Is Jesus God?
This is a question that has caused controversy. Many say that Jesus was a prophet. Others say he was a good man and teacher, with a good message that we should all follow. However, one of the basic beliefs of Christianity is that God exists as three distinct persons, yet one God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share the same divine nature. This is a mystery. Yet one of the persons of the Trinity, the Son (Jesus), became human in order to save humanity from sin. This means that the Son, Jesus Christ, being part of the Trinity, is of a divine nature and therefore, God. In becoming flesh, he became human without losing his divine nature. Jesus claimed to be deity, and although he never explicitly said, “I am deity” he alluded to it in the words he said and the things he did. Let’s see.
Jesus claimed to be Yahweh (YHWH)
Jesus claimed to be the YHWH of the Old Testament. We see the parallels in what he said, and what was said in the Old Testament. For example, in John 10:11, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd…” However, in Psalms 23:1 it says, “The Lord (YHWH) is my shepherd…” In John 5:27-29, Jesus claimed to be the judge of humans and nations, yet, in Joel 3:12 it says, “…There I, the Lord (YHWH), will sit to pronounce judgment on them all. But the most direct claim of Jesus happens in John 8:58 where he says, “…before Abraham was even born, I am!” These were the same words Moses heard in Exodus 3, when he asked God what he should respond if the Israelites asked him who was the God who sent him. It was there that YHWH answers, “…Say…I Am has sent me to you.”
Jesus claimed his divine nature
Jesus claimed his divine nature when he forgave the paralytic in Mark 2:5, saying, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” Then in Mark 2:10-11, Jesus says to this man, “…that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins…stand up, pick your mat, and go home!” In Jeremiah 31:34, only the Lord (YHWH) can forgive sins. This is why the scribes wondered why he spoke like that.
Jesus accepted worship
The Bible clearly establishes that we are to worship no one else except God. Barnabas and Paul rejected worship in Acts 14:15 when they said, “…we are merely human beings—just like you!” In Revelation 22:8-9, even the angel told John, “…No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God…” When Jesus encountered the demoniac of the Gadarenes in Mark 5, the man ran to him, “…and bowed low before him.” Even the demons recognized him as, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God…” according to Mark 5:7.
Jesus is God
Scripture clearly establishes that Jesus is God who became human and came to dwell among us. His mission was to give his life as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. In doing so, he reconciled humanity unto himself. Only God can do that. This is why we celebrate the Passion of Christ; his life, death, and resurrection from the dead. He is now at the right hand of the Father waiting to fulfill his promise to return for us. Maranatha, He is coming soon! Are you ready?