The DEITY of JESUS CHRIST
Last week, we noted that the Bible directly states that Jesus is God in a number of passages. Some of the key ones we looked at were …
- John 1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . 14 And 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 20:28 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
- Philippians 2:5-6 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
- Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
- Hebrews 1:8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. (See Hebrews 1:5-8 for context)
- 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
- Colossians 1:15-19 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
- 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
- Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
- Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
- Matthew 1:22-23 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
In this study, we want to confirm the deity of Jesus Christ by looking at some of the characteristics of God ascribed to Him …
Jesus Christ HAS ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
- He is ETERNAL (unlimited by time):
- Isaiah 9:6;
- Micah 5:2;
- John 1:1-2;
- John 8:58;
- John 17:5,24;
- Colossians 1:15,17;
- 1 John 1:1;
- Revelation 1:8
- He is OMNIPRESENT (present everywhere):
- Matthew 18:20;
- Matthew 28:20;
- John 3:13
- He is OMNISCIENT (all-knowing):
- John 2:24,25;
- John 16:30;
- John 21:17;
- Revelation 2:23
- He is OMNIPOTENT (all-powerful, able to do whatever He wants to do):
- Isaiah 9:6;
- Philippians 3:21;
- Revelation 1:8;
- John 5:17;
- Hebrews 1:3;
- Matthew 28:18
- He is IMMUTABLE (unchangeable in His character):
- Hebrews 1:10-12;
- Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ IS EQUAL WITH GOD THE FATHER.
- He is worshipped as God.
- John 20:28;
- Acts 7:59;
- Hebrews 1:6;
- Exodus 34:14;
- Matthew 4:10
- His name is assigned equal standing with God the Father in the church’s baptismal formula and in apostolic benedictions.
- Matthew 28:19;
- Acts 2:38;
- 2 Corinthians 13:14;
- 1 Corinthians 1:3;
- Ephesians 1:2
Jesus Christ HAS DONE – AND CAN DO – WORKS THAT ONLY GOD CAN DO.
- He is Creator.
- John 1:3,10;
- Colossians 1:16;
- Hebrews 1:2;
- Hebrews 1:10;
- He is upholder of all things.
- Colossians 1:17;
- Hebrews 1:3;
- Luke 10:22;
- John 3:35;
- John 17:2;
- Ephesians 1:22
- He forgives sins.
- Matthew 9:2-7;
- Mark 2:7;
- Luke 7:47,48;
- Colossians 3:13
- He will raise the dead and execute judgement.
- John 11:25;
- John 5:25;
- John 5:28-29;
- John 6:39,40,54;
- John 5:22
Jesus Christ CLAIMED DEITY FOR HIMSELF.
- He taught His disciples to pray in His name.
- John 16:23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
- John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
- He claimed that He and the Father were one.
- John 10:30 I and My Father are one.
- John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
- John 17:11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep[a] through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
- He claimed that He was the Son of God.
- John 10:36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
- He claimed that to know Him was to know God
- John 14:7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
- He claimed that to see Him was to see the God
- John 12:45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.
- John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
- He claimed that to receive Him was to receive God
- Mark 9:37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
- He claimed that to believe Him was to believe in God
- John 12:44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.
- John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
- He claimed that to honour Him was to honour God
- John 5:23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
- He claimed that to hate Him was to hate God.
- John 15:23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.