Pastor’s corner - March 25, 2010

Deity and Eternity of Jesus Christ

A shocking 1983 Gallup Poll revealed some disturbing beliefs. Americans were asked, “Who do you think Jesus is?”

*70 percent of those interviewed said Jesus was not just another man.

*42 percent stated Jesus was God among men.

*27 percent felt Jesus was only human but divinely called.

*9 percent stated Jesus was divine because he embodied the best of humanity.

The poll also reported that 81percent of Americans consider themselves to be Christians! I find that there is an appalling confusion among those who call themselves “Christians”.

Can a person call themselves a “Christian” and deny the deity of Christ? The evidence presented in the Bible says, “No”.

The Bible clearly presents the Lord Jesus Christ as being at the same time perfect, sinless humanity and perfect deity. He was both like and unlike other men. According to scriptures such as John 1:14, 1 Timothy 3:16, and Hebrews 2:14-17, Jesus was revealed to be a man among men who was born, who lived, who suffered and who died. The same scriptures are equally clear that He was unlike man in that He was eternally preexistent, undiminished deity in His humanity, entirely sinless in His human life, that His death was a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and He manifested His divine power in His resurrection and ascension into heaven.

On the human side Jesus had a beginning and was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary. On the divine side, He had no beginning because He was from all eternity. In Isaiah 9:6 the prophesy was given, “For unto us a child is born (virgin birth), unto us a son is given (given by the Father as the Savior who will die for the sins of mankind and then rule as King when He returns).” The preexistence of Christ means that He existed in eternity past and confirms He is God from eternity past (John 1:1-5).

The eternity and deity of Christ is established by two lines of revelation: (1) direct statements, and (2) implications from scripture. This article will only mention some direct statements. One of the most powerful direct statements of the deity and eternality of Christ is John 1:1-2, “In the beginning was the Word (LOGOS) and the Word was with God (PROS THEO means face to face with God and only God can be face to face with God in eternity past), and the Word was God (means He always was and kept on being God in eternity past).” In John 1:14 the eternal Word became flesh and lived among men as Jesus Christ!

Further, in Isaiah 7:14 the Savior is given the name “Immanuel” which means “God with us”.

God from eternity past came to earth, was born of a virgin, thus we had “God with us” in the flesh.

In Isaiah 9:6-7, teaches that the Savior who will come to earth is the “Mighty God”.

In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I Am (in Hebrew this is YHWH or JEHOVAH and refers to His existence before Abraham),” and the Jews at that time understood His claim to deity and eternal preexistence, so they tried to murder Him.

In John 17:5 the prayer of Jesus to the Father states, “glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was (reference to His deity and preexistence).” Additionally, Philippians 2:6-7 states that Christ was “in the form of God” before His incarnation referring to Jesus having the same essence or character of God the Father and Holy Spirit.

A more explicit statement is made in Colossians 1:15-19 where Paul declares that Jesus existed before all creation, is the Creator Himself, and the express image of the invisible God (exact impression or stamp of God the Father’s character). In 1 Timothy 3:16 Jesus is declared to be “God…manifest in the flesh.” In Hebrews 1:2-3 the Son is the Creator and the express image of God and His eternity is affirmed in Hebrews 13:8 (see also Revelation 1:11).

The direct statement evidence clearly reveals that Jesus Christ was both perfect, sinless humanity and perfect undiminished deity. The Bible calls Jesus the “Word”, “Immanuel”, “I Am”, “Creator”, “Express image of the invisible God”, and “God…manifest in the flesh”. Clearly, Jesus was more than just a good man who was divinely called by God. He is and always will be the God-man.

Chaplain Ron McMurray