Judge for yourself . . .
Is JESUS CHRIST REALLY GOD? - Top of page
What is the truth about Jesus Christ? Was He really God in human flesh, or was He less than God?
The only reliable source of information about Jesus Christ is the Bible, God’s Word. What does the Bible, on its own, teach about Jesus Christ?
This pamphlet will simply present the evidence of Scripture. No attempt is made to twist or alter in any way Scripture’s clear teaching. The verses quoted are taken directly from the New American Standard Version, but the same reference could be consulted in any of the main, widely accepted translations of Scripture.
TESTIMONY . . . OF GOD THE FATHER - Top of page
Hebrews 1:8
“But of the Son He says, ‘THY THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.’”
See also Matthew 3:17; 17:5
OF PROPHECY
Isaiah 9:6
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
OF JESUS’ FRIENDS - Top of page
John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 20:28
“Thomas answered and said to Him. ‘My Lord and my God!’”
Colossians 2:8,9
“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”
Hebrews 1:3
“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
2 Peter 1:1
“Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
See also Matthew 14:33; Luke 7:11-17; John 1:29,30; 19:37 (with Zechariah 12:1,10); Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 1:1; Philippians 2:6,7; 2:9-11 (with Isaiah 45:22,23); Colossians 1:16 (with Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 44:24); 2 Timothy 1:10 (with Isaiah 25:8); Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:10; 13:8 (with Malachi 3:6); 1 John 5:20.
OF JESUS’ ENEMIES - Top of page
John 10:30-33
“‘I and the Father are one.’ The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, ‘I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?’ The Jews answered Him, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.’”
See also Mark 15:39; Luke 22:66-71; John 5:18: 8:56-59 (with Exodus 3:11-14).
OF JESUS HIMSELF - Top of page
Mark 2:5-12 (compare with Isaiah 43:25)
“And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’ But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?’ And immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, ‘Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Arise, and take up your pallet and walk”? But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—He said to the paralytic— ‘I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home,’”
John 5:18
“For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.”
John 10:30
“I and the Father are one.”
John 14:7-11
“‘If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.’ Philip said to Him. ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves.’”
See also Matthew 26:63, 64; 28:18; Luke 22:70, 71; John 5:21-23; 10:11; 17:5.
WHO IS SPEAKING IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING VERSES? - Top of page
a) Isaiah 44:6
“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides me.’”
Revelation 1:8
“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
Revelation 22:13
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end,”
Revelation 1:17, 18
“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’”
b) Revelation 1:8
“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
Revelation 21:5-7
“And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’ And He said to me. ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.’”
Revelation 22:13-16
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.”
THE OBJECT OF WORSHIP OF MEN AND ANGELS - Top of page
Who alone is to be worshiped?
Exodus 20:3-6
“You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
Matthew 4:8-10
“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, ‘All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Begone, Satan! For it is written, “YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.”’”
See also Acts 12:20-23; Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9.
Worship offered to and accepted by Jesus - Top of page
Matthew 14:32, 33
“And when they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘You are certainly God’s Son!’”
John 5:22b, 23
“The Father . . . has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
Hebrews 1:6
“And when He again brings the first-born into the world, He says, ‘AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.’”
See also Matthew 2:11:28:9, 10, 16-18; John 9:38; Philippians 2:10-11.
CONCLUSION - Top of page
I think you will conclude that the Bible does teach that Jesus Christ is God. You may not believe what the Bible says, but you certainly can’t deny that Scripture, on its own and unaltered, presents Jesus as fully God.
May I leave you with one question? If Jesus really is God–-if He is who He claims to be—then what should your personal response to Him be?
The Bible’s answer to that question is very clear.
John 3:36
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him”
C. S. Lewis summarized the issue of our personal response to Jesus Christ’s deity like this:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I am 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 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.”
(CS. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Macmillan Paperbacks Edition, 1960, Book II, Chapter 3).
This pamphlet has been prepared to help you have a proper understanding of who Jesus Christ is. If you have further questions, feel free to contact us . . . GodsWordTheBible@gmail.com
Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, |
