humanity had all the limitations of humans. That means he can feel hungry, sleepy, pain , sad , happy, and was tempted on all points as we are, but he did not sin. He also died as human and he voluntarily gave up his life but as God he cannot die.

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:14, 15 KJV)

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:17, 18 KJV) .