You might soon be thinking that I am wasting my time this morning. You may think that I am preaching to the choir. But as you can see we don’t have a choir. I have something to teach which you may think is unnecessary, because you already firmly believe it. My theme is the deity of Christ. Is Jesus the Son of God and God the Son? Is He the Lord Jesus Christ? I know that He is, and I hope you believe He is as well. So why am I teaching a subject which is already fully accepted? Because it is not fully accepted.
93% of the people of the world are found within the bounds of five general religions. According to recent statistics 31% of the people of this globe profess to be Christians. The second largest religion is Islam at 25%, followed by Hinduism and secular/non-religionists at 15% each. There are half a billion Buddhists in the world, and I’ll mention the 14.7 million Jews. I need not tell you that the agnostics and atheists, the followers of Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism do not believe that Jesus is God, even if some of them give Him some respect as a religious leader. But here is the thing I’d like to thumb-tack to your mind this morning: According to a 2020 survey, 30% of EVANGELICAL Christians do NOT believe in the deity of Christ. That is the statistic for the evangelical Christians, but the unbelievers among the more main-line denominations like the Episcopalians and Presbyterians, is significantly higher.
Why do so many professing Christians reject the deity of Christ? It is because their parents and grandparents, and then they themselves did not hear teaching and preaching like what I intend to share with you this morning. Each of us need to hear this message every once in a while to keep this doctrine fresh in our minds. The alternative is calcified hearts, resulting in the eternal death of our children and grandchildren. The deity of Christ Jesus is an absolutely essential truth. It is a part of salvation. “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath NOT God” – II John 9.
It has been often said that the Bible doesn’t try to prove the existence of God – it is something just assumed. And that is quite natural, because, despite the depravity of the human heart, all men instinctively know that there is a God. It is only through determined effort that a person can force himself into atheism or semi-atheistic agnosticism. And I’m not sure that a true atheism really exists, because all men worship something, even if it is nothing more than themselves – or knowledge – or science – or government.
In a similar fashion the Apostle Paul doesn’t go out of his way to prove the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is writing to a group of people who should already know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And to be the Son of God, means that Christ is divine – that He is deity.
But that doesn’t mean that the unbelieving Romans, or even the average Jew in Paul’s day believed that truth. And just because you believe that Jesus is Jehovah, that doesn’t mean your neighbor does. That leads us to this question: “Can you prove to someone, or at least can you give to him some logical arguments that Jesus Christ is God?” Perhaps as many as 90% of the people of this world need to learn that Christ Jesus is God. How can we teach the deity of Christ? Let me share some scriptures with you.
When it comes to the deity of Christ, we should probably begin with the DIRECT Bible references.
From the lips of Jesus Himself we learn that He knew Himself to be the Son of God and God the Son. And this is important, because many nay-sayers say that Jesus never taught His own deity. Perhaps if we separated every verse that hints of Jesus’ deity some might honestly question our doctrine. But when they are all added together there is no room for doubt.
Please return to the scripture which was read earlier: John 10:23 – “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” How is this possible – that Jesus and His Father are one? They are certainly different persons, just as my grandfather, my father, my son and I are all different people. While God the Father and God the Son are different persons, they are one in essence or substance. They are not both Canadian, Americans or Jews, Caucasian or Hebrew. But they are both deity – the one and only deity – “I and my father are one God.”
And how did the Jews understand what Jesus saying? “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; And because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” There can be no doubt about the fact the Jews thought that Jesus was calling himself God when he said, “I and my Father are one.” And furthermore Jesus did not correct them – they were absolutely right. A similar passage may be seen in John 5:16-18 – “And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”
Even when I lived with him, I never was foolish enough to claim all that belonged to my father was my own. For example, I had my bedroom, and he and my mother had theirs, and I rarely entered their bedroom. The things that were in that room, belonged to them, and not to me. But in John 16:15, the Lord Jesus said – “All things that the Father hath are mine.” Jesus was not speaking about his step-father, Joseph, but “the Father” – God the Father. He said in effect, “He and I share everything equally.” What sort of things? Creatorship for example, the preservation of creation and the worship of that creation. They share Life, Glory, the Fullness of God-hood, and so much more. The declarations of Jesus prove that He believed Himself to be God. And as far as I am concerned that means His is God.
There are others, but let’s move on to consider the direct statements of other men under the Spirit’s guidance. I once read of two men arguing over the deity of Christ: One said, “If it is true, then the Bible should make it plain!” The other replied, “How? What would you like it to say?” “It should say, ‘Jesus Christ is God!'” The man’s friend replied, “That is a fortunate choice of words, because that is exactly what it does say.” Things like I John 5:20 – “We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” It might be argued that the words “this is the true God,” refer to God the Father. But the nearest antecedent to the word “this” is “Jesus Christ.” Usually, only those who hate the doctrine of Jesus’ deity prefer not to apply this statement to Christ.
And this brings us back to Romans 9:5 – Speaking of the people of Israel, Paul said, “Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, GOD BLESSED for ever. Amen.” Someone who is predetermined NOT to believe in the deity of Christ might skip over Christ’s authority over all things, arguing that this verse is saying nothing more than that Christ has been blessed by God. But those who are experts in Greek and honest with the statement, assert that Paul is saying “Christ is the God who deserves to be blessed” – that is – the One worthy to be praised and honored for ever. Don’t let anyone twist these scriptures around; they declare Christ to be Deity.
Don’t listen to the Jehovah’s Witnesses and their kind who have been taught their Satanic lies. Rather listen to Paul in I Timothy 3:16 – “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” These verses are really quite clear as far as I’m concerned. I wish that there were a hundred more just like them, but, as I say, the Bible assumes that we should know that there is a God, and His name is Jesus Christ.
However, in addition to these, there are plenty of INDIRECT ways to prove Jesus’ deity.
For example there is the angelic method. Christ Jesus accepted the open ministry of angels like no one else ever has. Usually their service is behind the scenes, but in the life of Jesus they popped up like flowers in the Spring. That was because of the very special relationship of Christ to His angelic servants. But then there is more: Matthew 13:41 – “The Son of man shall send forth HIS angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.” Matthew 16:27 – “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with HIS angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 24:31 – “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” What gives any mere mortal the right to call the angels of God “His angels?” Clearly, Jesus Christ is no mere mortal, but the God of those angels. He is captain of the hosts of God.
Thomas states, and indirectly proves, the deity of the Saviour in John 20:26-29 – “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Where do we read of Jesus’ rejection of Thomas’ testimony and praise? You won’t find it here or in any other passage of the Bible. Either Christ is exactly what Thomas said or else He was a liar, trying to propagate a hoax.
Now let’s get a bit heavier: John 3:11-13 – “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” How can Christ be both in Jerusalem and in Heaven at the same time? There is only one answer: through what is called Omnipresence – an attribute of deity.
There is indirect proof of Jesus deity in His divine knowledge. John 2:23-25 – “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” Matthew 12:25 says that Jesus knew the thoughts of the Pharisees. Luke 6:8; Matthew 22:18; Mark 2:8 and other passages all say the same thing. Christ’s knowledge of those people wasn’t based on facial expressions, body language or a good guess He could see into the depth of their souls, just as He can into yours. This ability of Jesus’ is something that belongs only to God. Listen to the testimony which the disciples gave of Jesus in John 16:29-30 – First Christ said, “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.” The last statement is a declaration that Jesus is the Son of God. You might guess what another is thinking but an actual knowledge of their thoughts belongs only to God.
How can the Bible call Jesus “the Creator,” if He were not God? John 1:1-3 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Doesn’t this suggest that everything that was created was done so by Jesus, the Word of God? That means that He could not possibly have made Himself or that is a created being. Colossians 1:16 – “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers, all things were made by him and for him.” What is more, the next verse says that all things are preserved by Jesus’ power.
What is the meaning of Colossians 2:9 if Jesus is not God? “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” And what is the meaning of Hebrews 1:3 if Jesus is not God? “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.”
All of these things that I’ve given you are New Testament evidence of Jesus’ deity. And we could teach another lesson tying in Old Testament references to these New Testament verses. Some poet once wrote: “Like man he walked, like God He talked. His words were oracles, His deeds were miracles. Of God the true expression, of man the finest specimen. Full orbed humanity, crowned with deity. No trace of infirmity, no taint of iniquity. Behold the man; Behold thy God. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail incarnate deity!”
Our opening scripture, Romans 9:1, begins with the words: “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.” Let me simply quote John Gill’s paraphrase of Paul’s words: “I swear by Christ, the God of truth, who is truth itself, and I appeal to him as the true God, the searcher of hearts, that what I now deliver is truth, and nothing but truth, and has no falsehood in it. This both shows that the taking of an oath is lawful, and that Christ is truly God, by whom only persons ought to swear.”
Now let me conclude with one more argument for Jesus’ deity. Some might suggest that it isn’t the most powerful, but to my heart, it is the most important. We know that Jesus is God, through His forgiveness of our sins. The Bible says that in Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin. Neither is there salvation in any other – only through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sin.
Please turn to Mark 2:1-11 – “And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy SINS be FORGIVEN thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.”
Very likely there are a lot of people who wouldn’t care for this argument: But I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and God the Son, because one day He said to me, “Son thy sins, which be many, are forgiven thee.” He forgave me all my sin and gave life to my sin-hardened, calcified heart. No priest could have done that. No mere religion was involved, and certainly not anything that I was doing. No psychiatrist could have eased the pain of the Spirit’s conviction upon me. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” How is Christ Jesus our Lord? He is the Lord God of Heaven and Earth. And He is the one against whom all our sin has been committed. Therefore He is the one – the only one – who can forgive those sins.
If you are still under the condemnation for your sin, I implore you to look to Jesus, the Son of God, this morning. Put your faith in Him for divine forgiveness and for the life which only God can give – eternal life. Repent before this holy God, trust Him to redeem and deliver you. Call on Him to save you as you put your trust in Him to deliver you. Christ is the only hope that poor scattered religionists can have. “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we – YE – must be saved.”