Is Jesus Christ God?

There is much debate and confusion regarding the identity of Jesus Christ. This confusion is not limited to nonbelievers, but extends to Christians as well. Was Jesus a prophet? Was He the messiah? Was He God Himself? Let's look at a couple scriptures and attempt a clear answer to the question- Is Jesus Christ God?

After leaving Egypt, Moses is in the desert and sees a bush consumed with fire but not burned. From the bush, God Almighty instructs him to return to Egypt and free His people- the Israelites.

'Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Exodus 3:13-15

Here, God proclaims His unique name to Moses. God calls Himself 'I AM.'

Now let's go to the book of John, written by the Apostle John; the same John who wrote 1,2,3 John, and The Revelation of Jesus Christ. In Chapter 8, Jesus is questioned about who He is. He responds with an interesting statement:

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." John 8:56-58

Here Jesus gives Himself God's name. The name given to Moses in the desert- I AM. The Jews reacted to this proclamation strongly by attempting to stone Jesus (verse 59).

Is believing that Jesus is God required for salvation? Let's look again at John chapter 8.

Starting in verse 24, Jesus says, "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."

The listeners respond by asking "Who are You?"

And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning…  when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He…" John 8:24-28.

In verses 24, and 28, we see the words 'I am He.' However, the word He is italicized, which means it has been added and is not in the original language. What Jesus actually said in these two verses was "I AM." Jesus calls Himself God, and tells them that unless they believe Him to be God, they will die in their sins. This leaves us with the obvious answer- Yes, believing that Jesus is God is required for salvation.

How do His hearers respond to this? Did they understand the significance of His statement? We see their response clearly in John 8:59: 'they took up stones to throw at Him.'

Let's look at another usage of this Name by Jesus.

In John chapter 18, 'a detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees [show up] with lanterns, torches, and weapons.'

'Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, “I am He.” 

Again, the word He has been added. How did the troops bearing weapons respond?

Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Had Jesus simply stated, Yes I am Jesus of Nazareth, would the entire fleet of troops had fallen to the ground? Why did they fall to the ground? Because Jesus called Himself God. Because Jesus proclaimed to be the I AM.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For it is written:

“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God."

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name

 which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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Did Jesus' disciples believe He was God? We find an answer in the book of John. (Don't you just love John? That man had a clear message to share with us!) After Jesus died on the cross, and then rose from the dead, we find Thomas, one of Jesus' twelve disciples doubting the resurrection.

"Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:25)

Eight days later, Jesus shows up, and says to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus did not rebuke Thomas. Jesus did not correct Thomas. Instead Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Jesus proclaimed to be God, and His disciples believed Him to be God. Is it enough to simply believe Him to be a prophet? Can we merely accept Him as a great teacher or even the Son of God, and not believe Him to be God Almighty? C.S. Lewis offers an answer better than any I've heard.

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” ~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

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Shedding Tears and Sin {Five Minute Friday}

Lisa-Jo offers the challenge week after week: take a measly five minutes and write. No over thinking, no backtracking, no ‘wait, that’s not spiritual enough, and I can’t share that in cyber city’ mentality. Only writing. Writing for five minutes and risking the outcome. {and don’t forget to spend some time commenting on the post of the person who linked up just before you.}

This week's prompt- Rhythm

GO

It's been a week of exhaustion and exaltation. We've welcomed little ones and walked them right up to that cross. They drew a little picture, wrote their name on that print, and marched one after another. "Jesus is calling you by name." I tell her. She looks at me, eyes wide and full of wonder. "He loves you and He wants to wash away your sin. Put that sin right there on that cross. Right there where Jesus' blood poured out."

And I see the tears. This isn't a game to her. She knows she's a sinner and she knows Jesus is here. Now. I hug her and she walks away.

They come one after another. "Jesus loves you so much, and He's calling you by your name." I fear it's too repetitive, but I know the words are true. The first time and the hundredth time. And the words aren't my own but they are life and they come from the Life Giver.

One after another. Coming to the cross and shedding the tears and the sins and the life they lived this morning in their living rooms and at their kitchen tables with Mom and Dad and neighbors who watch from across the way.

It's more than words. It's the rhythm of a Savior and the power of the Holy Spirit working through the heart of servants.

STOP

It's been an emotional experience of Vacation Bible School at our church this week. Would you pray for God's little ones tomorrow? And for His big one's sharing Christ's love, forgiveness, and merciful grace? Their hearts are raw and ready. And Jesus is calling each one by name.

Now head over to The Gypsy Mama's site to visit other 'Five Minute Fridayers.' Be amazed at where one word can take a community of writers and Jesus lovers, and leave some encouraging feedback. Most importantly, it's your turn, go fall onto a chair, and let your thoughts fall into a keyboard. Then share them with us. 

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Who is Jesus Christ?

This is a follow-up to the previous post Make a Decision to Make Decisions. If you haven’t read and answered the questions, go there first. I hesitate to even post today for fear that you will have me answer the question for you. Go! Make your decision!

For those of you that have read the previous post and taken time to answer the questions, let’s dive right in, shall we? Let’s answer the most vital questions we will ever be asked- together!

1.       Who is Jesus Christ?

2.       What will I do with Him?

As I previously stated, we cannot possibly answer the second question until we have carefully answered the first. And once we have answered the first, we have no choice by to address the second.

Who is Jesus Christ? Coming back to this question, knowing now is the time to attempt an answer makes me almost regret asking! What a loaded question! Jesus Christ is so mind-blowing and incomprehensible, there is no possible way I can fully answer it in one post!

There is a story told of St. Augustine walking along the shore of a beach when he sees a young boy digging a hole in the sand with a seashell. The boy proceeds to run back and forth from the ocean to the hole, back and forth, back and forth.  Curious, Augustine questions the boy's behavior, and the boy replies, “I am trying to put that ocean inside this hole.” Now let me say this- I am not attempting to fit the person of Christ into one ten minute reading, because that is simply impossible! Rather, I will take it step by step and see where we end up. Sound good?

The Christ & Savior- Jesus Christ is more accurately called Jesus the Christ (Christ is not His last name, but rather His title). Upon the birth of Jesus, an angel of the Lord announced to a group of shepherds “there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11). And later, when Jesus questioned His disciples regarding who they thought Him to be, Peter replied “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16). Finally, the apostle John proclaims “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world” (1Jn 4:14).

Son of God- When Jesus walked on water, His astonished disciples came and worshiped Him, saying “Truly You are the Son of God” (Matt14:33). God the Father proclaimed regarding Jesus “This is My beloved Son” (Matt 3:17, Mk 9:7, Lk 9:35).

Creator- The Apostle John tells us that All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (Jn 1:3). Hebrews also says regarding Jesus “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands” (Heb 1:10). And Paul writes For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him (Col 1:16).

God- We go again to the book of Hebrews which states regarding Jesus “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Heb 1:8). After Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, he showed himself to over 400 people, including His disciples. Upon inspecting His hands for proof of the nails driven through them, the apostle Thomas proclaimed “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28). And finally, Jesus is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6).

A Man- We’ve covered the Deity of Christ, but let us not forget that he was also fully man. Paul tells us that Jesus made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men (Phil 2:7). We see in the scriptures that Jesus was weary (Jn 4:6), He was thirsty (4:7), He was sad (Jn 11:35), He needed strengthened (Lk 22:43), He was in agony (Lk 22:44) and He was hungry (Lk 24:41); all examples of the humanity of Christ.

I cannot neglect to mention that He is the only way to salvation and heaven (Jn 14:6, Acts 4:12), He is Alive (Lk 24:5-8), He is with us always (Matt 28:20), He is Wonderful (Isa 9:6), Righteous (1 Jn 2:1), and Good (Jn 10:11). Amen!

Just as it would take innumerable lifetimes to fill a hole in the sand with an entire ocean, I could go on and on, but I hope this covers the basics of who Jesus Christ is. Jesus was not simply a baby born in a manger to be remembered once a year. He is not just a good Man, a wonderful Prophet, or a miraculous Healer. Jesus Christ was and is oh so much more! I truly hope you see this! I also hope it encourages you to answer the next question (which I obviously won’t be covering today). What will you do with Him? He is coming, and He is coming soon! Are you ready? What will you do with Him?

'King of Glory' Third Day- You Tube

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if

they were written one by one, I suppose that even the

world itself could not contain the books

that would be written. Amen

–John 21:25

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