Five Things You Should Know About the Deity of Christ

By: L. Labrier

1.) Christ’s own words acknowledged that He was God.

When Christ claimed to be one or equal with His Father He was declaring His Deity, in other words, Christ was claiming to be God. The Scriptures lay out an abundance of evidence that Jesus considered himself equal in essence with God. A number of comments that Jesus made about His relationship with the Father would be unusual if Jesus did not consider himself equal in essence with God. In John 10:30, Jesus says, “I and My Father are one.” Jesus is, in essence, saying that to see Him is to see the Father. Then in John 14:7-9 Jesus is telling Philip that to know Him is to know the Father. John 8:58 is probably one of Jesus’ strongest claims to His deity, “Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I Am.’" Jesus was declaring that He existed before His incarnation on earth.

2.) The Jews understood who Christ was claiming to be.

During Jesus' trial, Jesus made a clear statement of who He was. In Matt. 26:63-64, the high priest said to Jesus, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God! Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." At this time, one would think that Jesus would try to clear up any misunderstanding about His relationship with God the Father, but instead, He places Himself in a position of equality and of unique power and authority. So, once again, the Jews knew what Jesus was saying. Matt. 26:65, “Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy...!” Then in John 19:7 the Jews argued with Pilate saying: "We have a law, and according to our law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God." In John. 8:59, after the Jews had heard what Jesus claimed about His pre-existing Abraham, they obviously understood the nature of His claim by their reaction. They picked up stones to stone Jesus for blasphemy; hence, the Jews clearly understood that Jesus had declared Himself to be God.

3.) Christ coexisted with God the Father before time. 

John 1:1-2 contains an important declaration of both Christ's deity and full humanity. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." In other words, when the world began, the Word, the Son of God, was already here. The “Word" co- existed with God and predates time and creation. The second phrase, "The Word was with God" has a duel claim of both equality and distinction of identity. Then in John 1:14, this "Word" became flesh and walked among them. This points to Jesus as this "Word" becoming flesh or God incarnate.

4.) Jesus Christ is the Creator of the universe.

By simply allowing God’s Word to speak for itself one will notice how Christ’s deity is clearly defended. Hebrews 1:2-3, “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power….” Colossians 1:15-17 says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Jesus is described as the Creator of all things!

5.) Christ was God incarnate.

When Christ came to earth He took on human form, which, we refer to as incarnation. Philippians 2:5-6 could be one of the strongest declarations in the New Testament to Christ’s deity, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.” Jesus existed in the form of God in His incarnate body. In reference to Christ’s deity, Scofield asserts, “God may change form, but He cannot cease to be God.” Furthermore, in John 1:18, one finds another stunning proof to Christ's deity. "No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” Yes, it was made clear that no one has seen God in His spiritual essence, but they have seen the very essence of God through Jesus Christ incarnate. Let’s take a look at Titus 2:13, "Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." This verse is referring to both God and Savior as the same essence, in other words, “our great God and Savior” both refer to Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 1:8-9 also defends the deity of Jesus Christ. Within these verses, God the Father is referring to His Son as “God”. In addition, Colossians 2:9 states, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” This is a powerful description of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is God-man. The Old Testament is rich with scripture passages referring to Christ’s deity. Isaiah 9:6 is just one example, “….His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Jesus Christ was truly God-man, just as He claimed to be!

“…Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist….”  
1 John 4:2-3.  In this verse we are clearly told that whoever acknowledges that Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and that whoever denies the deity of Christ is of the spirit of antichrist. Now it is your decision, will you take God at His word and lay hold of the reality of Christ’s deity?