The great stumbling block in the way of deliverance for many seems to be the fact that Jesus is God the Son manifest in the flesh. Obviously, this is a great dividing truth between those who know the true God and those who do not. This fact is also a great mystery, another of the incomprehensible truths that can only be “known” by the Spirit. Yet, I believe that this fact is clearly taught in the Scriptures, and it is to the Scriptures we must turn to support such a claim.
John 1:1,14 reveals to us that the Word was in the beginning with God and the Word was God. The Word became flesh to dwell among us.
If there were no other proof in the Bible that Jesus Christ is actual God in the flesh, this text alone would prove sufficient for the fact to be made known. Yet, the Spirit had written of Him centuries before, calling Him God. See Psalm 45:6-7 with Hebrews 1:8-9. After He was born into the world through the miracle of the virgin birth, His Name became Jesus – Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:21. At His birth into this world, it was declared that He would be called the Son of God – Luke 1:35. The eternal Son became the Son of God on earth. This is a great mystery. It was this claim that led His enemies to claim that He blasphemed – John 5:16-18; 10:36.
His followers worshiped Him without rebuke when His divine claims were made known to them – Matthew 2:11; 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 28:9,17. This is the same Jesus that said earlier in Matthew 4 that “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.” – Matthew 4:10. Now, we must ask ourselves if Jesus was simply inconsistent in what He taught and believed or if, in fact, He was exactly Who He claimed to be?! The testimony of His disciples upon His resurrection is clear – John 20:24-29; Titus 2:13-14. This great revealing becomes even more amazing when we see the response of those faithful messengers of God that men were tempted to worship! See Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9 compared with Revelation 4 and 5 where Jesus receives equal honor and worship with the Father in heaven.
Jesus Himself claimed to be the “I Am” Who revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 3. See John 8:56-58. The Jews of His day understood that He claimed to be God – John 5:16-18. While Jesus was on earth, He proved Himself to be God by many infallible proofs that clearly identified Him to be the Jehovah of the Old Testament who walked with Adam and Eve in the garden and who once visited Abraham, speaking to him face to face. Perhaps I am writing to you more than is necessary, but it is a deep concern to me that some are believing in a different Jesus than I do! – 2 Corinthians 11:4. Only the Jesus who is the Christ – the One revealed to us through the holy Scriptures – is able to save. All others will disappoint their “faithful ones” in the day of God’s great reckoning. There is but one Savior Who is God, Jehovah (Yahweh). See Isaiah 45:20-25 and Philippians 2:5-11 where Jesus is directly referred to as that God. Just because the revelation exceeds our human ability to reason does not justify a denial of the Reality so revealed.
Now, some are confused by the word “begotten” which is used in reference to Jesus in the New Testament. This word is best understood to mean “unique.” While all of those who believe are declared to be “sons of God,” Jesus is the unique Son. In other words, He is different from the rest. Our son-ship derives from our being put in union with Him. His Sonship is eternal because it is the result of the very nature of the Godhead itself. God is spirit (John 4:24), light (1John 1:5), and love (1John 4:8). Before anything or anyone was created, God existed as the eternally existing One. In Himself there is the mystery of relationship! God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit communicated to and loved one another. We believe that this fact is taught from the very first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:1 which reads in the Hebrew, “In the beginning God (Elohim = plural of El) created the heavens and the earth.” Later in that same chapter, God uses the plural pronoun when referring to Himself – Genesis 1:26. Although at times He revealed Himself as three in the Old Testament (Isaiah 48:16 for an example), the emphasis there is on God being one. Deuteronomy 6:4 is a good illustration of this great mystery. It reads in the Hebrew, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD (Jehovah) our God (Elohim = Gods), the LORD (Jehovah) is one!” A reflection of this great mystery is shown in the image we bear of Him. You will notice that a man can speak to himself! See Psalm 103:1-2 for an illustration of this. Yet, a man is one, not several.
As a young believer I was being constantly attacked by some cults that challenged my belief in Jesus Christ as God. I languished over this question because of the subtlety of their arguments and because I was insecure in my own beliefs. During a most intense time in this battle, I cried out to God to reveal Himself to me as He is and not as men want Him to be. I was dressing in order to attend a concert featuring Handel’s Messiah. While listening to a record of that production, my attention was drawn to the singing of Isaiah 40:3-4. “Prepare thee the way of the Lord.” My heart began to beat with anticipation as I looked into His Word.
Yes, “Lord” in Isaiah 40:3 was the name of God, “Yahweh” or “Jehovah.” This is God’s covenant name which He revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:13-15. I then turned to Matthew 3:3 to read the words which John the Baptist quoted in reference to his own ministry. Yes, they were the same words. Who was he the forerunner of? JESUS!!! Jesus is Jehovah of the Old Testament.
He had emptied Himself and come to earth in order to die for us! – Philippians 2:5-8. To Him everyone would someday bow and every tongue would confess Him to be Lord. See again, Philippians 2:9-11 with Isaiah 45:22-25. What a revelation of grace. God came here in order to take us there! Through Jesus we can now enter into His kingdom. Through Jesus’ blood we are made fit for His presence. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; none comes to the Father but by Me.”
He is the only mediator between God and man because He is the God/Man – 1Timothy 2:3-6.
This is the great message of God to man. This is the full display of His love toward us. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation…so great a Savior! Surely, you will only come to know “deep down and without a shadow of a doubt” when you have the witness of the Spirit in yourself. He can only witness of the true Christ of God. You must repent before God and receive Jesus for Who He is and for all He has done, is doing, and yet will do for you. God is our salvation! – John 1:11-13.
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