The last post dealt with the resurrection of Jesus as a
significant event to which corroboration through verifying documents attest.
The significance of which creates resolution, intention and faith. We also
discussed how the details like specific times, dates, places and people lend
veracity to the event by placing it in historical settings.
Today we will examine the deity of Jesus. First and most
importantly, Jesus communicated about Jesus. Christ himself stated that there
was but one God. Yet both by word and works, Christ claimed equality with God.
Is not the central message of the Christian faith that Jesus is Messiah, King,
Lord and Savior? His distinctive identity came at his extraordinary conception
(through the Holy Spirit). Was he not given a divine name? Throughout Jesus’s
youth did we not see his relationship with God transcend normal human
experience?
At the initiation of Christ’s ministry, the Father spoke
from heaven, informing us of Jesus unique identity. Throughout his ministry, he
said and did things that evidenced his divine status: He forgives sin; He
promised blessings for those who are persecuted because of Him; He determines
who enters the Kingdom of Heaven; He taught others to give up their lives and
follow Him; He stated that the basis of judgement will be man’s relationship to
Him; He speaks of his angels; Eternal life depends on belief in Father and in
Him. As C.S. Lewis once wrote: these are either the ravings of a madman – or
Jesus was God.
Even the Holy Spirit does not draw attention to himself, but
points to Jesus. Did not Jesus clearly proclaim himself to be God? All that has
been stated above reference; Christ’s deity and much more not revealed by this
writer can be found in the New Testament.
There are more than a few skeptics, some being friends, who
openly ask, why did God become man? God became man to primarily communicate
himself to us. This being the case, what was his message? That He is the center
of the universe and that the "uncaused cause" loves us and does not want any of
us to be without him. But our transgression or sinfulness has separated us from
God. For this reason also, God became man and lived a perfect life so that He
could be a perfect savior. He was our payment. He did not come to show us the
way to God, but to be the way to God. Without Christ, eternal death and
judgement are all that await us. He was judged on our behalf. Jesus became man
so that we might become children of God. “He made Him who knew no sin on our
behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus Christ
is the God–man. He has delivered us and promised to give us eternal life if
only we will trust and obey Him.
During a span of four weeks we have briefly examined, from
an intellectual standpoint, four issues as they relate to Christianity. The
four issue discussed were the following: The existence of God (Does He exist);
Reliability of both the New Testament and secular source documents (Are they
reliable); Resurrection of Christ (Did He arise from the grave); Deity of
Christ (Is Jesus the Son of God). There is a conclusive argument for the
reality of God. He has communicated. Jesus rose from the dead, demonstrating
the truthfulness of his claims. And Jesus is God incarnate.
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