Many in the church world today are denying the diety of Jesus Christ. The virgin birth, the miracles performed by Jesus, His claim to be God, His death on the cross for the sins of mankind, and His resurrection from the dead, which guarantees the resurrection and rewards of all believers: all these eternal truths are being questioned and dismissed as allegorical or even mythical by much of the mainline church world today.
I could discuss each of these issues in detail but my first concern is the diety of Jesus Christ. Is He really God? Did Jesus make statements and perform deeds that led first century peoples and individuals to believe He was God? Let's see what the Bible tells us about this subject.
First of all, Jesus told the first century Jews, "Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to My coming. He saw it and was glad." John 8:56
How did the Jews respond to this declaration of Jesus? They argued with Him about His claim. They didn't believe Abraham could have seen Jesus because He wasn't even 50 years old and Abraham had been dead for around 2000 years!
Jesus answered, "The truth is, before Abraham was, I AM." (v58) Then they wanted to stone Him because they knew He was claiming to be God. I AM was the name revealed to Moses at the burning bush. (Exodus 3)
In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus forgave a man's sins and healed his body to prove He had the power of God to forgive sins on earth. These actions were considered to be blasphemy by the Jewish leaders.
During His trial account shared in Matthew, Mark and Luke, the chief priests told Jesus, "Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus answered, "I AM." They called for Him to be crucified because they said He claimed to be God.
There are many other passages I could share which reveal the divinity of Jesus. He clearly claimed to be God, and I, one among the many multitudes, believe Him!
John 1:1-18 excerpts
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 were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men... That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
ANY ONE WHO DENIES THE DIETY OF JESUS CHRIST MUST ALSO DENY THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE.
I'll close with another clear statement of Jesus found in John 8:23-24.
And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
This means if you DO believe that Jesus is God and trust that He died to forgive your sins, you will live eternally! That is good news!
I could discuss each of these issues in detail but my first concern is the diety of Jesus Christ. Is He really God? Did Jesus make statements and perform deeds that led first century peoples and individuals to believe He was God? Let's see what the Bible tells us about this subject.
First of all, Jesus told the first century Jews, "Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to My coming. He saw it and was glad." John 8:56
How did the Jews respond to this declaration of Jesus? They argued with Him about His claim. They didn't believe Abraham could have seen Jesus because He wasn't even 50 years old and Abraham had been dead for around 2000 years!
Jesus answered, "The truth is, before Abraham was, I AM." (v58) Then they wanted to stone Him because they knew He was claiming to be God. I AM was the name revealed to Moses at the burning bush. (Exodus 3)
In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus forgave a man's sins and healed his body to prove He had the power of God to forgive sins on earth. These actions were considered to be blasphemy by the Jewish leaders.
During His trial account shared in Matthew, Mark and Luke, the chief priests told Jesus, "Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus answered, "I AM." They called for Him to be crucified because they said He claimed to be God.
There are many other passages I could share which reveal the divinity of Jesus. He clearly claimed to be God, and I, one among the many multitudes, believe Him!
John 1:1-18 excerpts
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 were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men... That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
ANY ONE WHO DENIES THE DIETY OF JESUS CHRIST MUST ALSO DENY THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE.
I'll close with another clear statement of Jesus found in John 8:23-24.
And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
This means if you DO believe that Jesus is God and trust that He died to forgive your sins, you will live eternally! That is good news!
