KingJ
Loyal
Before looking at the many passages of Scripture concerning the deity of Christ, I want to begin with ten simple logical arguments.
These are intended to demonstrate why the question of who Jesus is matters so profoundly. If Jesus is merely a created being rather than God, Christianity faces some enormous theological, logical and moral problems.
Here are ten reasons why I believe the biblical teaching that Jesus is Lord and truly God is not merely a theological detail, but fundamental to Christianity itself.
1. The justice problem: God would be unjust if He punished a separate being called “Jesus” for sins that Jesus did not commit. But Scripture clearly says of God, “just and right is he.” Deuteronomy 32:4.
2. The substitution problem: Why would God punish an innocent created being for the sins of guilty people? If Jesus is God who voluntarily took our punishment upon Himself, the moral problem disappears.
3. The worship problem: Christians worship Jesus. If Jesus is merely a created being, then Christianity is giving divine worship to a creature, which would itself be idolatry (Exodus 20:3–5).
4. The forgiveness problem: Jesus forgave sins (Mark 2:5). The people correctly recognised the question: “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7). If Jesus is not God, why does He exercise God's authority to forgive sins?
5. The salvation problem: Scripture says, “Neither is there salvation in any other” (Acts 4:12). If Jesus is merely a creature, Christianity makes our eternal salvation dependent upon a creature.
6. The Lordship problem: Philippians 2:11 says “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Isaiah 45:23 says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess to God. The New Testament applies this divine language to Jesus. Philippians 2:10–11 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.
7. The Creator problem: John 1:3 says, “All things were made by him.” If all created things were made through Christ, then Christ cannot simply be another created thing.
8. The fullness-of-God problem: Colossians 2:9 says, “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” That is far more than saying Jesus was merely a prophet or exalted creature.
9. The Emmanuel problem: Matthew 1:23 calls Jesus “Emmanuel,” meaning “God with us.” If Jesus is not God, then the central meaning given to His incarnation becomes false.
10. The foundation problem: If Jesus is not God, then the entire biblical story comes into question. The Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, the promises of salvation, the claims of Jesus, and the teaching of the apostles would all have to be fundamentally reinterpreted. Christianity is built upon Jesus being the promised Messiah, Lord and Saviour. If He is merely a created being, then the very foundation upon which the New Testament presents the fulfilment of Scripture is false.
These are intended to demonstrate why the question of who Jesus is matters so profoundly. If Jesus is merely a created being rather than God, Christianity faces some enormous theological, logical and moral problems.
Here are ten reasons why I believe the biblical teaching that Jesus is Lord and truly God is not merely a theological detail, but fundamental to Christianity itself.
1. The justice problem: God would be unjust if He punished a separate being called “Jesus” for sins that Jesus did not commit. But Scripture clearly says of God, “just and right is he.” Deuteronomy 32:4.
2. The substitution problem: Why would God punish an innocent created being for the sins of guilty people? If Jesus is God who voluntarily took our punishment upon Himself, the moral problem disappears.
3. The worship problem: Christians worship Jesus. If Jesus is merely a created being, then Christianity is giving divine worship to a creature, which would itself be idolatry (Exodus 20:3–5).
4. The forgiveness problem: Jesus forgave sins (Mark 2:5). The people correctly recognised the question: “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7). If Jesus is not God, why does He exercise God's authority to forgive sins?
5. The salvation problem: Scripture says, “Neither is there salvation in any other” (Acts 4:12). If Jesus is merely a creature, Christianity makes our eternal salvation dependent upon a creature.
6. The Lordship problem: Philippians 2:11 says “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Isaiah 45:23 says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess to God. The New Testament applies this divine language to Jesus. Philippians 2:10–11 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.
7. The Creator problem: John 1:3 says, “All things were made by him.” If all created things were made through Christ, then Christ cannot simply be another created thing.
8. The fullness-of-God problem: Colossians 2:9 says, “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” That is far more than saying Jesus was merely a prophet or exalted creature.
9. The Emmanuel problem: Matthew 1:23 calls Jesus “Emmanuel,” meaning “God with us.” If Jesus is not God, then the central meaning given to His incarnation becomes false.
10. The foundation problem: If Jesus is not God, then the entire biblical story comes into question. The Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, the promises of salvation, the claims of Jesus, and the teaching of the apostles would all have to be fundamentally reinterpreted. Christianity is built upon Jesus being the promised Messiah, Lord and Saviour. If He is merely a created being, then the very foundation upon which the New Testament presents the fulfilment of Scripture is false.
