We have been thinking about the Trinity for several weeks. We have rejected various heresies about the Trinity, while defending the biblical understanding of God. We have said God is one in nature while having three persons. We have seen God the Father is God, now we turn to Jesus. Is Jesus actually God? For a Bible believing Christian, that is almost a silly question. Of course Jesus is God.
Although the divinity of Jesus has been questioned by some throughout the history of the church, for the person who believes the Bible is true and authoritative, there is no question. He is God. The book of John is especially clear in teaching Jesus’ divinity. John 8:56-59 is clear evidence, “‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ So the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’ Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.” Why did they pick up stones to throw at him? The answer is simply that he was claiming to be God.
The greater issue for the Christian is what we can learn from Jesus’ relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It is amazing to consider that Jesus is actually God, yet he “did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,” (Philippians 2: 6b). That verse certainly does not mean that during his time on earth Jesus ceased to be God. It does not even mean he gave up his divine attributes. It does mean that Jesus is the perfect example of humility and submission to the will of the Father. He who was the very creator of the universe and equal to the Father in every attribute, has eternally humbled himself in obedience to the Father. In coming to earth, he came to save lost sinners. He died in obedience to the will of the Father. He was the ultimate sacrifice for sin. The only reason his sacrifice was acceptable is that he was both God and man. He was fully God and fully man. He was perfect in his obedience. He was perfect in his death. He was perfect in his resurrection. He is perfect now as the eternal prophet, priest, and king.
In Christ,
Blain Craig
Although the divinity of Jesus has been questioned by some throughout the history of the church, for the person who believes the Bible is true and authoritative, there is no question. He is God. The book of John is especially clear in teaching Jesus’ divinity. John 8:56-59 is clear evidence, “‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ So the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’ Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.” Why did they pick up stones to throw at him? The answer is simply that he was claiming to be God.
The greater issue for the Christian is what we can learn from Jesus’ relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It is amazing to consider that Jesus is actually God, yet he “did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,” (Philippians 2: 6b). That verse certainly does not mean that during his time on earth Jesus ceased to be God. It does not even mean he gave up his divine attributes. It does mean that Jesus is the perfect example of humility and submission to the will of the Father. He who was the very creator of the universe and equal to the Father in every attribute, has eternally humbled himself in obedience to the Father. In coming to earth, he came to save lost sinners. He died in obedience to the will of the Father. He was the ultimate sacrifice for sin. The only reason his sacrifice was acceptable is that he was both God and man. He was fully God and fully man. He was perfect in his obedience. He was perfect in his death. He was perfect in his resurrection. He is perfect now as the eternal prophet, priest, and king.
In Christ,
Blain Craig
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