Essential Doctrines part 3 Jesus is God

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Christian

Caralee,
What verse in the Bible says unless the words meet your standard they cannot be true? I have been looking for those words for ages!!!!! Please provide your scriptural support.

Sorry for my sick humor. If you think something can only be true in the Bible, only if it has the exact words, then your going to have use the same criteria on your statement. I hope you see how absurd your request is. It is self-refuting. All Scripture has to be interpreted, and as such, people will use words that are not exactly the words of the Bible to describe theological realities. Your interpreting my post caused you to use non-Biblical words. Does that mean you were wrong?

Steve

Dear C. McCoy,
Thanks for writing. I agree Satan has deceived the world. Unbelievers have been blinded to the truth of the Bible and to the gospel (2 Cor. 4:3-4).

You then say “The bible does not say that Jesus is God because Jesus is not God.” What you need to read is my entire series “Believing in Jesus as God and Man.” It will more fully explain what you don’t understand. Then you say there is no Trinity. Did you read my series on the Trinity? If you had read both it would have answered many of the questions you have about these issues.
You make lots of statements unsupported by any scriptures. Philippians 2:6-8 explains how Jesus can be fully God and fully man. “…who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”In the words, “…did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,” we see the choice of the Son to empty Himself of His divine rights by becoming a man and also emptying Himself of His human rights by becoming a servant.

The story of the King becoming a pauper is the best illustration. The King is on the throne, with his regal splendor and people waiting on him. Then one day he changes into the robes of a common beggar to interact with the subjects of his kingdom. Never once does the King stop being King; he just lays aside his prerogatives, his kingly rights, his privileges to become this pauper. This is what Jesus does. He lays aside the prerogatives, his privileges of God and takes on a human nature. He is still fully God and becomes a servant of men and eventually dies the death of common criminal. The application is for us is to become humble like Jesus, who humbled himself unto death.

Jesus did not lay aside his deity- He can’t do that. He laid aside only His privileges of deity, not His divine nature. As a human He had to learn like we do, to grow in understanding and knowledge (Luke 2:52). Some contend that on earth Jesus did not make use of His own powers of deity.

At the Incarnation God takes on human flesh. The Kenosis is where Jesus humbles himself and lays aside the prerogatives of being divine. However, Jesus never ceases being God–He “gives up” the privilege and glory. When we read the words “…existing in the form of God” it means Jesus was fully God. And in when Paul writes, “taking the form of a servant” he means Jesus was fully man. The word form means nature. Jesus had 2 natures; a human nature and a divine nature.

You say he was simply a man with God’s spirit within him ignoring what the Bible clearly teaches above and elsewhere? John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the word [Jesus] and the word was with God [the Father] and the word was God.” Verse 14 then says, “And the word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Can anything be clearer? God takes on human flesh and lives among humans.

The only argument you provided was that Jesus was tempted and God cannot be tempted (James 1:13). Jesus was tempted in his humanity as the book of Hebrews states but not in his divinity. Remember Jesus in his humanity got tired, grew in knowledge, and was tempted but didn’t sin. In his divinity he didn’t get tired, he was omniscient (all knowledge), and he couldn’t be tempted. No violation of scripture in Jesus being fully God and fully man.

My suggestion is to read my series on Jesus as the God/man, the Trinity series, and the book of John with an open mind. I truly believe you will see how Jesus is fully God and fully man. The evidence is overwhelming.

Steve Bruecker

totally agree with c mccoy

Joshua,
The Bible teaches Jesus, as the second person of the Trinity, is fully God, with no limitations. Philippians 2:6-8 Paul explains how as a man, Jesus limited himself, to the point of death on a cross. However, how does being a man limit his divine nature?

Steve

Joshua,
Yes a man has limitations. However, according to the Bible, Jesus had two natures human and divine. As I said previously he voluntarily limited himself as a human. His human nature doesn’t limit his divine nature. Yes he called himself the “son of man.” He was referring to Daniel 7:13-14 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” This son of man has authority and sovereign power. His rule will never fade away and his kingdom will endure forever. Does this sound like a human? Sure sounds like God!

Jesus was also called the “Son of God.” In the Jewish mindset this was equal to being called God (more detail at https://biblicalworldviewacademy.org/how-can-jesus-be-god-and-the-son-of-god/). Prior to his crucifixion we see Jesus confirming he is the Son of God. Matthew 26:63-64 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Jesus confirms he is the Son of God. Interesting when Jesus talks of the clouds of heaven he is referring back to Daniel 7:13, 14. Absolutely, no doubt Jesus is claiming to be God.

Finally, you use the Bible to point out he called himself the “son of man.” And then you point out individuals in the Bible that called him God. Interesting even his enemies knew he was making himself equal to God. John 5:16-18 “So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. 17 Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” His enemies knew he was claiming to be God. So the Bible teaches Jesus claimed to be the son of man and the Bible teaches Jesus is God. If the Bible teaches both, how does this help you?

Steve