The Creed - I Believe In Jesus Christ

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker
of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only
The Creed
Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born
of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose
again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the
I BELIEVE in JESUS to
right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he
shall come
judge the quick and theCHRIST
dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy
catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker
of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only
Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born
of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose
again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the
right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to
judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy
catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen

Key Question…
―Who is Jesus Christ?‖
Did He Really Exist…?
Was He the Messiah?
Is He God?

―I ask myself a question a lot of people have asked: Who is the Jesus? Was he
who he said he was, or was he just a religious nut? That‘s the question.‖
- Bono

The Creed – I Believe in Jesus Christ

―He was the meekest and lowest of all the sons of men, yet he spoke as coming
on the clouds of heaven with the glory of God. He was so austere that evil
spirits and demons cried out in terror at his coming, yet he was so genial and
winsome and approachable that the children loved to play with him and the
little ones nestled in his arms. No one was half so kind or compassionate to
sinners, yet no one ever spoke such red hot scorching words about sin. A
bruised reed he would not break. His whole life was love, yet on one occasion
he demanded of the Pharisees how they ever expected to escape the
damnation of hell. He was a dreamer of dreams and a seer of visions, yet for
sheer stock realism he has all of our self-styled realist soundly beaten. He was
the servant of all, washing the disciple‘s feet, yet masterfully he strolled into
the temple and the hucksters and money changers fell over one another in their
mad rush to get away from the fire they saw blazing in his eyes. He saved
others, but at the last himself he did not save. There is nothing in history like
the union of contrast which confronts us in the gospels, the mystery of Jesus
is the mystery of divine personality.‖
- James Stewart, Scottish preacher


Did Jesus Really Exist?
―Why should we consider the
stories of Osiris, Dionysus,
Adonis, Attis, Mithras, and the
other pagan mystery saviors as
fables, yet come across
essentially the same story told in
a Jewish context and believe it to
be the biography of a carpenter
from Bethlehem?‖
– Timothy Freke/ Peter Gandy



―The reality is, Jesus was the Solar Deity of
the Gnostic Christian sect and like all other
Pagan gods, he was a mythical figure. It was the
political establishment that sought to historize
the Jesus figure for social control. By 325
a.d. in Rome, emperor Constantine convened
the Council of Nicea. It was during this
meeting that the politically motivated Christian
Doctrines were established and thus began a
long history of Christian bloodshed and
spiritual fraud. ―
- Zeitgeist Transcript



―Today no competent
scholar denies the
historicity of Jesus.‖
- Bruce Metzger, PhD


Extra-Biblical Writings of Jesus
―At this time there was a wise man who was
called Jesus. And his conduct was good
and was known to be virtuous. Many people
among the Jews and other nations became
his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be
crucified and to die. And those who had
become his disciples did not abandon his
discipleship. They reported that he had
appeared to them three days after his
crucifixion and that he was alive; accordingly,
he was perhaps the messiah concerning
whom the prophets have recounted wonders.
‖ – Antiquities 18.3.3 (undisputed
rendering)


Extra-Biblical Writings of Jesus
―Nero substituted as culprits and punished with the utmost refinements of
cruelty, a class of men loathed for their vices whom the crowd styled
Christians. Christus, from whom they got their name, had been executed by
sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate when Tiberius was emperor.‖
– Tacitus (Roman historian), Annals, Book 15.

―They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light,
when they sang an anthem to Christ as God, and bound themselves by a
solemn oath not to commit any wicked deed…‖
– Pliny the Younger, Letters, series 10.

―On the eve of Passover Yeshua was hanged … since nothing was brought
forward in his favour he was hanged on the eve of the Passover!‖
– Jewish Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a.
Jesus is referenced by more historians of antiquity than the Roman emperor at the
time (Jesus‘ 43 vs. Tiberius‘ 10).

Is Jesus the Messiah / Christ?
―The last three decades have erased the Messiah
from the Old Testament‖
-J. G. Eichorn, father of higher Criticism

―Everything Christians claim for Jesus as the
Jewish Messiah is false‖
-Rabbi Pinchas Stolper

―One might say … the death of the Messiah – his
torture, his crucifixion – is predicted in the Old
Testament. Well, in fact, it‘s not.‖
- Amy-Jill Levine, Vanderbilt Divinity School


What Does ‗Christ‘ Mean?

―Christos‖
―Messiah‖
―Anointed One‖

―To call Jesus the Christ, therefore, is to make a theological
claim – that He is the Messiah long expected by the Jews‖
-Stephen Prothero
-Chair, Boston University Religion Department


Symbolism of Christ in Scripture
The acacia wood = Christ's humanity
The gold overlay
= His deity The mercy seat =
the work of Jesus on the
Law inside the Ark =
Cross covers
Jesus with
the Law of God with
the Law of God in His
His mercy.
heart

Aaron's rod that budded Two angels over Ark =
= the resurrection two angels seated at
head and foot of
The pot of manna = Christ‘s lying place; the
Jesus as the Bread perfect mercy seat
of Life

Just as the Ark was designed to be a symbol of the presence of God in the midst of His people,
Jesus is the ultimate expression of God's love and care and presence. He is our Ark. He is our
Law. He is our Manna. He is our Budded Rod. And, thank God, He is our Mercy Seat.


Prophecies Concerning the Messiah
108 distinct prophecies that concern the Messiah‘s first coming

All fulfilled in the life of Jesus of Nazareth

1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (one hundred quadrillion): 1017

Those are the odds Peter Stoner determined in his book
Science Speaks of just eight prophecies being accidently
fulfilled in the life of one man. Statisticians say anything past 1 to
1050 power is no chance. This is exceeded once 20 fulfilled
prophecies is considered (and Jesus fulfilled 108).


Kingly Predictions about the Messiah
―The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler‘s staff from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.‖ - Genesis
49:10

" Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear
fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes
see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge
the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the
earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about
His waist.‖ - Isaiah 11:1-5

"―Behold, the days are coming,‖ declares the Lord, ―When I will raise up for David a
righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and
righteousness in the land.‖ - Jeremiah 23:5


Predictions on the Servanthood the Messiah
―Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom
My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring
forth justice to the nations. ―He will not cry out or raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard in the street. ―A bruised reed He will
not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will
faithfully bring forth justice. ―He will not be disheartened or
crushed Until He has established justice in the earth; And the
coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.‖ - Isaiah 42:1-4

―He says, ―It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved
ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that
My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.‖ - Isaiah 49:6


Predictions on the Servanthood the Messiah

" Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and
lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were
astonished at you, My people, So His appearance was
marred more than any man And His form more than the
sons of men. Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings
will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had
not been told them they will see, And what they had not
heard they will understand.‖ - Isaiah 52:13-15


Prophecies on Messiah‘s Miracles & Betrayal
―Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.‖ –
Isaiah 35:5-6, 500 B.C.

―'Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?‘ Jesus answered and
said to them, 'Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the
poor have the gospel preached to them.‘‖ – Matthew 11:3-5.

―Even my close friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel
against me.‖ – Psalm 41:9, 900 B.C.

―Then the Lord said to me, 'Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was
valued by them.' So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the
house of the Lord.‖ – Zechariah 11:13, 500 B.C.

―Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,
‗What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?‘ And they weighed out thirty
pieces of silver to him. ‖ – Matthew 27:14-15

Prophecies Concerning Messiah‘s Death

―They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they
stare at me; They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they
cast lots.‖ – Psalm 22:16, 900 B.C.

―…they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as
one mourns for an only son…‖ – Zechariah 12:10, 500 B.C.

―And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among
themselves by casting lots.‖ – Matthew 27:35


More Prophecies Concerning Messiah

• The Messiah would come through the line of Abraham, Judah, and David
(Genesis 12:2, Genesis 49:10, 2 Samuel 7:12-16)
• The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger (Malachi 3:1).
• The Messiah would come to his people mounted on a donkey (Zechariah
9:9).
• The Messiah would remain silent/suffer at the hands of men (Isaiah 53).
• The Messiah would be disfigured at the hands of men (Isaiah 52).
• The Messiah would have no bone broken (Psalm 34:20).
• The Messiah would be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9).
• The Messiah would ascend to Heaven (Psalm 68:18; Luke 24:50-53)

One Chronology of the Messiah
―But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you,
and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from My land which I have
given you, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight and I will
make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. ―As for this house, which was exalted, everyone
who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‗Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this
house?‘"(2 Chronicles 7:19-21)

―Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression,
to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal
up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place …Then after the sixty-two weeks the
Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy
the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war;
desolations are determined."(Daniel 9:24,26)

"‗I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house
with glory,‘ says the Lord of hosts …The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,‘
says the Lord of hosts, ‗and in this place I will give peace,‘ declares the Lord of hosts.‖"(Haggai
2:7,9)

―Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord,
whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you
delight, behold, He is coming,‖ says the Lord of hosts."(Malachi 3:1)

Daniel‘s Detailed Chronology
―So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore
and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and
sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of
distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have
nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and
the sanctuary.‖
-Daniel 9:25-26, 500 B.C.

Clock began in 445 B.C. with Artaxerxes allowing Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem.

Sabbatical Years
449 442 435 428 14 21 28 35 70

1 2 3 67 68 69
BC AD


Questions About the Messiah
The second temple was destroyed in A. D. 70…

Atonement for sin had to be made before then …

God had to personally visit the second temple before it
was destroyed …

Daniel‘s chronology had to be fulfilled by Messiah …

Who else but Jesus appears on the
scene of human history to fulfill all of
this?


Is Jesus God?
― O followers of the Book! do not exceed the limits
in your religion, and do not speak (lies) against
Allah, but (speak) the truth; the Messiah, Isa son of
Marium is only an apostle of Allah and His Word
which He communicated to Marium and a spirit from
Him; believe therefore in Allah and His apostles,
and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you;
Allah is only one God; far be It from His glory that
He should have a son, whatever is in the heavens
and whatever is in the earth is His, and Allah is
sufficient for a Protector.‖ - The Koran, Sura
4:171

―Jesus … certainly never believed himself to be
God.‖ – Should You Believe in the Trinity?


Prophecies of the Messiah Being God
―But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among
the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler
in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of
eternity [olam].‖ - Micah 5:2, 700 B.C.

―Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth
and the world, Even from everlasting [olam] to everlasting [olam],
You are God.‖ - Psalm 90:2

―Joseph also went up … to Bethlehem … While they were there,
the days were completed for her to give birth.‖ - Luke 2:4-6


Prophecies of the Messiah Being God
―Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin
will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name
Immanuel.‖ - Isaiah 7:14, 600-700 B.C.

―For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the
government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father,
Prince of Peace. ‖ - Isaiah 9:6, 600-700 B.C.

―Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother
Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together
she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.‖ – Matthew
1:18

"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their
conquests and of the enthusiasm which they
enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you
conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an
army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory?
My armies have forgotten me even while living, as
the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is
our power.‖
―I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere
man. Between him and every other person in the
world there is no possible term of comparison.
Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have
founded empires. But on what did we rest the
creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ
founded his empire upon love; and at this hour,
millions would die for him.‖
―I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus
Christ, or anything which can approach the
gospel. Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor
nature, offer me anything with which I am able to
compare it or to explain it.‖ - Napoleon

Did Jesus Compare Himself to God?

God in the Old Testament Jesus Comparison to Himself
I AM (Exodus 3:14-15; Isaiah 48:12) I AM (John 8:58; John 8:18, 24)
The Shepherd (Psalm 23:1) The Shepherd (John 10:11)
The Light (Psalm 27:1) The Light (John 8:12)
Ruler of all (Isaiah 9:6) Ruler of all (Matthew 28:18)
Judge of all nations (Joel 3:12) Judge of all (John 5:12)
The Bridegroom (Isaiah 62:5; Hosea 2:16) The Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1)
God‘s Word never pass away (Isaiah 40:8) Jesus‘ words never pass away (Mk.
13:31)
First and the Last (Isaiah 48:12) First and the Last (Revelation 1:17-18)


Did Jesus Compare Himself to God?
In 20 of Jesus‘ 52 parables, He identifies Himself as God.
Some examples:

God in the Old Testament Jesus Comparison to Himself
The Sower (Jeremiah 31:27; Ezra 34:9) The Sower (Matthew 13:3-9)
The Shepherd (Gen 49:24; Psalm 23:1) The Shepherd (John 10:11)
The Rock (Psalm 18:2) The Rock (Matthew 7:24)
The Bridegroom (Isaiah 54:5, Hosea 2:16) The Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1)


Statements Made by Jesus
• ―Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I
am.‖(John 8:58)
• ―Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless
you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.‖(John 8:24)
• ―Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father‖, John 14:9
• ―I and the Father are one‖, John 10:30
• ―Father glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with
You before the world began‖, John 17:5. ―I am the Lord that is
My name! I will not give My glory to another‖, Isaiah 42:8
• ―My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too, am
working.‖, John 5:17


Statements Made by Jesus
―And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the
Mighty One and coming on the clouds of Heaven‖
- Mark 14:61

―I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of
heaven (Ex 14:20, 34:5, Num 10:34, Psalm 104:3, Isaiah 19:1)
One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the
Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.‖
– Daniel 7:13

―The Lord says to my Lord, ‗Sit at my right hand…‖
– Psalm 110:1


"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really
foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm
ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I
don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one
thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man
and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a
great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on
the level with the man who says he is a poached egg -
or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make
your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of
God: or else a madman or something worse. You can
shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill
Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call
Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any
patronizing nonsense about His being a great human
teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not
intend to.‖
- C. S. Lewis


Did Jesus Act like God?
―When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He
was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not
even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And they came, bringing to
Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him because of the
crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let
down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith said to
the paralytic, ―Son, your sins are forgiven.‖ But some of the scribes were sitting there
and reasoning in their hearts, ―Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming;
who can forgive sins but God alone?‖ Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they
were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, ―Why are you reasoning about
these things in your hearts? ―Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‗Your sins are
forgiven‘; or to say, ‗Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk‘? ―But so that you may
know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins‖—He said to the
paralytic, ―I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.‖ And he got up and
immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they
were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, ―We have never seen anything like
this.‖‖
(Mark 2:1-12)

Did Jesus Act like God?
• Jesus accepted worship nine
times in the gospels.
• Jesus forgave sins (Mark 2).
• Jesus said to pray in His
name (John 16:23-24).
• Jesus never said ―Thus says
the Lord‖, but rather ―I say‖.
• Jesus said to baptize in His
name (Matthew 28).


Testimony of the New Testament Writers
Witness Verse Statement
John John 1:1-3,14 God became flesh
Thomas John 20:28 ―My Lord and my God!‖
Paul Romans 9:5 Jesus is God over all
Paul Philippians 2:5-8 Jesus set aside His right as
God
Paul Colossians 1:16-19, 2:9-10 Created all things including
angels; all fullness of Deity
dwells
Paul 1 Timothy 6:15, Deut 10:17 King of kings, Lord of Lords
Peter 2 Peter 1:1 Jesus our God and Savior
Writer of Hebrews Hebrews 1:8, 13:8 Has everlasting throne and is
immutable


" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came
into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being
that has come into being…And the Word became flesh, and dwelt
among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the
Father, full of grace and truth."(John 1:1-3,14)

σκηνή
―Yahweh‘s tabernacle‖

" Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the
Lord filled the tabernacle.‖
- Exodus 40:34


―that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in
your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for
with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with
the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says,
―WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE
DISAPPOINTED.‖ For there is no distinction between Jew and
Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who
call on Him; for ―WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE
NAME OF THE LORD (YAHWEH) WILL BE
SAVED. [Joel 2:3]‖
– Romans 10:9-13.

Same Greek word – Kyrios – is used.


"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who,
although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant,
and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death
on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on
Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every
knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of

God the Father.‖
-Philippians 2:5-10

―By Myself I have sworn, My mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will
not be revoked: Before Me every knee will bow; by Me every tongue will
swear.‖
- Isaiah 45:23

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the
kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of
sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by
Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have
been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all
things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have
first place in everything. For it was the Father‘s good pleasure for all the
fullness to dwell in Him‖
- Colossians 1:13-19

"And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His
nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. ..But of the Son
He says, ―Your throne, O God, is forever and ever‖
- Hebrews 1:3,8

Jesus in the Book of Revelation

• The First and the Last, who was dead and am now is
alive (1:17, 2:8). God says He is the First and Last
in Isaiah 41:4
• The Alpha and Omega (22:13). God is called the
Alpha and Omega in Revelation 1:8 and 21:6.
• The King of kings and the Lord of lords (17:14,
19:16).

External References to Jesus as God
―I conjure you by the God of the Hebrews, Jesus … who appears in fire, who
is in the midst of land, snow, and fog…‖ (lines 3007-3041)
-Exorcism formula from the Greek Magical Papyrus

―They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light,
when they sang an anthem to Christ as God, and bound themselves by a
solemn oath not to commit any wicked deed…‖
– Pliny the Younger, Letters, series 10

―Now if the Christians worshipped only one God they might have reason on
their side … But as a matter of fact they worship a man who appeared only
recently. And their worship of this Jesus is the more outrageous because
they refuse to listen to any talk about God, the father of all, unless it includes
some reference to Jesus … And when they call him Son of God, they are
not really paying homage to God, rather, they are attempting to exalt Jesus
to the heights.‖ – Celsus, 2nd century Christian critic

Ancient Archaeological Evidence

The earliest church building (currently) found is in Megiddo and dated to
the early third century. The prayer hall contains various mosaics and
inscriptions with the one above reading: ―Akeptous (a woman), the God-
loving, offered this table for (the) God Jesus Christ, as a remembrance ‖.


Primary Objections to Jesus as God

1. Colossians 1:15 says Jesus is the ―firstborn‖ of all
creation and Revelation 3:14 says the Jesus is the
―Beginning of the creation of God.‖
2. John 14:28 has Jesus saying, ―The Father is
greater than I‖.
3. Luke 18:19 states Jesus as saying, ―Why do you
call me good? No one is good but God alone.‖
4. Matthew 24:36 says, ―But of that day and hour no
one knows, not even the Son, but the Father alone.



1. Colossians 1:15 says Jesus is the ―firstborn‖ of all
creation and Revelation 3:14 says the Jesus is the
―Beginning of the creation of God.‖

―firstborn‖ signifies preeminence. For example, David is called
the firstborn of Jesse (Psalm 89:27) even though he was not the
―first born‖ in the family.

―Beginning‖ comes from the Greek word arche, which is where
the word ―architect‖ comes from. Jesus is the ruler/architect of
all creation.


2. John 14:28 has Jesus saying, ―The Father is
greater than I‖.

Christ is of the same essence and nature as God, but holds a
different office/role in the Trinity. Philippians 2:7 describes
how Jesus laid aside His godly form and chose to become a man
during His incarnation. Ontological equality and functional
hierarchy are two different things. Jesus holds a lesser office
than the Father, but is equal to Him in nature.



3. Luke 18:19 states Jesus as saying, ―Why do you
call me good? No one is good but God alone.‖

Jesus is in essence asking the young rich ruler to examine his
words. Either Jesus is good, and therefore God, or not good
and not God. Jesus Himself said that He was good when he
stated in John 10:11, ―I am the good shepherd‖. Christ is asking
the man to think about what he is asking – in other words, ―Are
you calling me God?‖



4. Matthew 24:36 says, ―But of that day and hour no
one knows, not even the Son, but the Father alone.

Paul makes it clear in Philippians 2 that Christ voluntarily laid
aside part of His deity to become a man on earth. For example,
did Christ ever get tired? As God no, as man yes. Hungry?
As God no, as man yes.

Jesus said in John 15:15 that what He heard from the Father,
He made known. In His incarnation, Jesus would ―do nothing
on My own initiative …‖


Jesus Supplies All
The Jews sought Light…
The Greeks sought Knowledge…
The Romans sought Glory…

―For God, who said, ―Light shall shine out of
darkness,‖ is the One who has shone in our hearts to
give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Christ.‖
(2 Cor. 4:6)


Final Questions & Answers

Did Jesus of Nazareth exist…? Yes!
Did Jesus fulfill Messianic prophecies…? Yes!
Did anyone else appear in history like Jesus…? No!
Did Jesus claim to be God…? Yes!
Did Jesus prove His claim via resurrection…? Yes!
Did others testify that Jesus was God…? Yes!

Conclusion: Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God


Nearly two thousand years ago in an obscure village, a child was born of a peasant woman. He
grew up in another village where He worked as a carpenter until He was thirty. Then for three
years He became an itinerant preacher. This man never went to college or seminary. He never
wrote a book. He never held a public office. He never had a family nor owned a home. He never
put His foot inside a big city nor traveled even 200 miles from His birthplace. And though He
never did any of the things that usually accompany greatness, throngs of people followed
Him. He had no credentials but Himself. While He was still young, the tide of public opinion
turned against Him. His followers ran away. He was turned over to His enemies and sentenced to
death on a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only
piece of property He had on earth – the simple coat He had worn. His body was laid in a
borrowed grave provided by a compassionate friend. But three days later this Man arose from the
dead – living proof that He was, as He had claimed, the Savior whom God had sent, the
Incarnate Son of God. Nineteen centuries have come and gone and today the risen Lord Jesus
Christ is the central figure of the human race. On our calendars His birth divides history into two
eras. One day of every week is set aside in remembrance of Him. And our two most important
holidays celebrate His birth and resurrection. On church steeples around the world, His cross
has become the symbol of victory over sin and death. This one Man‘s life has furnished the theme
for more songs, books, poems and paintings than any other person or event in history. Thousands
of colleges, hospitals, orphanages and other institutions have been founded in honor of this One
who gave His life for us. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the
governments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned have not changed the course of history as
much as this One Solitary Life.
- One Solitary Life


―Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.‖ ―That you
will, dearie, and no mistake,‖ said Mr.s Beaver, ―if there‘s anyone who can
appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they‘re either braver than
most or else just silly.‖ ―Then he isn‘t safe?‖ said Lucy. ―Safe?‖ said Mr.
Beaver. ―Don‘t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything
about safe? ‗Course he isn‘t safe. But he‘s good.‖


Jesus Traverses the Past, Present, and Future

The Traditionalist looks to the Past…
The Existentialist looks to the Present…
The Utopians look to the Future…

―This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of
Me.‖ In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying,
―This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as
you drink it, in remembrance of Me.‖ For as often as you eat this
bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord‘s death until He
comes.‖
- 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

The Creed - I Believe In Jesus Christ

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to The Creed - I Believe In Jesus Christ

Similar to The Creed - I Believe In Jesus Christ (20)

More from Robin Schumacher

More from Robin Schumacher (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

The Creed - I Believe In Jesus Christ