The deity of Christ

1. The deityof JesusChrist – 19th
April 2017
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”(John 8:58).
The deity (the divine being) of JesusChristcanbe understoodwhenwe beginreading the Gospel of
John.We can readin John1:1-5, “In the beginningwasthe Word,and the Word waswith God,andthe
Wordwas God.2
He was withGodin the beginning. 3
Throughhimall thingswere made; withouthim
nothingwasmade that has been made. 4
In himwas life,and that lifewas the lightof all mankind.
5
The lightshines inthe darkness,and the darknesshas not overcome it.” It isimportantthatwe
understandasto whatis a Deity?
In the seculardefinitionof adeity,itcanbe a supernatural beingwhoseattributesare sinless,divine,
holy,whose name issacredandto be revered. Mythological deitieswere thoughttohave powersfar
beyondhumanabilitiesandwere able totranscendnatural lawsandmeans. The difference between
mythological deitiesandthatof God are that mythological deitiesinteractedwithhumansinwaysand
meansthat were sometimescounterproductive.Godisalwaysworksforthe Good of mankinddue to
His love butmythological deities actedwithselfishintentsbecauseof the destructivetendencies
displayed.
The fact is that JesusisbothGod and Man. Some false religionsteachthatman can become Godbut
ChristianityteachesthatGodbecame Man inthe incarnationof JesusChristwhotookon fleshto
become Man and livedasinlesslife tobe able tobecome the Saviorof mankind.Thiswasavailed for
those whowouldrepentandtrustin Him. Matthew quotesIsaiah9:14 as we can read:“Thevirginwill
conceive andgive birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel” (whichmeans“Godwith
us”).(Matthew1:23). The name Emmanuel means“Godwithus”and thisis whatJohnwrote in1:14
“Andthe Word became fleshand dweltamong us,and we have seen his glory,glory asof the only Son
from the Father, full ofgrace andtruth” andanyone that knowstheirBible understandsthatthe Word
isJesusChrist. Paul writestoTimothythat JesusChristwasmanifestedinthe flesh: “Beyondall
question,the mystery from whichtrue godlinessspringsisgreat: “He appeared inthe flesh, was
vindicatedby the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached amongthe nations, was believedon inthe
world,was taken up in glory.” (1 Timothy3:16).
One may wantto knowwhat the bible declares regardingthe deityof Christ. InadditiontoJesus’
specificclaimsaboutHimself,Hisdisciplesalsoacknowledgedthe deityof Christ. Mostof themsaw with
theirowneyes.We can learnwhere the discipleThomasacknowledgedJesusas: “MyLordand my God”
(John20:28). We can readthat Jesusiscalled “ourgreat God and Savior”inTitus 2:13, “…whilewewait
for the blessed hope—theappearingofthe glory of our great Godand Savior,JesusChrist.” We can
read from the book of Colossianswhere itsays: “ForGodwas pleasedto haveall hisfullnessdwell in
him.” (Colossians 1:19) and fromColossians 2:9-10, “Forin Christall the fullnessofthe Deity livesin
bodilyform, 10
andin Christyou have been broughtto fullness.He isthe headover every power and
authority.”
Paul says the grace of the Lord Jesusbe withyoumany timesinHisbooks. Paul callsJesusgreatGod and
Savior:“…while we wait for the blessedhope—theappearingof the glory ofour great GodandSavior,
Jesus Christ.(Titus2:13). We can learnfromPhilippians2:“In yourrelationshipswithone another,have
the same mindsetas Christ Jesus: 6
Who,beingin very nature God, didnot considerequalitywith God
somethingto be used to his ownadvantage; 7
rather, he madehimselfnothingby takingthe very

2. natureofa servant, being madein humanlikeness.8
Andbeingfoundin appearanceas a man, he
humbledhimselfby becomingobedientto death—evendeath on a cross! (Philippians2:5-8).
We can readwhere Jesussaid: “ButI want you to know that the Son ofMan hasauthority onearth to
forgivesins.” So he saidto the paralyzedman, “Getup, take your mat and go home.”(Matthew9:6).
In close connectionwiththislastclaim,Jesusisalsothe one whowill “judgethe livingandthe dead” as
we can learnfrom 2 Timothy 4:1, “Inthe presence of Godandof ChristJesus, who will judgethe living
and the dead,and in view ofhis appearingandhiskingdom,I give you thischarge.”
Jesusisalsogiventitlesthatare unique toYHWH whichis the formal name of God in the OldTestament.
The Old Testamenttitle “redeemer”isusedof Jesusinthe New Testament - Titus2:13; “…whilewe wait
for the blessed hope—theappearingofthe glory of our great Godand Savior,JesusChrist.”Jesusis
calledImmanuel whichmeans —“Godwithus”—inMatthew1.Further,Jesus’name isusedalongside
God’sin prayer“Graceand peace to you from Godour Father andthe Lord JesusChrist” (Galatians
1:3). Thiswouldbe blasphemyif Christwerenotdeity.The name of JesusappearswithGod'sinJesus'
commandedtobaptize aswe read in Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciplesofall nations,
baptizingthemin the name of the Father and ofthe Sonand of the Holy Spirit.”
Furthermore we canunderstandthatactionsthat can be accomplishedonlybyGodare creditedto
Jesus. He not onlyraisedthe deadandforgave sins,He createdand sustainsthe universe asstatedin
Colossians1:16-17, “ For inhim all thingswere created: thingsinheaven and onearth, visibleand
invisible,whetherthrones or powers or rulers or authorities;all thingshave been created through him
and forhim. 17
He is before all things,andin him all thingsholdtogether.” Further,Christpossesses
attributesthatonlydeitycanhave: Eternality - “VerytrulyI tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham
was born,I am!”(John8:58), Omnipresence –Thismeansthe state of beingpresentinall placesatall
times.We can learnwhere Jesussaid:“Forwhere two or three gather inmy name, there amI with
them.” (Matthew 18:20). Omniscience –Thismeansthe state of knowingeverything: We can
understandthiswhenwe read Matthew16:21, “Fromthat time on Jesus beganto explainto his
disciplesthathe mustgo to Jerusalem and suffer manythingsat the handsof the elders, the chief
priests andthe teachers of the law,and that he must be killedand on the third daybe raisedto life.”
Omnipotence –Thismeansthe state of havingtotal authorityor power.We can learnthisfrom John
11:43, “Whenhe hadsaid this,Jesus calledin a loudvoice, “Lazarus,come out!” 44
The dead man came
out, hishandsand feet wrapped withstrips of linen,anda cloth aroundhis face.”
Now,itis one thingto claimto be God or to fool someone intobelievingitistrue,andsomethingelse
entirelytoprove ittobe so.Christofferedmanymiraclesasproof of His claimtodeity.Moreover,Christ
Himself rose fromthe dead.Far from the so-calleddyingandrisinggodsof paganmythology,nothing
like the resurrectionisseriouslyclaimedbyotherreligions,andnootherclaimhasas much extra-
scriptural confirmation.