Jesus Is God

April 20, 2008

By Jeremy J. Main

     Is Jesus God? It is troubling that many people professing Christianity deny the deity of Christ. Even His enemies acknowledged that He claimed such (John 5:18; 10:33). Is He or is He not God?  We must turn to the Bible for the answer to this important question. Read the following passages from the inspired word of God.

     The apostle John wrote: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 NKJV). John explained: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14). God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:17-18). In his first epistle, John wrote: “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” (1 John 5:20). John believed that Jesus is God.

    The apostle Thomas is recorded by John as saying to Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Was Thomas guilty of swearing, of committing blasphemy, or simply of sheer excitement of exclamation? If so, why did Jesus fail to correct Thomas? The honest reader will reach the conclusion that Thomas believed that Jesus is God.

    The apostle Paul wrote frequency concerning the deity of Christ. He wrote to the Romans: “Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God” (Rom. 9:5). He wrote to the Philippians: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God” (Phil. 2:5-6). He wrote to the Colossians, concerning Christ: “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). He wrote to Timothy:  “God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). He wrote to Titus: “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Luke also recorded Paul as saying to the elders of Ephesus: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Paul believed that Jesus is God.

    The apostle Peter wrote: “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:1). The same apostle confessed to Jesus: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16; John 6:69). Peter believed that Jesus is God.

    We conclude with the testimony of the heavenly Father, as recorded by the writer of Hebrews. The Father said to the Son: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Heb. 1:8). After the baptism of Christ, a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). Is Jesus God? The Holy Scriptures give a resounding, “Yes!”