Christian Doctrines Chapter 5 - The Deity of Christ

In the previous chapter, we learned about the doctrine of the Trinity as learned from the Holy Bible. The doctrine of The Trinity is surprisingly a controversial doctrine. Why? Well, most religions concede to God’s deity, But stumble on the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Many will say if we’ve discussed the fact that Christ and the Holy Spirit are divine by studying the doctrine of the Trinity, then there needs to be no further discussion on the Deity of Christ, or that Christ is divine. However, this is of great importance! We would not be CHRISTians without Christ! The basis of Christianity is Christ’s deity. Without it there would be no saving value in Christ’s mediation. Suffice to say, upon the Deity of Christ rest "a whole lot"!

Before we get into proofs that establish that Christ is divine, let’s present some considerations, to induce a higher appreciation for the truths we’ll visit later on.

1. Christ, in both old and new testaments, is represented as acting the part of Substitute for those he came to save.
Isaiah 53:5-6
Matthew 20:28
John 10:11
Galatians 3:13
These scriptures plainly teach that Christ came to take the place for those he saves. He was the substitute of those who are saved by him, and we are saved through his mediation.

2. If Christ is not divine, he could not have taken the place of sinners, so as to make atonement for their sins. One creature cannot take the place for another. All that any creature can do is due to God. Let’s Suppose hypothetically that Christ is a created being. Take the Arian view, 1st expressed in the fourth century. Christ was the most exalted of beings, next to God, but “There was a time when the Son was not.” Arius refused to accord to the Son the attribute of eternity, and there cannot be deity without eternity of existence. IF true, then it follows that Christ was personally bound to serve God the creator. This scenario would have imposed on him personal obligations, rendering it impossible to act in the room of others. Creatureship and substitution are not consistent with each other.
Mark 12:30
This is the law which extends jurisdiction over all creatures. If ALL the creature’s strength is to be exerted in the love and service of God on account of the creature’s personal relation to the creator, then there is no remaining strength to be used in any other way. IF Jesus was merely a created being, he must act for himself alone. It is plain, therefore, that if Christ is not divine, then he could not have taken the place of sinners, so as to die for them and make atonement for their sins.

3. If Christ were a created being, and could have taken the place of sinners, suffering in their stead, there would not have been saving merit in his sufferings. If the previous consideration was wrong, that is that he could in fact claim substitution, it would not have any saving value. We have different types of creatures here on earth, but we are substantially one. One creation. Compared to God, our diversities quickly disappear! If one creature fails to meet his obligations to God, How can another creature atone for the failure by satisfying the law which has been violated? There must be merit to satisfy the claims of God’s law. But where is merit to be found in anything a creature can do?
Luke 17:10
When creatures have done all required of them, Jesus teaches them to say “We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was out duty to do.” On the belief that Christ - as a mere creature - died for our sins, what saving merit could there be in his blood? When creatures deserve perdition (everlasting punishment in Hell), could the death of another creature effect their salvation? NO! There is an absence of merit. There can only be merit if it is found in a being in whom the divine element supplies it.

With these considerations, it is clear that Christ, unless divine, could have done nothing in the matter of Human Salvation. He could not have taken substitution of our sins, and had that been possible, he could not have saved us! Without Christ’s deity, there is no hope for any sinner. The Word who in the beginning was with God, was God. The eternal word, the second person in the Trinity, was above law. He was free from the obligations of creatureship. He was at his own disposal, and could, if so inclined, place himself under a law enacted for the government of creatures.
Galatians 4:4-5
Christ was sent, and he was put under the rule of the Law. To be put under the law, he had to have been first above the law. Christ obeyed the law in his life on earth and suffered its penalty in his death. The divine nature in the twofold constitution of his persons imparted infinite worth to his obedience and sufferings. The law was magnified and made honorable. A way was opened for the consistent exercise of mercy in the salvation of the guilty. This was done if Christ was divine, But on no other belief.

These have been some logical conclusions based on common sense and the Bible. The following are some more prominent proofs of Christ’s deity.

1. Divine names are given to Him.
In some old testament passages, the writers referring to God give Him certain names, which New Testament writers applied to Christ.
Psalm 45:6
Hebrews 1:8
Here, the writer argues for the pre-eminent dignity of Christ by showing his superiority to Angels. This teaches an equality with God “Thy throne, O God.”

The 6th chapter of Isaiah records a wonderful vision. He saw the lord “High and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” He saw the 6-winged seraphim, heard them call with reverential awe “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” In the 12th chapter 41st verse of John’s Gospel, this prophet’s vision is referred to. John, speaking of Christ, says “These things said Esaias, when he saw the glory and spake of him”.
Isaiah 40:3
John the Baptist said this of himself in John 1:23
Malachi 3:1
Mark 1:2-3
In the Old Testament, the way of the Lord is the way of Jehovah. In the New Testament, the way of the Lord is the way of Jesus. Therefore, The Jehovah of the old testament is the Jehovah-Jesus of the new testament.

Does this mean that Jesus has replaced God the Father? Absolutely not! There are MANY passages in the Bible where Jesus prays to God the Father, and there are a good amount of instances where Christ and God the Father are depicted in a scene together: At Jesus' baptism, on the Mount of Transfiguration, etc. etc...

Now, we’ll examine some verses from the New Testament to support the deity of Christ.
John 1:1-2
“in the beginning” no doubt means the same as it does in Genesis 1:1. Before the creation occurred, the word was then with him. By the word, is meant the being who became incarnate.
John 1:14
John 17:5
No more argument is necessary!
John 20:28
The apostle Thomas expressed his incredulity in terms unreasonably strong, but when Jesus proves himself, Thomas exclaims “My Lord and my God!” It’s good to notice that Jesus did not disclaim the titles given, but recognized their propriety.

In the ninth chapter of Romans, Paul refers to the Israelite’s advantages. Verse 5: “of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.” The words “as concerning the flesh” are very important here. They teach the descent of Christ, how he came, as to his human nature. But the language to follow shows him to be divine: “…is over all, God blessed, for ever.” Only a divine being can be “over all”

1 Timothy 3:16
“God was manifest in the flesh”
Some will debate on the translation of this; they like to replace ‘who’ for ‘god’. This would make the verse read thus: “And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness in him who was manifested in the flesh.” Whichever view is taken, there is a manifestation in the flesh and the manifestation of a being. The word translated God in the KJV version of this passage is the Greek Theos, which can't be skewed to mean anything other than GOD! The churches which teach against the deity of Christ have gone so far as to change the wording of their Bible through translations. This includes the NIV, the NASB, and a few others. Click the link to the previous Bible verse and use the website's drop-down menu to switch between Bible versions to see for yourself! What does this say for the people who deny Christ's divinity? If they have to change the words of the Bible which promote Christ's divinity, they have literally been caught sweeping the evidence under the rug!

Charles H. Spurgeon (not sure I agree with everything he wrote about doctrinally, but this is pretty good): “There is very little occasion for fighting about this matter, for if the text does not say ‘God was manifest in the flesh,’ who does it say was manifest in the flesh? Either a man, or an angel, or a devil. Does it tell us that a man was manifest in the flesh? Assuredly that cannot be its teaching, for every man is manifest in the flesh, and there is no sense whatever in making such a statement concerning mere man, and then calling it a mystery. Was it an angel, then? But what angel was ever manifest in the flesh? And if he were, would it be at all a mystery that he should be ‘seen of angels’? Is it a wonder for an angel to see an angel? Can it be that a devil was manifest in the flesh? If so, he has been ‘received up into glory,’ which, let us hope, is not the case. Well, if it was neither a man, nor an angel, nor a devil, who was manifest in the flesh, surely he must have been God; and so, if the word be not there, the sense expressed by our grand old version: God himself was manifest in the flesh.” Certainly, this case is closed!

Moving on, to another passage in which Christ is called God
1 John 5:20
Christ is not only designated God, but the TRUE God, and Eternal Life
1 John 1:2
Eternity of life is being credited to Christ. Christ is the author of eternal life. If so, he is divine, because God alone can give eternal life to creatures. The scriptures call Christ God, because he is God.

2. Divine attributes belong to Christ
Remember chapter 3, “The Attributes of God”? Well we’ve just learned that the names applied to God are also applied to Christ. The force of this argument will be seen in Christ’s possession of divine attributes.

a. Eternity
Micah 5:2
This refers to Christ, and that can be proved by
Matthew 2:6
The ruler is to ‘come out of Bethlehem’, or be born there. But also been ‘from of old, from everlasting.’ There is a clear two-fold intimation of the person of the Messiah.
John 17:5
This speaks of the time Christ shard with the Father before the creation. The ‘glory before the world was’ must have been an eternal glory. As the glory of a being implies his existence, His eternal glory implies his eternal existence.

b. Omniscience
To know all things is a divine prerogative (priviledge).
1 Chronicles 28:9
Acts 15:8
1 John 3:20
These things are true of God and also of Christ.
John 21:17
Acts 1:24
The term Lord here refers to Christ, designated “Heart knower”
Revelation 2:23
The best proof of Christ’s omniscience is in Christ’s own words:
Matthew 11:27
The knowledge written about is peculiarly divine. As Christ is in possession of it in common with the father, the deity of the son is undeniable.

c. Omnipresence
In the chapter on the attributes of God, we read
Psalms 139:7-12
God is everywhere. In talking with Nicodemus,
John 3:13
While his bodily presence was on earth, his essential presence was in heaven.
Matthew 18:20
Matthew 28:20
Presence everywhere here is implied.

d. Omnipotence
Christ possesses almighty power. In the exercise of power, he claimed equality with the Father. “For what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”
Isaiah 9:6
“The Mighty God.” Even while on earth in the days of his humiliation, his superhuman power was recognized. Winds and waves obeyed him. Disease loosed its grasp at his bidding. Death and the grave were in haste at his word. Surely Christ is almighty, and therefore divine.

e. Immutability
Malachi 3:6
The form of expression here denotes that unchangeableness is proof of Christ’s divinity.
Hebrews 1:10-12
Hebrews 13:8
Changes belong to things and creatures. That is how the divine attributes as applied to Christ correctly claims his divinity.

3. Christ is represented as performing divine works
No physical act displays omnipotence more strikingly than the work of The Creation. Making something out of nothing is exclusively the work of God. If Christ has not exerted creative power, then his divinity is lacking. We all know his divinity is NOT lacking, those of us who are saved especially! So what sayeth the scriptures? Let’s go back to John, speaking about the word being with god that was God. We’ve established that this is speaking of Christ. Consider the third verse:
John 1:3
The universal and the specific are fully expressed here. “All things were made by him” –that’s the universal. “without his was not anything [literally, one thing] made”- that’s the specific. Nothing rises above “All things” and nothing falls below “one thing”. Every created object is embraced here, in this inspired account of creation, and the omnipotent work is ascribed to Christ.
Colossians 1:16
Who but a divine being has created all things? Christ is God!

The work of preservation is also the work of Christ.
Colossians 1:17
Things stand together because of the will of Christ. Things are kept in place by he who made them. Things would fall to pieces, they’d disintegrate, if Christ were not conserver as well as creator.
Hebrews 1:3
There’s a sustaining power in His will. The universe rests on the word of Christ’s power.

Resurrection of the dead
Only omnipotence can reanimate the dust of the countless millions in the grave.
John 5:28-29
Philippians 3:21
This refers to the resurrection of the saints (anyone saved), and teaches three things: The vile body (the body of our humiliation) is to be changed; That it is to be conformed to the glorious body of Christ; And that this is done by the power of Christ. These are just three of Christ’s divine works, and they each sufficiently prove Christ’s deity.

4. Christ is the Object of Worship
What is worship? In translation of Bible, the word worship is used in 2 senses, a lesser sense and a greater sense. In the lesser sense is civil respect and deference
Luke 14:10
The term in this sense is now obsolete. We don’t use the term worship to mean “exalt” or “compliment”. The greatest scriptural sense of “worship” is to denote adoration paid to God simply because he is God. We have it on Jesus’ authority, while he was repelling one of Satan’s temptations:
Matthew 4:10
Here, it teaches that worship belongs exclusively to God. If it can be shown in the scriptures that Christ is the object of worship, then the doctrine of Christ’s divinity will be established.
John 5:23
No one will deny honor to the Father. Equal honor here is claimed for the Son. This honor surely implies worship. The first Christians were designated as those who called on the name of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:2
To call upon the name of the Lord is to invoke his name. This is prayer! Prayer is an act of worship. -That’s not all! Calling upon the name of the lord is inseparably connected with salvation!
Romans 10:13
The lord has the power to save. Not only did the first Christians call upon his name in worship and service during life, but also in death, the invoked his name and committed their departing spirits into his hands. Stephen is the most conspicuous illustration of this.
Acts 7:59
This translation is correct. There is no word in the Greek text we could translate here as corresponding to God, rather than Jesus. Jesus was invoked. “Lord Jesus, receive me spirit!” The first Christian martyr, the dying martyr, recognized the deity of his Lord.
Hebrews 1:6
It is a command of The eternal Father, that the Lord Jesus is worshipped by saints and angels. Saints on earth worship him, and saints in heaven:
Revelation 5:9
John heard this exalted song, and then he heard the angels:
Revelation 5:12
While the angels make no reference to personal redemption, as do the saints, the angels fully recognize the worthiness of the Lamb slain. Christ is worshipped by saints and angels, on earth and in heaven, and He accepts the worship. Peter was utterly unwilling to receive worship from Cornelius.
Acts 10:26
Paul and Barnabas rent (tore) their clothes (outward anguish), at the very intimation that sacrifices were to be made or offered to them.
Acts 14:14-18
When John was impressed by the Angel, and fell down to worship, mistaking the angel for the Lord of angels, the angel rebuked him, telling him not to worship anyone but the Lord.
Revelation 22:9
Apostles on earth would not receive worship, neither would angels in heaven. Jesus accepted worship on earth and in heaven. Why? Because he knew himself to be the proper object of worship. Christ is God!

In closing, to prove once and for all the absurdity to deny the deity of Christ: Those that deny it mostly will say that Christ is not God, but is the best of men. This is absurd! Either Christ is God, or he was the WORST of men! Let me explain: If he was not God, then he was such an imposter, such a blasphemer, as the world never saw! He claimed for himself divine honors and divine worship.
Matthew 10:37
Luke 14:26
‘Hate’, a strong word to use these days; here in the scriptures it is meaning 'to love less', and rather to love Christ more. Think of it! Here is a man – if Jesus were merely a man – who requires husbands to love him more than their wives, wives to love him more than their husbands, parents and children to love him more than each other, and everybody to love him more than life itself! He orders that in baptism his name shall be used between the Father and the Holy Spirit, that his death shall be commemorated till the end of the world, that repentance and remission of sins shall be preached through him, and says that he will come in the clouds of heaven on the last day, raise the dead and judge the world, will welcome the righteous into the kingdom of glory, consign the wicked to eternal perdition, and will then be the light and joy of the New Jerusalem. Imagine a prophet or apostle asserting such claims and saying such things. Would not the presumption and the blasphemy be intolerable? They are just as intolerable in the case of Jesus Christ if he weren’t divine! This is the glory of the system of Christianity, That its author is divine. His deity is essential to the value of his atoning sacrifice, and is essential to his ability to save. We know him to be divine by the teachings of the Bible, and the fellowship of his presence in the hearts of those of us who are saved.