Is Jesus God?

Is Jesus God?

Dr. Walter D. Huyck Jr. D.Min. D.R.S.

www.thischristianjourney.com

The Question was asked:

Why do you refer to Jesus as being God in human flesh? Jesus wasn't God. He was God's son, his action. You can read that in the Bible Jesus refers to God as his father. I'm really curious about why you said this. I hope you take the time to respond to me. Thank you for your time.

A Great Question. Was Jesus God's Son? The clear testimony of Scripture is a resounding yes!

John 3.16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

At the Baptism of Jesus, God the Father said, "And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mark 1.11). There is no doubt that Jesus Christ is God's Son. What an awesome testimony to the unspeakable love of God, that He would give His only begotten Son for sinful people just like you and I. It fills my heart with blessed joy when I realize that God loves me more than I could ever imagine.

However, another question arises as well. Is Jesus also God! Since God is the creator, and the created could never fully realize the creator, we must address this question from the perspective of God's revelation of Himself to us. Be careful about our tendency to limit Almighty-God to the sphere of human understanding or reason. God is far beyond this creation, and unfathomable to our understanding alone. All we can know about Him, He must reveal to us.

Jesus Claimed to be God

Jesus not only did some truly divine things in the miracles that He performed, but He made some truly awesome proclamations concerning Himself. Now, He was either Lord, Liar or a Lunatic as Josh McDowell has clearly stated ,in his book "More Than A Carpenter". I know that He is Lord, and therefore His claims concerning Himself are trustworthy.

In John 10.30 we find the clearest proclamation concerning the dietyship of Jesus Christ when Jesus said, "I and my Father are one." There is no doubt about what Jesus is claiming here. The Jews immediately took up stones and were determined to put Jesus to death, because in their estimation He had blasphemed God. Jesus clearly claimed to be divine, or to be God.

He also claimed to have existed before His birth. In John 8.58 "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." Then in John 17.5, Jesus Prayed, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." Indicating that He is clearly more than what we are. He has indeed existed from eternity past. indicating that He is divine or God.

He claimed and evidenced that he is Omnipresent, or to be everywhere present. He said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt 18.20). " . . .and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matt 28.20). An ability that can only be attributed to God.

He claimed and evidenced that He is truly Omniscient, or that He knows all things. He knew what was in their minds, "But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth" (Luke 6.8, cf 11.17). The Samaritan Women said, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" (John 4.29). Again this ability can only be attributed to God. Jesus is God.

Jesus claimed and demonstrated that He is Omnipotent, or all-powerful. Jesus said, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matt 28.18). He demonstrated His authority over the Spirit World in Mark 5.11-15. Then He revealed His power over the dead in John 11.38-44 when He rose Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus also claimed to be able to Forgive Sins (Mark 2.1-12), to give Spiritual Life to whom He desires (John 5.21), and to stand in judgment of all people (John 5.22,27). All of these examples, which comprise only a sample of the claims and abilities of Jesus Christ, demonstrate that while Jesus is human, and God's Son, He is still every bit God.

The Trinity Evidences Jesus Divinity

When we consider the Trinity we must realize that God is truly beyond our conception. We can not and never will be able to fully realize the fully nature of God. However, God has revealed certain things about Himself to us. One of those revealed facts is the Trinity. Briefly stated, the Trinity is the scriptural fact that there is but one God, who is revealed in three persons, who are all equally God, equally independent, yet in fully agreement and cooperation. These three persons are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The most compelling evidence of the Trinity in Scripture is found in 1 John 5.7:

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father,
the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

There are multitudes of scriptural references to the trinity throughout Scripture. All of which point to this inconceivable manifestation of God. They start all the way back in Genesis 1 and extend to the very end of the Bible. For instance, in Genesis 1.26, God says, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: . . ." At the Baptism of Jesus we see clearly the manifestation of the Trinity in that Jesus is in the Water, the Holy Spirit is descending, and the Father is speaking from heaven (Mark 1.9-11). These are only two of the many evidences available.

The truth is that God reveals the concept of the Trinity to us in His written Word. Some refuse to believe it because they can not understand it. God does not expect us to understand everything He reveals about Himself, however, He does expect us to believe what He says about Himself. Therefore, God said it, I have read it, and I accept it. You should too.

Confusing the Issue

I think some people get up set with the idea of the divinity of Jesus Christ because they think that we are trying to make Jesus into the Father. I believe that the Unitarian point of view teaches that God the Father, became Jesus the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. I don't follow this teaching at all. I believe that Scripture reveals that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all co-exist. They are all alive and present, even today. As a matter of fact they have all always existed and they will all three always exist.

Therefore, when I say that Jesus is God I am not saying that Jesus is the Father. Jesus is God, the Father is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. These three all exist together and are our one and only God. They are not three separate God's, they are one God. Who has revealed that He manifests Himself to us in three persons. Can I understand how three can be one? No, I can not. But in all truthfulness I don't have to. God is not God because I make Him God, and it is not my place to demand personal understanding. However, It is my responsibility to accept Him as He says He is, and to worship and serve Him as He is.

I think it would be prudent for Christians and individuals to stop trying to invent God according to their own understanding. God fixed His Word almost two thousand years ago so that we could rest upon His unchanging character, and serve Him as He is.