The Incomparable Christ The Deity of Christ Part Two
It s important for every believer to have a strong Christological foundation. If we follow, or believe in, a Jesus that isn t the Jesus that has been revealed to us in God s Word, we re following a false Jesus and are false followers of Christ.
There s nothing more foundational to Christology than understanding that Jesus is fully and eternally divine. Jesus isn t a created being; He s the eternal creator of all things.
The eternality and deity of Christ are inseparably linked together. Any attribute that can be ascribed to God the Father can also be ascribed to Jesus. Conversely, to say that Jesus, at any time, lacked any of the essential attributes of God, is to say that He isn t God.
John 1:1-3 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
In eternity past, Jesus existed as God. He was also with God. Additionally, Jesus did the works that the Old Testament ascribed to God. Jesus created all things and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
Colossians 1:16-17 16 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. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Colossians 1:17 He is before all things
Hebrews 1:1-2 1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
Logos (loʹ-gos) literally means word. Hebrews 1:2 in these last days [God] has spoken to us in His Son God has revealed Himself and spoken to us through Jesus.
Hebrews 1:3 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. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son He [God] says, YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. Psalm 45:6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
Psalm 45:6 is a prophetic passage that points to Jesus and identifies Him as God.
John 20:25 So the other disciples were saying to him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.
John 20:26-28 26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, Peace be with you.
27 Then He said to Thomas, Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing. 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God!
The word Lord comes from the Greek word kyrios (küʹ-rē-os). In the Septuagint, kyrios (küʹ-rē-os) is used to translate the Hebrew word Yahweh. Kyrios (küʹ-rē-os) is used to translate the name of the Lord almost 7,000 times in the Greek Old Testament.
God is the English translation of the Greek word theos (the-oʹs). Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God (theos) created the heavens and the earth.
Colossians 2:9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, Jesus is literally God in the flesh. God is a triune God.
God eternally exists as three persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each person is fully God, and there is only one God. Modalism is the belief that there is one person, who appears to us in three different forms.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. By saying that the Word was with God, John proclaimed that the Father and the Son are distinct in their personhood.
Kyrios (küʹ-rē-os) is used 721 times in the New Testament. In most cases, it s used to speak of Jesus, especially outside of the gospels. In the Septuagint, it s almost always used as a reference to God.
Luke 2:10-11 10 But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (kyrios).
Luke 2:15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord (kyrios) has made known to us.
Kyrios (küʹ-rē-os) is used as the title for both the newborn baby Jesus and God the Father. Jesus is eternally God.
Isaiah 9:6 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.
In Titus 2:13, Paul said believers are looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.
2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: The New Testament writers understood and proclaimed that Jesus was God in the flesh.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad. John 8:57-58 57 So the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. John 8:59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him.
John 10:30-33 30 I and the Father are one. 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me? 33 The Jews answered Him, For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.
Jesus is coequal and coeternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Further evidence of Jesus divinity can be found in the fact that He frequently referred to Himself as the Son of man.
The title the Son of Man is used 84 times in the gospels. It s always used by Jesus and always in reference to Himself. Matthew 16:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is?
Daniel 7:13-14 13 I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.
14 And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
Matthew 26:64 Jesus said to him, You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.
Once again, Jesus proclaimed His divine nature. In the next two verses, the high priest said Jesus deserved to die, because He was committing blasphemy.