Jesus is God
Jesus told His disciple Thomas – “’I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.’” (John 14: 6-7) Then Philip the disciple said to Jesus – “’Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’” Jesus response to him was profound, He said – “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” (John 14: 8-10)
Consider what Paul wrote to the Colossians about Jesus: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 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. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” (Col. 1: 15-20)
There are many unbiblical ideas about Jesus taught today. Mormons deny that Jesus is God, but view Him as an elder spirit brother of Satan (Martin 252). Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus was “a god,” but not Almighty God, a Son of God, but not God Himself (Martin 73). Christian Scientists deny that Jesus was God, and claim the “spiritual Christ” was infallible, and Jesus as “material manhood” was not Christ (Martin 162). Modern Gnosticism, or Theosophy opposes the biblical teaching about God’s nature and personality, and denies Jesus’ deity and His sacrifice for sin (Martin 291). Unitarian Universalism denies Jesus’ deity, His miracles, virgin birth, and bodily resurrection (Martin 332). The New Age movement considers Jesus as the “basic evolutionary force within creation,” not as God; but instead views man as god (Martin 412-413). To Muslims, Jesus is one of many prophets of Allah, with Muhammad being the greatest prophet (Martin 446).
The New Testament Jesus is God who came in flesh to die for our sins. If you want eternal life, turn to the true Jesus of the New Testament. Jesus proclaimed – “’For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.’” (John 5: 21-24)
REFERENCES:
Martin, Walter. The Kingdom of the Cults. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2003.
