Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Does the Bible Claim Jesus Is God?

“We wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13 NIV).

Many biblical texts can be used to demonstrate that Jesus is God. Three, however, stand out above the rest. Not only are they clear and convincing, but their “addresses” are easy to remember as well—John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1.
First, is John 1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (v. 1). Here Jesus is not only in existence before the world began, but is differentiated from the Father and explicitly called God, indicating that He shares the same nature as His Father.

Furthermore, Colossians 1 informs us that “all things were created by him” (v. 16); He is “before all things” (v. 17); and “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (v. 19). Only deity has the prerogative of creation, preexists all things, and personifies the full essence and nature of God.

Finally, Hebrews 1 overtly tells us that according to God the Father Himself—Jesus is God: “But about the Son he [the Father] says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever’” (v. 8). Not only is the entirety of Hebrews 1 devoted to demonstrating the absolute deity of Jesus, but in verses 10–12 the inspired writer quotes a passage in Psalm 102 referring to Yahweh and directly applies it to Christ. In doing so, the Scripture specifically declares Jesus ontologically equal with Israel’s God.

Many similar texts could be adduced. For example, in Revelation 1 the Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty” (v. 8). In the last chapter of Revelation, Jesus applies these self same words—“Alpha and Omega”—to Himself! Additionally, in 2 Peter 1 Jesus is referred to as “our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 1). In these passages and a host of others, the Bible explicitly claims that Jesus is God.
What Credentials Back Up Jesus’ Claim to Deity?

“When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’ Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see; the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor’” (Matt. 11:2–5).

Not only does the Bible explicitly teach that Jesus is God, but Jesus Himself also has provided many convincing proofs that He indeed is divine.

First, Jesus demonstrated that He was God in human flesh by manifesting the credential of sinlessness. While the Qur’an exhorts Muhammad to seek forgiveness for his sins, the Bible exonerates Messiah, saying Jesus “had no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21); and this is not a singular statement. John declares that “in him is no sin” (1 John 3:5), and Peter says Jesus “committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). Jesus Himself went so far as to challenge His antagonists, asking, “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?” (John 8:46).

Furthermore, Jesus demonstrated supernatural authority over sickness, the forces of nature, fallen angels, and even death itself. Matthew 4 records that Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching, preaching, “and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (v. 23). Mark 4 documents Jesus rebuking the wind and the waves, saying, “Quiet! Be still!” (v. 39). In Luke 4 Jesus encounters a man possessed by an evil spirit and commands the demon: “Come out of him!” (v. 35). And in John 4, Jesus tells a royal official whose son was close to death, “Your son will live” (v. 50). In fact, the four Gospels record how Jesus demonstrated ultimate power over death through the immutable fact of His resurrection.

Finally, the credentials of Christ’s deity are seen in the lives of countless men, women, and children. Each day, people of every tongue and tribe and nation experience the resurrected Christ by repenting of their sins and receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives. Thus, they not only come to know about Christ evidentially, but experientially Christ becomes more real to them than the very flesh upon their bones.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here are many biblical scriptures that will show that Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God. When you believe that God the Father is the God of us all, and that Jesus Christ, by His divine nature, had many, if not all of the attributes of God - then these scriptures start to make sense.

Gen. 1: 26 God said, Let us make man in our image.
Gen. 3: 22 man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.
Matt. 3: 17 Matt. 17: 5 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matt. 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matt. 6:6 pray to thy Father which is in secret;
Matt. 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Matt. 16:17 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Matt. 20: 23 not mine to give, but . . . of my Father.
Matt. 26: 39 not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Matt 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Matt. 28: 19 baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Mark 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Mark 9: 7. a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Mark 9:37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
Luke 1: 32 called the Son of the Highest.
Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Luke 3: 22 Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove.
Luke 11:2 When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven,
Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
John 3: 16 God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.
John 5: 19 Son can do nothing . . . but what he seeth the Father do.
John 5:24 He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life
John 5:30 I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
John 7:16-17 16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will ado his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself
John 7:29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
John 8: 18 Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
John 8: 27-29 that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. (only listed vs. 28)
John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
John 10: 30 I and my Father are one. (See John 17:21)
John 12: 28 a voice from heaven, saying, I have . . . glorified it.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:12 and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14: 28 my Father is greater than I.
John 16:28 I leave the world, and go to the Father.
John 17: 3 that they might know thee the only true God.
John 17: 21 That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me.
John 20: 17 I ascend unto my Father, and your Father.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Acts 2: 33 being by the right hand of God exalted.
Acts 7: 55 saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.
Rom. 8:34 It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom. 15:6 glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Cor. 4: 4 Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Cor. 11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (see end of vs. 1 – in Christ Jesus doesn’t mean the saints are Christ)
Eph. 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him
Eph. 3: 14 I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord.
Phil. 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God
Col. 1: 15 image of the invisible God, the firstborn.
Col. 2: 9 dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
2 Tim. 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom
1 Tim. 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Heb. 1: 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.
Heb. 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
Heb. 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
1 Pet. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively dhope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
1 Pet. 3:21-22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God
1 Jn. 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
1 Jn. 5: 7 three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.
Rev. 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God

(All of these scriptures come from the King James Version of the Bible, and they are not the complete verses)

Now it is important to see what some early Christians taught about the Godhead. Of course, there will be writings to show the opposite as well. It is up to you to see the evolution of the concepts discussed, and seek inspiration and confirmation by the Holy Ghost to know these truths. Here is one:

The Epistle to Diognetus. The author, usually called Mathetes, writes:

"This [messenger] He sent to them. Was it then, as one might conceive, for the purpose of exercising tyranny, or of inspiring fear and terror? By no means, but under the influence of clemency and meekness. As a king sends his son, who is also a king, so sent He Him; as God He sent Him; as to men He sent Him; as a Saviour He sent Him, and as seeking to persuade, not to compel us; for violence has no place in the character of God." Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, "To Diognetus," The Anti-Nicene Church Fathers (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1867), Chapter VII.

Anonymous said...

God bless your Ministry, Mr. Hanegraaff!

Anonymous said...

God bless your Ministry, Mr. Hanegraaff!

Anonymous said...

Isa 45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.


Isa 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me?yea, there is no God; I know not any.

Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

Here the Almighty uses Anechi (I) it is singular. If any of these verses were spoken by Jesus then he does not aknowledge his father being with him. Or, if this is the father speaking he doesn't realize Jesus is with him. But in John 1 we can clearly see that Jesus was "with" the father.

You must realize that only a few times does God use the word one in connection with himself but MANY times he stresses that he is alone.

Nowhere do the Hebrew scriptures teach that the end-times king you call messiah will be God himself. Instead he will fear God. (Isa. 11) Does God fear God?

Jews like myself that know the scriptures also realize thet Isaiah 53 speaks of Israel as a singular. As in many other places. When did messiah die many deaths (Hebrew "b'matov" (Isa. 53:9)?

This is the only place the word deaths is found. Even the Strongs doesn't show it.

In Isa. 53:8 the last words are "Nega l'mow." which means a "plague fell on them." “l'mow"means “them” everywhere else in Isaiah except here.

Look at any Hebrew text and you will see that this cannot be translated as "he was stricken."

Many Christians use this to prove that Jesus died for our sins but God has said many times that no man can die for another's sin. (Eze. 18 ENTIRE CHAPTER) Doesn't God's Words mean anything to Christians?

It is strange that this is stressed in the chapter that describes the new covenant being made with the house of Judah and the house of Israel (which was still lost at the time of Jesus).

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD. In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Jer. 31:27-33) This is to once and for all set the record straight that vicarious atonement is a false doctrine.

Jesus is not God or the end-times king. He can't be that is if you believe what The God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob says.

If you would like to learn more go to outreachjudaism.org

Anonymous said...

James,

נגע nega`means the following:
1) stroke, plague, disease, mark, plague spot
a) stroke, wound
b) stroke (metaphorical of disease)
c) mark (of leprosy)

If you are stricken as it is translated today the it is no differetn in it's meaning as those listed above.

As for your problems with prophecy, they are just that, YOUR problem. You do NOT understand what you are reading because YOU try to interpret it in YOUR way. Try going to the library or a theological department and research out these so called "mistakes".
-Jay