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Our Mission: Revelation 14:6-12
The Moment of Truth - Lesson 10
Jesus
Christ: Man or God?
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We invite you to pray with us, before beginning this lesson:
Almighty Lord,
You have guided us, by Your Holy Spirit, in our study of Your inspired Word.
We humbly ask You to continue to do so, as we study the subject of the nature of Your Son,
Jesus Christ.
Open our hearts and our minds to Your precious truth. We pray in the name of Jesus our
Savior.
Amen.
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Mark 8:29
[Jesus] said to [His disciples], «But who do you say that I am?»
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This question, which Jesus asked His disciples, could still be
asked today, especially about His divine nature.
In fact, many people don't know what to think about this.
On the one hand, some say that Jesus is God, equal with the Father. On the other hand,
some deny His divinity, teaching that He is only the Son of God, and not God the Son.
As for us, we will choose to let the Bible enlighten us on this subject.
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Matthew 1:23
«Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,» which is translated, «God with us».
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The Word of God asserts at different places and in different ways
that Jesus Christ is truly God.
First, let us look at the verses directly testifying to the divinity of Jesus. Then, we
will compare verses from the Old and the New Testament, which will bring us to the same
conclusion.
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John 1:1,14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. (...)
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
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John 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
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Many times, the Gospel according to John testifies to the
divinity of Christ.
From the very first verse, it presents the Word as being God: the rest of the chapter
clearly shows that John was speaking of Jesus.
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John 20:28
And Thomas answered and said to [Jesus]: «My Lord and my God!»
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John 10:30,33
Jesus said, «I and My Father are one.» (...)
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.»
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Let us note that Jesus never corrected Thomas' exclamation, nor
the Jews' interpretation, both bringing out His divinity.
If Jesus were not God, He certainly would have corrected such clear and straightforward
declarations!
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Romans 9:5
Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God.
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Colossians 2:9
For in [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
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Hebrews 1:8,9
But to the Son [God] says: «Your throne, O God, is forever and
ever.» (...)
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness.
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In his epistles, the apostle Paul clearly testifies to the divinity of Jesus Christ.
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Isaiah 9:6
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.
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«Mighty God, Everlasting Father...» The prophecies of the Old
Testament, announcing the coming of the Messiah, also confirm the divinity of Jesus.
Let's look at other examples of this in the book of Zechariah.
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Zechariah 11:12,13
They weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
And the Lord said to me, «Throw it to the potter» - that princely price they set on me.
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Zechariah 12:1,10
Thus says the Lord (...): «They will look on Me whom they have pierced.»
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The words of the prophecy about Judas' betrayal for thirty pieces
of silver, just like those about the crucifixion of Jesus, are pronounced by God
concerning Himself, although they concern Christ.
The only possible conclusion: Jesus is God.
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John 14:8-11
Philip said to Him,
«Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.»
Jesus said to him,
«Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me
has seen the Father; so how can you say, "Show us the Father"?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? (...) Believe Me that I
am in the Father and the Father in Me.»
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We will now see that even before the creation of the world, Jesus Christ was already working at the Father's side.
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John 17:5
[Jesus said,]
«And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with
You before the world was.»
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John 1:3
All things were made through [the Word], and without Him nothing was made that was made.
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Just like God the Father, Jesus exists «from everlasting»
(Micah 5:2): He had no beginning.
«Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.» (Hebrews 13:8)
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Hebrews 1:2
[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.
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Colossians 1:16
For by [the Son] 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.
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The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ played an essential role
in the creation of the world.
All things were created by Him.
This having been established, let us take a close look at the following verse...
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Isaiah 44:24
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the
womb:
«I am the Lord, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who
spreads abroad the earth by Myself.»
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On the one hand, God asserts that He alone created the world.
But on the other hand, the Bible declares many times that Jesus Christ created all things.
Again, the only possible conclusion: Jesus is God.
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Luke 2:11
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
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1 John 4:14
We testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
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Ephesians 1:7
In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood.
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We know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer.
Yet, just the same as for the title of Creator, these titles are reserved only to God, as
the following verses will demonstrate...
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Isaiah 43:11
I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior.
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Hosea 13:4
I am the Lord your God (...); there is no savior besides Me.
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Isaiah 54:5
Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
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Since Jesus Christ is God, He can be called Savior, Redeemer of men.
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Luke 4:8
You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.
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Revelation 19:10
And I fell at [the angel's] feet to worship him. But he said to
me,
«See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the
testimony of Jesus.
Worship God!»
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We must worship God, and God alone. This is a very clear point
established in all the Scriptures.
Now, let us note the following verses...
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Hebrews 1:5,6
For to which of the angels did [God] ever say: «You are My Son (...). Let all the angels of God worship Him.»
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Revelation 5:12,14
[The angels were] saying with a loud voice: «Worthy is the Lamb
who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and
blessing!» (...)
Then the four living creatures said, «Amen!»
And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him.
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The Lamb, who is Jesus, is worshiped because He is God.
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Exodus 3:14
And God said to Moses, «I AM WHO I AM.»
And He said, «Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to
you."»
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John 8:58,59
Jesus said to [the Jews],
«Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.»
Then they took up stones to throw at Him.
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Jesus used the conjugation «I am» instead of the one that would
have been appropriate, that is, «I was». Doing this, He presented Himself as the great
«I AM» who is God.
Recognizing that, the Jews then wanted to stone Him.
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Isaiah 44:6
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.»
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Revelation 1:17,18
«I am the First and the Last.
I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.»
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In addition to the name «I am», Jesus uses «the First and the
Last», another name which designates God.
The expression «I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore» clearly shows that it is
Jesus who is speaking here.
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Revelation 1:8
«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.»
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Revelation 22:12,13
«And behold, I am coming quickly. (...)
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.»
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Again, Jesus presents Himself under the same title as God: the Alpha and the Omega, that is, the First and the Last, since Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.
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Psalm 24:10
Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.
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1 Corinthians 2:8
(...) the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
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Need we say more?
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1 Timothy 6:13-16
I urge you (...) that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which [God] will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.
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The context clearly indicates that here, «the King of kings and
Lord of lords» designates God the Father.
Now, let us see the following verses...
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Revelation 17:14
[The ten kings] will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings.
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Revelation 19:13,16
[He who sat on the white horse] was clothed with a robe dipped in
blood, and His name is called the Word of God. (...)
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
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King of kings and Lord of lords: another title given to God and
to Jesus Christ, without distinction.
Yes, truly, Jesus is God.
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John 8:24
[Jesus said,]
«For if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.»
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It is very important to accept Jesus not only as our Savior, but
also as our God.
Jesus, Creator, Savior, King of kings and Lord of lords, King of glory, the Alpha and the
Omega, the First and the Last, the Almighty «I AM», worthy to receive worship from all.
Yes, truly, Jesus is God!
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The Word of God entirely testifies that...
JESUS IS GOD !
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Let us thank God for having guided us during this lesson:
Dear Savior,
We thank You for Your Word, and Your Holy Spirit who guides us as we study Your Word.
Now that we know that Jesus Christ is God, we can repeat Thomas' words, and like him we
can answer: «My Lord and my God!» (John 20:28).
May Your name be glorified forever and ever, our Almighty Lord!
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
The test of Lesson 10 is
waiting for you!