IS JESUS REALLY GOD?

Today people think of St Nicholas as being a jovial, corpulent Father Christmas dressed in red. How different the reality was. Just as the colour of Father Christmas clothing changed in the 1920’s from green to red because of a Coca Cola advertising campaign, so the story of the original St Nicholas has been forgotten. He was the venerable bishop who attacked the new teaching of Arius at the Council of Nicea.

In the 4th century Arius (c. 250 – 336 AD), a presbyter in a parish in Alexandria in Egypt, was accused of teaching that God, being absolutely unique and everlasting could not have given his nature to another. He taught that Jesus, the Son of God, was created by God and therefore should not be worshipped in the same way as God himself. Arius accepted that the son was special and through him all the rest of creation came into existence and God’s revelation to mankind was brought about. The Arians taught that there was a time when God was alone and not a Father. Jesus was a subordinate, secondarily created divinity and any titles, such as God or Son of God were only applied to Jesus as courtesy titles. Thus Arius taught about Jesus,

“Even if he is called God, he is not God truly, but by participation in grace. He too is called God in name only.”

The Arians did seek to defend their position biblically as they accepted that the Bible was the Word of God. They would turn to Hebrews 1:5, which quoting from Psalm 2, says,

“You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”

They would ask, “What Jesus was before God became his Father? Surely he wasn’t the Son then!” But this was to take the verse out of its context. Paul quotes these same words when preaching at Pisidian Antioch and says that they refer to the resurrection of Jesus!

“’We tell you good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’” Acts 13:32-33

Paul repeats this idea in his letter to the Romans, saying about Jesus,

“ . . .was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:4

The Arians had a problem. If these verses mean that Jesus was not God’s Son until his resurrection why did God confirm so clearly on two earlier occasions, both at Jesus’ baptism and his transfiguration, that Jesus was ‘His beloved Son’. Indeed the Bible teaches that he was God’s Son even before he was born of Mary when it says, ‘God sent His Son’ into the world.

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17

St Nicholas, Athanaseus and their colleagues at Nicea realised that Arius was in fact destroying the gospel. He had changed it from being a story of God’s love for us and how this God of love had paid the price for our sin by taking its penalty on himself. It was not enough to be in Christ, in God, in order to be saved, the story had been altered into one of us trying to please God by the way we live.

There is a similarity between this teaching and that of some modern groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses. This group teaches that although Jesus created the world as a god, he assumed a human body and became a mere man. Their supreme being is God the Father, not the triune God.

The Council of Nicea (325 AD), called by the newly converted Roman Emperor Constantine, met to resolve the tensions this new teaching had caused. This Council produced the Nicene Creed.

“We believe . . . in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, only begotten, that is from the substance of the Father . . . begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father.” It concludes, “But as for those who say, ‘There was when He was not, and that he came into existence out of nothing, or who assert that the Son of God is from a different . . . substance, or is created, or is subject to alteration or change’ – these the Catholic (i.e. universal church) anathematises.”

Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, led the defence of the traditional teaching. Athanasius (295-373 AD) was another participant. He was a young deacon who accompanied his bishop, Alexander of Alexandria, to this Council of Nicea. He had first hand experience of the effect of such teaching. He taught strongly that if Jesus was not of the very same nature as the one supreme God, he could not be our Saviour. If Christ was only a creature, what guarantee have we that he really conquered the devil, who is also a creature, and that he has truly united us to God? He wrote a book, ‘Against the Arians’, in which he emphasises the Trinitarian nature of God basing this on the teaching of the Bible. He also wrote ‘Letters Concerning the Holy Spirit’, in which he affirms the Scriptural teaching of the Godhead of the Holy Spirit. He was an arch enemy of Arian teaching concluding,

“Those who call these men (Arians) Christians are in great and grievous error, as neither having studied Scripture, nor understanding Christianity at all and the faith which it contains.”

He accused the Arians as having the same error as the Jews who crucified Jesus since both refused to believe Jesus was truly God, charging him with blasphemy because he claimed to be equal with God. He felt they were cloaking Judaism with the name of Christianity

The Athanasian Creed, although written by an unknown author in southern Gaul about the mid 5th century, contains a clear summary of the Bible’s teaching both on the Trinity and the incarnation of Christ. This creed affirms that ‘the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods but one God’. It upholds his complete deity and complete humanity.

The Council of Nicea agreed that the Son is ‘of one substance’ with the Father. He had always been besides the Father and out of love for us had entered this world seemingly as a no-body, to be its Saviour.

The rest of this article will look at some of the key Scriptures that are relevant to this debate to discover what the Old Testament Prophets thought and what Jesus’ apostles emphasised and taught.

KEY SCRIPTURES

1. Right at the beginning of the Bible there is a plurality about God, yet at the same time a unity.

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,” . . . “So God made man in his own image,” Genesis 1:26-27

Intertwined in the whole Old Testament is the search for the rescuing Messiah who would be able to restore God’s people to God himself. There are 330 prophecies about this coming Messiah, one of which is in Isaiah 9.

2. The following verse is one of the clearest Old Testament affirmations to the deity of Jesus.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. . . . He will reign on David’s throne . . . from that time on and for ever.” Isaiah 9:6-7

The Jehovah’s Witnesses try to get around this by saying that Jesus Christ is “a mighty God” but not the Almighty God, who is Jehovah. This explanation is unacceptable because the same Hebrew phrase occurs again in the next chapter where it obviously refers to the one God of Israel.

“A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God.” Isaiah 10:21

The Hebrew word used here for God (‘Eel’) in the rest of Isaiah usually refers to Jehovah. The only exceptions are to describe a man-made idol (Isa 44:10,15,17; 45:20; 46:6) As the Messiah, God’s Son, is obviously not an ‘idol God’ the only alternative is that he is God himself. The Hebrew phrase ‘Mighty God’ is used elsewhere in the Old Testament to describe Jehovah as in Deut 10:17, Jer 32:18, Neh 9:32.

Another fascinating feature of these verses in Isaiah are the other descriptions of this Messiah. He is called a ‘Counsellor’, which is the word Jesus uses for the Holy Spirit in John 14:9-18 (see below) as well as ‘Everlasting Father’.

3. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

The context shows that this ‘Word’ is Jesus and that he was God from the beginning. The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ ‘New World Translation’ tries to answer this by saying, “The Word was with God and was a god.” This is totally unacceptable for the following reasons. Scripture does not allow that there is another God other than Jehovah.

“You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord (Jehovah) is God; besides him there is no other.” Deuteronomy 4:35

The New Testament confirms this,

“. . . there is no God but one.” 1 Corinthians 8:4

The only time that the New Testament talks of gods other than Jehovah is when false gods are being discussed.

Thus the Maltese mistakenly thought of Paul as ‘a god’ (Acts 28:6) and the pre-Christian state of the Galatians was described,

‘Formerly you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods’ Galatians 4:8

Greek Scholars have been very critical of this translation of John 1:1. It is true that there is no definite article (the) in the Greek before the second word for God, but this is the usual way Greek is written if two nouns are closely joined by the word ‘and’. Furthermore in the New Testament the Greek word ‘theos’ usually means the true God. Sometimes it is used with the definite article, sometimes without. In the Greek of rest of John chapter 1, the word ‘theos’ comes four times without the definite article yet in each of these other places the New World Translation correctly translates it as ‘God’ not ‘a god’!

John 1:6 “a representative of God”

John 1:12 “God’s children”

John 1:13 “born of God”

John 1:18 “no-one has ever seen God, but god, the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” NIV

It would therefore appear that the use of ‘a god’ in John 1:1 is a false translation.

4. “Theirs (the people of Israel) are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, ever to be praised! Amen” Romans 9:5

This is yet another very clear statement about the divinity of Jesus Christ. A man well educated in Jewish thinking wrote this. He would never write such a statement unless he was certain that Jesus was truly God.

5. “Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Philippians 2:6-7

This is very clear. Jesus shared the nature and glory of Almighty God before his incarnation, but he did not cling to this status. He made himself nothing - it wasn’t someone else who made him! The following verses read,

6. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

These verses are even more striking as they are quoting from Isaiah 45 which stresses that there is only one God and that every knee will bow to him and every tongue will acknowledge him!

“There is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Saviour; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. Isaiah 45:21-23

Paul undoubtedly saw Jesus as the fulfilment of Isaiah 45!

7. “He is the image of the invisible god, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible . . . He is before all things and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:15- 17

The word ‘firstborn’ alludes to the supremacy of Jesus, it is His status not a description of his origin! Thus in one of the obviously Messianic Psalms, the Redeemer or Messiah is described as having this status confirmed on him, “I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. I will maintain my love to him for ever.” (Ps 89:27),

The Bible teaches, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1) This passage in Colossians clearly teaches that Jesus was the means by which the whole of existence was created. There is no discord because Jesus is God. The New World Translation has to add the word ‘other’ that is not in the Greek to make this verse compatible with their theology. They want to suggest that Jesus was created and therefore say all ‘other things’ were made by him.

8. “. . . while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13

This is another explicit Pauline testimony to the deity of Jesus. The Greek makes it clear that both ‘great God’ and Saviour refer to the same person, Jesus Christ.

9. “They cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord . . . to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

This makes it abundantly clear that the gospel is all about Jesus Christ who has equal status with God and is indeed a visible image of him. Jesus is Lord just as Jahweh is.

10. “To those who through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 1:1

Here Peter affirms that Jesus is the one true God.

THE SON OF GOD

A frequent title used for Jesus by His contemporaries was ‘Son of God’. He was addressed as such by John the Baptist, Nathaniel, John the apostle, Martha and other Jews. Jesus equates himself with his Father, Jehovah. This was his explanation for why he performed miracles on the sabbath. Jesus said to the Jews who were persecuting him,

“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” John 5:17

The Jews had no doubt what Jesus was saying – Jesus was claiming to be divine?

“For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” John 5:18

This remarkable chapter continues with Jesus explaining this relationship he has with His Father.

“ . . . that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him.” John 5:23

The Jews were not objecting to a concept that God is a Father of everyone, but strongly objected to the idea that Jesus stood in a special relationship with God the Father. An interesting section in John 10 makes it clear that the Jews did not understand this phrase ‘the Son of God’ as being a courtesy title of inferiority to God.

“I and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him. . . . “For which of these (miracles) do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."” . . . “Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, “I am God’s Son”? John 10:30-38

The Jews were obeying Lev 24:16 in putting to death a blasphemer. They had no doubt that Jesus was claiming equality with God when he referred to himself as God’s Son. Jesus uses this phrase in the same way as we would say that the son of a lion is a lion, the son of a chimpanzee is a chimpanzee, so the son of God is God. Were the Jews mistaken to have understood him in this way?

In Matthew’s gospel, Caiaphas asked Jesus a straight question.

“The High Priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God?” “Yes it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high Priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy!” Matthew 26:63-65

Jesus gave an answer that would be especially significant to the High Priest and the other Jewish scholars listening. When he talks about the Son of Man sitting on a throne next to the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven he is again quoting from the Old Testament, from the Daniel’s vision of heaven.

“As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. . . . . In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his Presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion”. Daniel 7:9,13-14

Jesus was saying that Daniel’s vision was about his own return to glory, that he would occupy the seat of honour next to his Father. He, Jesus, was that Son of Man, and he would come back again with clouds of glory. The Jewish leaders were perfectly clear as to what he meant. He was equal to God! This was blasphemy – if it is not true!

In John’s gospel the same theme is repeated.

“The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” John 19:7

In the opening chapter of the book of Hebrews, two main characters are discussed – God and the Son.

“In the past God spoke to our fore-fathers through he prophets . . . but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, . . . through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:1-3

This last ‘his’ could refer to either the Father or the Son, but the following sentence suggests the Son is meant.

“After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.” Hebrews 1:4

Thus Jesus not only is allowed to sit down next to and seemingly equal with ‘the Majesty in heaven’ but he also has the same name as this Majesty. In verses 5 and 6, God is obviously talking about the Son. In verse 7 God is talking about angels. In verse 8 there is a stunning climax. Here God is again talking about the Son, yet notice how He addresses him.

“But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom.” Hebrews 1:8

A careful study of this chapter can only lead to one conclusion – the author equates Jesus with Almighty God.

Proverbs 8 is a passage often used by Jehovah’s witnesses when trying to assert their Arian doctrine that Jesus was a creation of God.

“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old. I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began.” Proverbs 8:22-23

They assume that this is refers to God’s Messiah. There is no doubt that many of the attributes described in this chapter do describe the Lord Jesus. This however is not surprising as Solomon is talking about wisdom that he has personified to make the passage more telling. He says that wisdom existed before the world was created – which must be true if it is a product of the nature of God. Anything of God will demonstrate this characteristic. Therefore Jesus, the human ‘Word of God’ and the Bible, the ‘Written Word of God’ must reveal this wisdom. Clearly they do. This chapter in Proverbs cannot be used to support a theory about Jesus being created by God but has been written to extol the value of godly wisdom as a guide for life.

“I AM” - “Ego eimi”

When the Lord appeared to Moses at the ‘burning bush’ and commissioned him to lead his people out of Egypt, Moses asks for some more detailed information about God that he can say to the Children of Israel.

“Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses “I AM WHO I AM.” This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:13-14

The Lord God introduces himself as the great ‘I am’. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint’ this was translated as “Ego eimi” – “I AM”.

The gospel writers, particularly John, record that Jesus repeatedly uses this name when talking about himself. The self-centredness of Jesus’ teaching and his audacity in describing the Lord God as his father contrasts markedly with his humble lifestyle. He puts himself in the centre.

“I am the bread of life” John 6:35

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12, 9:12

“I am the gate, whoever enters through me will be saved” John 10:7,9

“I am the good shepherd” John 10:11,14

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” John 11:25

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“I am the true vine” John 15:1,5

When Jesus appeared to the disciples on the day of his resurrection, they were astounded. He said,

“Look at my hands and feet. It is I myself (ego eimi)” Luke 24:39

Again and again Jesus applies the personal name of the Lord God to himself.

JOHN’S EVIDENCE

Anyone concerned about who Jesus claimed to be should study John’s record of the gospel. The Bible strongly affirms that only God may be worshipped yet Jesus allows himself to be worshipped. The words he uses about himself are clearly understood by his hearers to be a claim to be God.

CHRIST – THE PROPER OBJECT OF WORSHIP?

The only proper object of worship is God himself. When Jesus was tempted to worship Satan, he replied, “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (Matt 4:10). If Jesus is not God he may not be worshipped. When Cornelius worships Peter he is rebuked, “Stand up, I am only a man myself” (Acts 10:25-26). The apostle John is rebuked for worshipping an angel, “At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you.” (Rev 19:10) Again John fell down to worship an angel and is ticked off, “Worship God” he is told (Rev 22:9). Yet Jesus willingly accepts such worship of himself again and again. Nowhere in the New Testament is the worship of Jesus prohibited.

Could this use of the word for worship be just a sign of respect? The Greek word used in all these examples is ‘proskuneo’ which occurs 60 times in the New Testament. This is the word that Jesus says must be reserved for worship of God himself (Matt 4:10)! Yet later in the same gospel of Matthew Jesus is worshipped (proskuneo) and he accepts this worship! These include,

Matt 8:2 A leper

Matt 9:18 A ruler of the Synagogue (Jairus)

Matt 14:33 The disciples, after seeing Jesus walking on water.

“Then those who were with him in the boat worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God”.

Matt 15:25 A Canaanite woman

Matt 28:9 The women meeting Jesus after his resurrection,

“came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him”.

Matt 28:17 His disciples when they went to Galilee after the resurrection,

“When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted”.

A week after his resurrection Thomas finally acknowledges who Jesus is.

“Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God.” John 20:28

Far from rejecting this worship, Jesus acknowledges its value in the next verse, saying that a blessing is in store for everyone else who believes. There are certainly no grounds for a Jehovah’s Witness response that Thomas was addressing Jesus when he said ‘My Lord’ and then looked up to heaven with the surprised expletive, ‘My God’!

It is important to remember that these disciples, including Jesus, were all monotheists. They would totally reject the idea of their being several gods or a hierarchy of gods. At the beginning of John’s book, ‘Revelation’, he says he has written down the words God gave him. The Lord God describes himself as the beginning and end of everything.

“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ who is and was, and is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

There can be no doubt that this is Jehovah. Yet John then goes on to describe a vision of heaven. There he saw a man, dressed as a king with a golden sash round his chest, yet his eyes were like blazing fire and his face like the sun. Out of his mouth came a sharp double edged sword. This is undoubtedly Jesus. When John saw this person he fell at his feet and worshipped him. The man touched him with his right hand and said,

“Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:17-18

At the end of the book the claim that Jesus is the same as Jehovah is made abundantly clear. He claims these divine titles. That is why we can worship him as he is the embodiment of the Jehovah.

“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who was their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. . . I, Jesus have sent my angels to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Revelation 22:12-16

THE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT CHRIST

The Bible is all about the relationship God wants with his creation. He recognises that only a minority of people will be his people, but there always will be a remnant who will be his. Yet Jesus also teaches that the whole Bible is about himself. When giving a summary of the evidence supporting his claim that he had come directly from the Father he said to the religious leaders, who claimed to be the authorities on Scripture,

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39-40

After his resurrection Jesus talked with two disciples as they walked to Emmaus,

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in the scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27

That same evening Jesus spoke to the eleven and others with them,

“Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms. Then he opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:44-45

The Scriptures do clearly teach that God is one but it is clearly unbiblical not to focus on Jesus. I was visited at home by a family who felt that the church should only worship Jehovah, the Lord God and it was interesting to see that they spoke little about Jesus. This is clearly not the apostles’ message. It is all about Jesus.

A visitor to our church said that she regularly attended a different church. She complained, before a service,

“Your church talks too much about Jesus. It puts people off the church.”

She was asked to look at how the epistles all begin. They are all about Jesus. We looked at the beginning of Romans. Jesus is referred to in some way ten times in the first nine verses. The following book of 1 Corinthians is just the same. The Lord Jesus is mentioned ten times in the first ten verses. Often he is mentioned in the same phrase as God himself. He is the Lord, he is Jehovah. He is the focus of praise and worship. He is the one through whom we must be saved.

To hold a Biblical faith means focusing our praise and worship on Jesus Christ because he alone is our salvation because he is the incarnation of God.

THE TRINITY

There are many places in the New Testament where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are linked together, reflecting the remarkable association noted in Isaiah 9:6 (see earlier).

At Jesus’ baptism, God’s Spirit descended on him and the Father spoke from heaven.

“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16,17

At the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations, we are told to baptise them

“. . . in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:19

When Jesus is explaining to Philip who he is, he says, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me?” Later in this discussion he equates himself with the Holy Spirit.

“If you love me you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counsellor to be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth.” . . . “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”. . . “But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:9-28

When Jesus prays just before his execution he says,

“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” John 17:5

This is an extraordinary claim.

This is what Jesus said to his disciples after his resurrection. He clearly links himself to his Father and to the Holy Spirt.

“This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations . . . I am going to send you what my Father has promised.” Luke 12:46-49

The apostles continue this doctrine. The epilogue at the end of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians reads,

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

This phrase is said so often that it’s striking nature can easily be overlooked. Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit are closely linked in one united phrase, strongly suggesting that the writer sees the three as being a unity. God the Father is not given special treatment!

Similarly when Paul writes to Titus he combines the role of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in our salvation.

“But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” Titus 3:3-6

Peter begins his first letter by saying,

“. . . who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood.” 1 Peter 1:2

Jude wrote,

“But you dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” Titus:20-21

Similar references that combine the work of the Father, Son and Spirit can be found in,

1 Cor 12 v.4-6

2 Cor 3:17 and 4:4

1 Thes 1:1 and 3:11

2 Thes 1:2, 8,12; 2:13-14,16: 3:5

Heb 1:2-3

There are many such combinations in the New Testament that can only mean one thing. All the apostolic writers recognised a unity between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

DOES IT REALLY MATTER?

It matters very much indeed.

1) If Jesus is not God, how can we be sure that he really has won the victory over Satan? Athanasius said, “Jesus who I know as my redeemer cannot be less than God”. How can I be certain that He has won for me a ‘sure and certain hope’ of eternal life. It is no coincidence that those who reject the divinity of Jesus do not believe that anyone can be certain that they are going to heaven. Yet we can be sure because Jesus, Mighty God has promised this to all who truly turn to him.

John summarises his gospel with the strong conclusion,

“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31

The Bible clearly teaches that any person who has put their trust in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord has been admitted into God’s kingdom and will be with their Saviour in the new world to come.

2) If Christ is not fully God, then no Christian can claim to be complete by being ‘in Christ’. They will be left to search for further keys to fullness and freedom. It is possible that the present search amongst Christian people for further blessings and experiences is related to a deep-lying uncertainty about Jesus. The church at Colossi had this problem but the apostle Paul corrects this error in his usual direct style,

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ.” Colossians 2:9-10

3) Furthermore if Jesus is not really God, then there is room for doubt as to the extent he should receive my devotion. Yet if he is God, then it is stupid not to devote myself totally to his service during the years I spend on this earth. This is the teaching of the whole Bible,

“The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your heart and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4

Jesus reiterated this himself (Mk 12:32-33) - he recognised that there was only one God but expected people to worship him!

The Lord Jesus can only demand my total allegiance because he is God, because he is my creator, because he is my redeemer and because he is my sustainer.

4) Our salvation depends on the relationship we have with Jesus, the Son of God.

“God has given us eternal life and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5 v.11-13

Psalm 2, a Messianic Psalm, is equally clear – to reject the Son is to reject the Lord God himself. They rule together.

“Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way . . . Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” Psalm 2:10-12

SUMMARY

When we die we will all face God’s judgment? Jesus has reminded us all that his Father has appointed him to be that judge. The reason for this is clear.

“Moreover the Father judges no-one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honour the Son as they honour the Father, who sent him. John 5:22-23

The Scriptures teach that our eternal salvation depends on our honouring both the Father and the Son equally. To reject this divine teaching will result in catastrophic eternal consequences.

BVP April 2011