Most people in the world recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as the Founder of the
Christian religion. They think of Him as a good role model, a humble teacher
who inspired others to have high ideals. Jews in Israel regard Him as a great
historical figure, and even Muslims accept Him as one of their prophets although adherents of both religions do not believe
He is God and they are not saved. True Christianity upholds the basic and fundamental
belief that the Lord Jesus Christ is the One True God. The Holy Bible fully supports
this Truth.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God." (Jn. 1:1-2). "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn. 1:14)
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the
flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in
glory." (1 Tim. 3:16)
The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said: "I and My Father are one." (Jn. 10:30). His disciples worshiped Him (Mt. 28:16-17). Thomas
said to Him:"My Lord and my God!"
(Jn. 20:26-29).
The Lord Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God (Jn. 1:18; Heb. 1:1-3).
"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. And He is before all things, and
in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should
dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him whether things on earth or things in heaven, having
made peace through the blood of His cross." (Col. 1:15-20) "For in Him dwells all
the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." (Col. 2:9-10)
Attackers and detractors of true Christianity say that Jesus had never made any direct statement
that He is God. This is not true. The
Lord Jesus Christ had made several statements regarding His divinity. Let us
consider some of His statements.
“I and My Father are One”
(Jn. 10:30)
The Lord Jesus Christ did not make this statement in some obscure place and at a time when
nobody could remember. He made this statement in Solomon’s porch in the
temple in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication. The Jews in this prominent
place surrounded him (Jn. 10:22-24). Immediately after He said: “I and My Father are one.’ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
Jesus answered them, ‘Many good works I have shown you from My Father.
For which of those works do you stone Me? The Jews answered Him, saying,
‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make yourself God.” (Jn.
10:30-33)
There are those that disbelieve Jesus Christ is the One True God who are quick
to counter by saying that Jesus was merely stating His unity of purpose with the Father.
They would also quote the Lord’s prayer for the oneness of His disciples with the Father and Him, and question
whether that means the disciples are also divine beings (Jn. 17:21). This is
just bad argument. The circumstances in those two events are completely different. If Jesus had meant that the statement “I and My
Father are one” was to be taken as the unity of purpose between the Father and Him that would not have offended
the Jews. No, the Jews took up stones to stone Him because they thought
He had blasphemed against God by claiming to be God Himself.
True Christians believe with all their heart, mind and soul the Lord Jesus Christ
is the One True God. Hundreds of true Christians have died in the coliseum by
being fed to the lions because they worshiped only the One True God in the Lord Jesus Christ instead of the Roman emperors.
“He who has
seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn. 14:14)
No one on earth can make this statement unless He is the visible image of the One
True God. Let us remember that God is a Spiritual Being therefore no person has
ever seen Him (Jn. 4:24; 5:37; 1 Tim. 6:15-16). Being a Spirit He has no physical
form (Lk. 24:39; Job 9:11). When God manifested Himself in the flesh He became
visible through “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared
Him" (Jn 1: 18). In this way, the Lord Jesus Christ "is the image of the invisible God" (Col 1: 15; Heb 1:2-3; 2 Cor 4:4).
This is the reason why our Lord Jesus Christ explained : "He who has seen Me has seen
the Father" (Jn 14:8-9; 12:45).
True Christians believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the visible image of the One True
God. After the disciples saw the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven “they worshiped Him, and return to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple
praising and blessing God. Amen.” (Lk. 24:50-53) True
Christians worship the Lord Jesus Christ as the One True God.
Jesus Christ speaks for the Father
God "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" (Heb 1:2).
This is the fulfillment of the prophecy (Deut 18:18). The Lord Jesus Christ
Himself has declared: "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me
gave Me a command, what I should say, and what I should speak" (Jn 12:49).
The Lord Jesus spoke those things that He heard from the Father (Jn. 8:26). He
further explained: "The words that l speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the
Father who dwells in Me does the works" (Jn. 14:10).
True Christians obey the voice of the Lord
Jesus Christ as the voice of the One True God.
Jesus Christ is in the Father and the Father in Him
The Lord Jesus Christ explained His Oneness relationship with the Father: "Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me" (Jn. 14:11).
He was not only speaking of the relationship between God and His Church (Jn f7:21-23; Rom 12:5) where the Holy Spirit
dwells in the Body of Christ (Eph 2:22) but also a Oneness relationship between the Father and the Son in the Godhead. This divine relationship is unique because in Jesus Christ "dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col 2:9). "For it pleased
the Father that in Him should all the fullness should dwell" (Col 1:19).
Jesus and the Father are in one another (Jn 10:38).
Jesus Christ does the works for the Father
The Lord Jesus Christ stated: "but the Father who dwells in Me does
the works" (Jn 14:10-11; 10:25, 37-38). The Father who dwells in the
Lord Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit (Jn 15:26; Mt 10:20; Lk 1:35). These are
the works that the Lord Jesus Christ does for the Father:
1. Creator of the Universe (Jn. l:1-3,14; Col.1:16;
Heb. l:2,10).
2. Controls the Universe (Eph. 1:22-23; Col 1:16-17).
3. Having all power (Mt 28:18; Jn 3:35; Eph 1:22;
Php. 2:9-11).
4. Forgives sins (Mk. 2:5-10; Jn 5:14; Lk. 7:40-49).
5. Controls life and death (Jn 5:21-26, 6:38-44; Php.
3:21).
6. Subdues the devil (Mt. 8:16,12:22; Lk. 13:10-13).
7. Judges the world (Jn. 5:22,27; 2 Tim 4:1; 2 Cor. 5:10).
The Lord Jesus Christ Spoke and
Acted with the Authority of God
“Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘ All authority has been given
to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Mt. 28:18) The Lord Jesus Christ has all the authority of the One
True God.
”Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the
synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught
them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mk. 1:21-22) “Then
they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this?
What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean
spirits, and they obey Him.” (Mk. 1:27)
On the Sermon on the Mount the Lord Jesus Christ spoke like He had the authority over the
Law.“Do
not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (Mt. 5:17) This statement was huge! Fulfillment of the Law required total perfection, a feat every Jew knew to be humanly impossible.
After the Pharisees criticized the Lord’s disciples for plucking the heads of grain
in the grainfields Jesus said to them: “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore
the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” (Mk. 2:27-28) Who else can claim to be the “Lord of the Sabbath” other than the One who is the Creator
of the Sabbath? There is no one except the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ accepted Worship
When the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil who “took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and
showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him,
‘All these things I will give to You if You will fall down and worship me.’
Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written,
‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” (Mt. 4:8-10) The Lord Jesus Christ knew that the only Person who can be
worshiped is the One True God. It is common knowledge amongst the Jews that the
only Person to be worshiped is the One True God (Ex. 20:3-6; Acts 10:25-26; 14:11-15; Rev. 19:10; 22:8-9). If the Lord Jesus Christ accepted worship it proves that He acknowledges He is the One True God otherwise
He would be a hypocrite, charlatan or a false god. We believe that Jesus is God.
Angels worship the Lord Jesus Christ. “But when He again brings the firstborn
into the world, He says: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.” (Heb. 1:6)
“. . . . Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying ‘Where is He who
has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have
come to worship Him.” (Mt. 2:1-2) “And when they had come into the
house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. . . .” (Mt. 2:11) Today,
wise men still worship the Lord Jesus Christ as the One True God.
“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him,
‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ He answered and said, ‘Who
is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You
have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he said,
‘Lord, I believe! And he worshiped Him.” (Jn. 9:35-38)
After His resurrection the women worshiped Jesus.
“And
as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’
And they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.” (Mt. 28:9)
“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which
Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some
doubted.” (Mt. 28:16-17)
“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and
blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted
from them and carried up to heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem
with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.”
(Mt. 28:50-53)
True Christians not only believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the One True God but
they also praise, exalt and worship Him. True Christians from many nations all over
the world have recognized the Lord Jesus Christ as the One True God and are worshiping Him (Rev. 5:9-14).
The Lord Jesus Christ has the
Titles of the One True God
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be
upon His shoulder, And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isa.
9:6)
“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts; I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.” (Isa. 44:6)
“. . . He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,” (1 Tim. 6:15)
“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are
called, chosen, and faithful.” (Rev. 17:14)
“And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev. 19:16)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who
is to come, the
Almighty.”
(Rev. 1:8, 11, 17)
What happen to those who do not believe
the
Lord Jesus Christ is the One True God?
“Then Jesus cried out and said, ‘He who believes in Me, believes not in Me
but in Him who sent me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come
as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to
save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which
judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken
on My own authority; but the Father who sent me gave me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore,
whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” (Jn. 12:44-50)
“And He said to them, ‘You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I
said to you that you
will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. Then they
said to Him, ‘Who are You?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Just what
I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to
judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him. They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.” (Jn. 8:23-27)
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true;
and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the True God
and eternal life.” (1 Jn. 5:20)
This is a very serious warning! A person who
does not believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the One True God will die in his or her sins.
It means they have never been saved! Those who believe Jesus Christ is
the One True God will have eternal life. HalleluYah!
May God bless you
This
Article is the response of Paul Wong
to a discussion in the ARK Forum on June 24, 2003
This
article was published on this Website on August 4, 2009
For comments please write first to: arkpw@sbcglobal.net
