Deity of Jesus
KJV
King James Bible Study Correspondence Course
An Outreach of Highway Evangelistic Ministries
5311 Windridge lane ~ Lockhart, Florida 32810 ~ USA
© Copyright kjbscc 2004 JESUS His Deity Lesson 2 07/22/2005 11:05 AM
1
JESUS
HIS Deity Lesson 2
return pages 3 & 4 only
Something for You to Study
It is impossible to separate the fact of Christ's preexistence from the equally tremendous fact of His deity. Christ is not simply like God. He is God. It is not that He is Godlike; He is God in the full and absolute sense of the term. Colossians 2:9
says of Christ that in Him dwells "all the fullness of the Godhead" in human form. Actually Christ's deity has already been proven in the discussion of His preexistence, for only God can be eternal.
Sometimes people speak of Christ's divinity and imply by it that all men are in some sense divine. Because of this misuse of the word divinity, deity is a more accurate word to use when referring to Christ.
Christ has the nature of deity. This means that all the qualities that belong to God* are true of the Lord Jesus also In His nature He is infinite, eternal, self-existing, and immutable. The essence of God belongs to Him. The One who existed from all eternity is the One who came to earth for, period of time and is the One who is glorified now in heaven.
Christ has the attributes of deity. God is omniscient (all knowing, John 2:25; 16:30; 21:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30) GOD is omnipotent (all-powerful, Matthew 9:6; 28:18; Luke 8:25) GOD is and omnipresent (present everywhere, Matthew 28:20; John 14:18, 20). These are characteristics of God that cannot be given to anyone else. Yet these Scriptures show that they belonged to the Lord Jesus. His omniscience, for instance, is seen in His conversation with the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus knew her whole life though He had never met her. He had power over nature, as Matthew 8 illustrates. One of the names given to Him in the prophecy in Isaiah 9:6-7 was "The mighty God."
Christ has the names of deity. He is called God (John 1:1; 20:28; Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:20), the Son of God (Matthew 16:16-17; Mark l: l; Luke 1:35; John 1:18), and Lord (Acts 4:33). John 12:41 refers Isaiah's vision of the Lord "high and lifted up" to Christ. John the Baptist had confirmation from God the Father that the man Jesus whom he baptized was God in the flesh (John 1:32-34).
Christ does the works of deity. Both before and after His coming to earth, Christ did the works that are ascribed to God and recognized as being those that only God could do. The first lesson indicated that He had a part in creation. As Creator, He Himself must be uncreated. He is the One who upholds and sustains all things (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). While on earth He controlled nature, raised the dead, and healed the blind and diseased. In the future He will be the Judge of all men (John 5:22; Acts 17:31; 2 Timothy 4:1).
Christ is worshiped as deity. The Bible is clear in its teaching that there is only one God and that He alone is to be worshiped. The first of the Ten Commandments is
KJV
King James Bible Study Correspondence Course
An Outreach of Highway Evangelistic Ministries
5311 Windridge lane ~ Lockhart, Florida 32810 ~ USA
© Copyright kjbscc 2004 JESUS His Deity Lesson 2 07/22/2005 11:05 AM
2
unequivocal in its statement that no one is to receive worship but God alone (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7-8). Yet it is the Bible which records instances of Christ being worshiped (Matthew 14:33; Luke 5:8; 24:52; John 20:28). In spite of repeated warnings that "there is no God else beside me ... I am God, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:21-22), the Bible gives Jesus' words, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
It would be sacrilegious idolatry for Christ to accept the worship of men if He were not God. The Bible gives instance of men who recoiled in horror at the thought of being worshiped (Peter in Acts 10:25-26 and Paul in Acts 14:11-18) and examples of the punishment given those who did accept worship (Herod in Acts 12:22-23). Yet over and over, Jesus accepted worship from men.
Those who do not believe that Jesus is God nevertheless usually speak of Him as a good man, as one whose example others should follow. Actually He could not possibly be good and claim to be God if He were not.
But God the Father Himself commands men to worship Jesus Christ His Son (John 5:22-23; Philippians 2:9-10). On three occasions, God spoke to give testimony that Jesus Christ was His Son. They were: Jesus' baptism, Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:22
The transfiguration, Matthew 17:5; Luke 9:35 The Passover, John 12:27-28
Christ claimed equality with God. "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30) is one of the many statements Jesus made about the fact that He was God. The Jews of His day understood His claims of equality with God (John 5:17-18) and His words "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). In fact, they charged Him with blasphemy because of this claim and gave it as the reason He should be put to death.
NECESSITY FOR CHRIST TO BE GOD
If the Lord Jesus were not God, He could never have been the Saviour of the world. No human being can save another human being. Only God can do this. A great teacher or an ideal example is not sufficient to provide salvation from sin. The Bible presents one who can save because of who He is—Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.
A Further Word
The significance of the work of creation as ascribed to Christ is that it reveals His eternity, power, wisdom and omnipresence. As the Creator He is specifically "before all things" (Col. 1:17), and therefore eternal. The nature of creation reveals His power, wisdom and presence in creation. The telescopic wonder of the heavens as well as the microscopic wonders of the world too small for human eyes to see combine in their witness to His power. It is such a God who became the Saviour.
King James Bible Study Correspondence Course
An Outreach of Highway Evangelistic Ministries
5311 Windridge lane ~ Lockhart, Florida 32810 ~ USA
© Copyright kjbscc 2004 JESUS His Deity Lesson 2 07/22/2005 11:05 AM
1
JESUS
HIS Deity Lesson 2
return pages 3 & 4 only
Something for You to Study
It is impossible to separate the fact of Christ's preexistence from the equally tremendous fact of His deity. Christ is not simply like God. He is God. It is not that He is Godlike; He is God in the full and absolute sense of the term. Colossians 2:9
says of Christ that in Him dwells "all the fullness of the Godhead" in human form. Actually Christ's deity has already been proven in the discussion of His preexistence, for only God can be eternal.
Sometimes people speak of Christ's divinity and imply by it that all men are in some sense divine. Because of this misuse of the word divinity, deity is a more accurate word to use when referring to Christ.
Christ has the nature of deity. This means that all the qualities that belong to God* are true of the Lord Jesus also In His nature He is infinite, eternal, self-existing, and immutable. The essence of God belongs to Him. The One who existed from all eternity is the One who came to earth for, period of time and is the One who is glorified now in heaven.
Christ has the attributes of deity. God is omniscient (all knowing, John 2:25; 16:30; 21:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30) GOD is omnipotent (all-powerful, Matthew 9:6; 28:18; Luke 8:25) GOD is and omnipresent (present everywhere, Matthew 28:20; John 14:18, 20). These are characteristics of God that cannot be given to anyone else. Yet these Scriptures show that they belonged to the Lord Jesus. His omniscience, for instance, is seen in His conversation with the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus knew her whole life though He had never met her. He had power over nature, as Matthew 8 illustrates. One of the names given to Him in the prophecy in Isaiah 9:6-7 was "The mighty God."
Christ has the names of deity. He is called God (John 1:1; 20:28; Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:20), the Son of God (Matthew 16:16-17; Mark l: l; Luke 1:35; John 1:18), and Lord (Acts 4:33). John 12:41 refers Isaiah's vision of the Lord "high and lifted up" to Christ. John the Baptist had confirmation from God the Father that the man Jesus whom he baptized was God in the flesh (John 1:32-34).
Christ does the works of deity. Both before and after His coming to earth, Christ did the works that are ascribed to God and recognized as being those that only God could do. The first lesson indicated that He had a part in creation. As Creator, He Himself must be uncreated. He is the One who upholds and sustains all things (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). While on earth He controlled nature, raised the dead, and healed the blind and diseased. In the future He will be the Judge of all men (John 5:22; Acts 17:31; 2 Timothy 4:1).
Christ is worshiped as deity. The Bible is clear in its teaching that there is only one God and that He alone is to be worshiped. The first of the Ten Commandments is
KJV
King James Bible Study Correspondence Course
An Outreach of Highway Evangelistic Ministries
5311 Windridge lane ~ Lockhart, Florida 32810 ~ USA
© Copyright kjbscc 2004 JESUS His Deity Lesson 2 07/22/2005 11:05 AM
2
unequivocal in its statement that no one is to receive worship but God alone (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7-8). Yet it is the Bible which records instances of Christ being worshiped (Matthew 14:33; Luke 5:8; 24:52; John 20:28). In spite of repeated warnings that "there is no God else beside me ... I am God, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:21-22), the Bible gives Jesus' words, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
It would be sacrilegious idolatry for Christ to accept the worship of men if He were not God. The Bible gives instance of men who recoiled in horror at the thought of being worshiped (Peter in Acts 10:25-26 and Paul in Acts 14:11-18) and examples of the punishment given those who did accept worship (Herod in Acts 12:22-23). Yet over and over, Jesus accepted worship from men.
Those who do not believe that Jesus is God nevertheless usually speak of Him as a good man, as one whose example others should follow. Actually He could not possibly be good and claim to be God if He were not.
But God the Father Himself commands men to worship Jesus Christ His Son (John 5:22-23; Philippians 2:9-10). On three occasions, God spoke to give testimony that Jesus Christ was His Son. They were: Jesus' baptism, Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:22
The transfiguration, Matthew 17:5; Luke 9:35 The Passover, John 12:27-28
Christ claimed equality with God. "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30) is one of the many statements Jesus made about the fact that He was God. The Jews of His day understood His claims of equality with God (John 5:17-18) and His words "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). In fact, they charged Him with blasphemy because of this claim and gave it as the reason He should be put to death.
NECESSITY FOR CHRIST TO BE GOD
If the Lord Jesus were not God, He could never have been the Saviour of the world. No human being can save another human being. Only God can do this. A great teacher or an ideal example is not sufficient to provide salvation from sin. The Bible presents one who can save because of who He is—Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.
A Further Word
The significance of the work of creation as ascribed to Christ is that it reveals His eternity, power, wisdom and omnipresence. As the Creator He is specifically "before all things" (Col. 1:17), and therefore eternal. The nature of creation reveals His power, wisdom and presence in creation. The telescopic wonder of the heavens as well as the microscopic wonders of the world too small for human eyes to see combine in their witness to His power. It is such a God who became the Saviour.