Pick any Bible doctrine, and I can show you at least three vastly different interpretations. On most of these we, as followers of Christ, can agree to disagree. Some other teachings push the boundary of what can be called Christian, and border on heresy. I cannot categorically say someone holding to these beliefs are not saved, on the basis these beliefs alone.
My mother was a woman of very strong beliefs. She felt obligated to share those beliefs with everyone around her (mostly being oblivious about the general interest of her crowd.) Mom also loved to argue and debate. She seemed happiest while fussing about something, a trait my wife tells me I inherited.
I distinctly remember a time that my mother and my brother-in-law got into a vigorous debate on the deity of Jesus at the kitchen table. Well, it was actually a green booth that mom had recovered. I must have been about eight at the time, and the only point I remember is my brother-in-law asking to whom Jesus was praying, if Jesus were God.
While I don't know why this one episode burned itself into my mind over the hundreds of other times mom hotly debated somebody over a specific doctrine, I remember thinking at the time that mom was making a rather big deal over a rather minor doctrinal point.
Once I started to study the Bible for myself, I realized how critically important was mom's point, and how pathetically wrong I was.
You see, out of the many doctrines taught in the Bible, there are only a very few crucial teachings that define Christianity. A short list of them are:
- Deity of Christ
- The resurrection of Jesus
- Virgin birth
- Salvation by Grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone
- Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross
- Monotheism
(Most apologists put the Trinity in the list above. While I see denial of the trinity as a serious heresy, I am not convinced that this error alone would in every circumstances prevent salvation. For example,
Modalism, the belief that God was at times the Father, then the Son, then the Holy Spirit,
may allow the person holding to this to accept Christ. )
As much as it pains me to say so, if a person denies one of these bedrock beliefs, then t
hat person cannot be a born-again Christian.
Recently, I was involved in another conversation on this topic. The person to whom I was talking denied that Jesus is God incarnate, and sincerely asked me where the Bible calls Jesus God.
Since I remember having similar questions myself when I started my Christian walk, I thought I'd write down a few of the many, many references.
Note: The Bible only needs to say Jesus is God once for it to be true.
Clear Statements
Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
This is a quote of Psalms 45:6-7, but the writer of Hebrews says this refers to Jesus (the Son.) Jesus is called God.
John 1:1-3; 14-18 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Here, John specifically identifies the Word as God. Further, he states that the Word created all things (vs 3). He goes on in vs 14 to say the Word was made flesh (birth of Jesus), that John the Baptist came before the Word(Jesus), and if that is not plain enough, John tells us that grace and truth came by Jesus, who is the Word.
Col. 2:8-9 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
For in Jesus the Christ dwells all of the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. Basically, this is saying the all of the attributes of God were in Christ Jesus. That's pretty plain.
Phil 2:5-6 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
In the form of God? In other words, Jesus was the same form (or nature or substance) as God. To be equal to God, Jesus would have to be be God himself, since God is unique. There is none like God.
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Pretty plain.
John 20:28-29 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
I can't see why Jesus would not have corrected Thomas if he got it wrong, and Jesus was not God. Instead of correcting him, he congratulates him for his belief.
Col 1:12-17 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Here, Paul says Jesus created everything (even angels), and is the image of God.
Comparison Verses
Sometimes the Bible writers makes statements that are best understood when we see the Old Testament verse to they were referring. Please note that Lord in the Old Testament is used as a reference of God, specifically Yahweh, Jehovah or Adonai,
| Old Testament |
New Testament |
| Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. |
Revelation 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive |
| Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. |
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. |
| Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. |
Romans 10;9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. |
Isa 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Nehemiah 9:6 Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee |
1 Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Col 1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
|
| Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. |
Matthew 1:21-23 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. |
| Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. |
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. |
The Jews of Jesus Day Understood
The claims Jesus made were quite plain to the Jews of his day. On several occasions, they took up stones to kill him, because he claimed to be God.
John 5: 16-18 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
John 10:30-33 I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
John 8:56-59 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Worship
We are not to Worship of Anything but God alone.
Psalm 81:9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Matt 4:9-10 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
In the Bible, men and angles refuse worship, since it is due to God alone.
Acts 10:25-26 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man
Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Rev 22-8-9 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Yet Jesus received worship...
Matthew 2:1-2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Matthew 8:2-3 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Matt 9:18-19 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
Matthew 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Matthew 15:25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
Luke 24:51-52 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
Hebrews 1:6-8 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Revelation 4:10-11 he four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Hebrews 1:6 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Attributes
Jesus has the
incommunicable attributes that only God posses.
- Sinless 1 Peter 2:21-22 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
- Knows all John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him,
- Is eternal (John 8:58)
- Everywhere at once Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
- All Powerful John 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. John Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
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