Is Jesus God? Yes, and here is one way you can prove it! By Pat Franklin

It was my once-a-month turn to do the Sunday School again, and when I asked the Lord what I should teach on, over the next few weeks He kept bringing the same subject into my mind:  is Jesus really God?  Can we prove it?

I typed out four pages of arguments and evidence for the divinity (God nature) of Jesus, but that was really to get it into my own head.  For the actual class I just used a scrap of paper with a few scripture references, which one of the girls looked up and read out. There were only four girls and one mother, so they sat in a circle and we just talked.

I told them that when I first became a Christian in 1981, the question of whether Jesus was really God was a big issue in my life.  I was full of joy and one day two women came to the door and wanted to talk about God.  I was delighted, realizing that they were Jehovah's Witnesses, so I knew they were in a cult and needed to be saved.  Oh good, I thought!  I will tell the the gospel.  But instead of my converting them, they confused me!  Using scriptures like 'My Father is greater than I,' they made me doubt that Jesus was really God.  I offered to pray with them, but they refused and said we would not be praying to the same God!

They left, but I continued to doubt. They had planted an evil seed of doubt in my mind.  Months went by and we were on holiday on the Isle of Wight, staying in a bungalow there.   Someone knocked on the door.  Again it was two ladies - the JWs again.  I knew I had to find out once and for all - is Jesus really God?  I asked them to come back that afternoon, which they agreed to do.

As soon as they left, I got my Bible and prayed:  'Oh dear Lord, please show me so I know for sure that You are really God and so that I can tell those ladies.'  I started reading in different sections, and the Lord showed me the Ten Commandments.  The First Commandment is:  'I am the Lord thy God...thou shalt have no other gods before Me.'   In other words - no one, nothing, is to be worshiped other than the one true God.

Was Jesus worshiped?  Yes!  The apostle Thomas, seeing the risen Lord Jesus, said:  'My Lord and my God!'  He called Jesus God.   He worshiped Jesus and was not rebuked.  Jesus accepted his worship. (John 20:28)

The man born blind also worshiped Jesus (John 9:38).

Conversely, when people tried to worship Paul and Barnabus, they were horrified and stopped them immediately, saying that they were just mere men. (Acts 14)

So I had the answer:

  • Only God is to be worshiped. 
  • Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was worshiped. 
  • Therefore, Jesus is God. 

Later I learned that there are many ways to prove that Jesus is God, and that this particular way is called the 'worship argument.' 

Our little class, just six of us, discussed these things and some side issues that came up.  So I hope this will help someone out there in Internet-land, especially anyone who doubts the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Below are my four pages of notes, which I didn't refer to, but most of the points made in them were covered in conversation. As with all my material, please feel free to copy and send out or print out, but not for money.  It may print out in a strange way, since I am copying and printing it from my original Word document, but here it is:

The Deity of Christ

(‘Deity’ means the God nature of Jesus Christ)

 

Jesus claimed to be God and the Bible teaches that He is God.

 

Does it matter if we believe this?  Yes!

 

Our eternal destiny hangs on what we believe about the Lord Jesus.

 

John 6:47  ‘He who believes in Me has eternal life.’

 

John 8:24 ‘If you do not believe who I am, you will die in your sins.’

 

Is Jesus really God?  Yes He is!  How can we be sure?

 

Jesus claimed to be God; that is why the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him.  If someone claims to be God, either they are lying or crazy - or it is true and they really are God.  Jesus proved beyond all doubt that He is God.  He had power that only God has:

  • He had power over nature: He could walk on water and the wind and waves obeyed Him.
  • He had power over sickness, and healed all who came to Him, possibly hundreds of thousands of people.
  • He did creative miracles, like healing the man with the withered hand and the man born blind.
  • He had power over the elements and fed 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two little fishes.
  • He had the power of life and death; He raised the dead, including Lazarus.
  • He Himself rose from the dead as He had prophesied and was seen by over 500 people. 
  • He fulfilled every prophecy of the Old Testament about the first coming of the Messiah.

 

Jesus was worshiped and only God is to be worshiped   (This is called the ‘worship argument’ – there are many ways to prove that Jesus is God, and this is one way.)

 

Only God is worthy of worship.  We know this because the First Commandment says: ‘I am the Lord your God…you shall have no other gods beforeMe.’ Exodus 20, Deut 5.

 

After Jesus rose from the dead, the apostle Thomas saw Him and worshiped Him, saying: “My Lord and my God.”  John 20:28

Jesus did not rebuke Thomas; He accepted his worship; He accepted being called ‘God.’ 

 

John 10 is one chapter where Jesus claimed to be God.

John 10:30-33 “I and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these 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.”

The apostle Paul, like the other apostles, taught that Jesus is God.

Philippians 2:5-6 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.

ALL  false religions deny that the Lord Jesus Christ is God who became a man.  Only true Christians believe that Jesus is truly God and truly became a real, flesh and blood person. The  false religions either deny it outright or else claim that the Lord Jesus is ‘a god, one of many.’  Some false religions, like the Mormons, the Buddhists, and the Hindus, say that we can become gods, but they are wrong.  There is only one God, and He exists in three persons:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

Miracle baby is both God and man

 

Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, God told the prophet Isaiah that one day a miracle baby would be born, a boy baby who would be God Himself.

 

‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us).’ Isaiah 7:14

 

“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.”  Isaiah 9:6

 

Jesus was that miracle baby. He did not have a human father.  God was His father.  Jesus’ deity, His God-nature, comes from His Father.  His mother, Mary, was a pure unmarried lady.  She became pregnant with Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Mary was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph, and Matthew 1:18  says ‘…before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit.’

 

The Old Testament prophesied that God would become a man:

“…a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us).”  Isaiah 7:14

 

The epistles declare that Jesus is God

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ…” Titus 2:13

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11   It gives the Father glory when we worship His Son!

“…he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” Heb. 1:6 

“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written (in Isaiah 45:23), as I live saith the LORD, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:10-12

“….that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.” Colossians 1:18, 19

 

The Book of Revelation reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ is to be worshiped by everything and everyone in the universe!

 

“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.”  Revelation 5:13  The Father and the Son are worshipped together in heaven.

 

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day knew that He was claiming to be God, and they totally rejected Him.  People today are doing the same thing.

 

Where do YOU stand?

 

Do you believe that Jesus is truly God who came in the flesh?  Why did He come?  To show us what God is really like and to take the penalty of sin upon Himself so that we do not have to bear it.  

 

Jesus said that there are two ways:  the broad way to destruction (Hell) and the narrow way to life (Heaven).  Only those who trust in the Lord Jesus are on the narrow way.  Everyone else is on the broad way to Hell.  They include atheists, agnostics, Mormons, muslims, Buddhists, New Agers, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and people in all the other false faiths – all on the broad way to Hell.  Most of them think they are OK and will go to Heaven.  They will be horrified to find themselves in Hell and the doors of Heaven shut.

A Prayer:  Dear Lord Jesus, I believe You really are God and You really became a man and died on the cross for me.  I put my trust in You alone.  I ask you to come and live in me and help me to serve you all the days of my life.

Acts 16:31  ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved…’

A challenge – contend for the faith by showing someone that Jesus is God!

 When you encounter someone who denies the deity of Christ (possibly on your own doorstep!), be ready to contend for the faith.  Run and get your Bible to show them.  Have some Scripture references written down at the front of your Bible so you can quickly turn to them.  Turn to John Chapter 1:

“In the beginning was the Word (the Lord Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”  John 1:1,2  This tells us that Jesus, the Word of God, is God, and that He was there with God the Father before the world was made.

“All things were made by Him (the Lord Jesus); and without Him was not any thing made that was made.”  John 1:3  This tells us that Jesus is the Creator, and only God can create from nothing.  We can make things from other things, but we cannot create something from nothing.

“In Him was life…”  John 1:4  Jesus created all life, all we see.

If you cannot convince someone that Jesus is God from John Chapter One, tell them about the First Commandment (that only God is to be worshiped).  Tell them that Jesus was worshiped on earth, is worshiped in Heaven, and one day the entire creation will worship Him all together – even the foolish people who refuse to believe in Him now!  Write the Scriptures down in the front of your Bible so you can quickly turn to them. Make sure you know where the Ten Commandments are in the Old Testament (Exodus 20 and Deut 5).

 Test Your Knowledge: 

What is the First Commandment?

Where are the Ten Commandments in the Bible?

Alan adds: If you want to understand exactly why cultists like JWs and Mormons worship a god of their own imaginations, their errors are set out in our book Cults and Isms: True or False? where we compare their claims - including those of the Roman Catholic false church - with the Bible. It's an eye-opener. This book and backup DVDS, together with our other book, Goodbye America, Goodbye Britain, are available from our web shop.

This is material we wish we'd had available to us when we were young Christians: it would have spared us much error. If you do not have this resource material we suggest you get copies - plus some for your friends and church - before it becomes too politically incorrect to make available. Time is short!

For bulk purchases we have special rates: boxes of 48 books are just £145 plus post and packing, usually around £13 but varying according to destination. We accept payment by cheques (checks in America!) or you can purchase individual copies from our website via Paypal. Prices vary outside Britain depending on transport costs.

I am available to speak at churches in America, Canada and Great Britain and am in North America this fall.

Contact alan@thefreepressonline.co.uk for full details.

 

 

 


06/11/2012

 
 
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For thus saith the Lord of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land: and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. (God shook the earth once, when He gave us the Ten Commandments at Sinai. The next time He will shake not only the whole earth, but the entire universe! Are you ready? Only by putting your faith in the Lord Jesus will you escape this terrible shaking!)
Haggai 2:6 and 7

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