Deity of Christ 2

The Deity of Christ (2)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

As noted in last week’s article, Jesus preexisted Abraham (John 8:56-58). It should also be pointed out that though John the baptist was older than Jesus in his physical existence, he affirmed that Jesus existed “before” him (John 1:30). We are reminded of Micah’s prophecy of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem: “His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

Some people refuse to even consider the question of the nature of Christ, but Jesus invited thought on this question. He asked the Pharisees, “But what do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” When the Pharisees answered that He was “the son of David,” Jesus responded, “How then did David call Him Lord?” These Pharisees were unable to answer this question (Matthew 22:42-46). However, honest Bible students can confidently do what these biased, tradition-oriented Pharisees refused to do if we will consider the evidence. As with all Bible subjects we must limit our answer to what is authorized and demanded by God’s Holy word. We must speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11).

The writer of the book of Hebrews described Jesus as being “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). One is reminded of Malachi 3:6: “I am the Lord, I change not.” Jesus Christ was, is, and forever shall be, God. He possesses uninterrupted deity. He was the same person during His days in the flesh that he was before coming in the flesh, and he is presently that same person in heaven. This fact is demonstrated by John’s use of the term “logos” to describe Jesus at all of these phases of his existence.

1. John’s gospel describes Jesus as “the Word” who was with God “in the beginning” (John 1:1). This described Christ’s pre-incarnate state.

2. John’s first epistle says that John and others had “seen, looked upon, and touched the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). He later describes the “word of life” as being the person of Jesus. This described Christ’s incarnate state.

3. John’s Revelation describes Jesus as the conquering commander “whose name is the Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). This describes Christ’s post-incarnate state.

It is significant that the apostle John described Jesus as the person of “the Word” in all of these circumstances. It emphasizes the continuity of his nature from everlasting to everlasting. Truly, “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2). (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.