Deity of Christ 1

The Deity of Christ (1)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

For 2000 years controversy has surrounded the nature of the person of Christ. John, writing about Jesus in the first century, said that, “the people were divided because of Him” (John 7:43). This condition remains today. Even those who call themselves “Christians” are divided over this subject. Some deny that Jesus even existed. And though this objection must be addressed, such a study is a matter of evidences, and does not lie within the scope of this article. Some people believe that Jesus was a real historical figure, but they deny that He was God. Among these people, some even admit that Jesus was a great man and a great teacher, but deny His divinity. Some believe that Jesus was a great prophet of God (in succession with other great prophets) but they deny that He was God (Islam). Some believe that Jesus was a man who became God (Mormonism). Some believe that Jesus was a created being (a demi-god), but not equal with the Father as to His divine properties (Jehovah’s Witnesses). Some believe that Jesus was, and is God, but that His deity was “emptied” during His days in the flesh (Kenoticism). Others believe that Jesus retained His divine nature while in the flesh, but that He surrendered all use of those powers and conducted Himself as a mere man. Others see Jesus as possessing uninterrupted deity, even during His days in the flesh, and that He exercised His divine powers insofar as such exercise did not conflict with His role as savior and servant. This is the Bible position about Jesus. We shall examine it more.

Does It Matter What We Believe About Jesus?

Yes it does! Jesus said, “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). Jesus’ use of the present tense verb, “I am,” is significant. He would later say, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). This is the same kind of verb that God used to describe Himself to Moses from the burning bush (“I Am that I Am”). Moses was to tell his brethren that “I Am” had sent Him to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. That is, he was being sent by the eternal, self-existent one. By describing Himself as “I am,” Jesus identifies Himself with the God that spoke from the burning bush. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.