IS JESUS GOD?

IS  JESUS  GOD?

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 THE  MARCH-APRIL  2014  BIBLE  ADVOCATE  SAYS: Although CoG7 doctrine supports Christ's deity, some of us aren't fully convinced. Is Jesus really God?

SOME  IN  THE  7TH  DAY  SABBATH  CHURCHES [some  in  the  Protestant  churches  also]  teach  Jesus  never  eternally  existed  but  was  "created"  -  some  go  as  far  as  saying  Jesus  did  not  exist  until  conceived  in  the  womb  of  Mary.  Some  teach  Jesus  was  just  a  man  with  more  of  the  Holy  Spirit  than  other  humans.  The  nut-shell  truth  of  the  matter  is  given  by  the  Church  of  God,  7th  Day,  out  of  Denver,  CO.  USA.  Keith Hunt

The teaching of Christ's deity, adopted officially in 1994 and reaffirmed often since, continues to attract interest and discussion in the Church. Rightly handled, this discussion encourages growth in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

(FOR  ABOUT  150  YEARS  THE  CoG7Day [Denver]  believed  the  opposite  to  what  they  now  teach.  They  have  a  very  fine  booklet  on  the  in-depth  truth  of  this  subject  -  Keith Hunt)

Here's why we believe that Christ the only begotten Son is, with His Father, inherent and integral to our concept of the one true God:

Because Jesus is given, or takes to Himself, the names of God, such as I Am, Lord, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, and Immanuel (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; John 8:58; Phil. 2:11).

Because Jesus is the Truth: He perfectly speaks the very words of God more than any other prophet, including Moses (John 8:26; 12:49; 14:6, 10, 24; 17:8; Deut. 18:15-18; Heb. 1:1,2).

Because Jesus does mighty works that only God can do: He creates, sustains, and controls the universe; forgives sins; saves the world; hears and answers prayer (John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16, 17; Heb. 1:1-3; Mark 2:5-12; 4:41; Acts 7:59).

Because Jesus receives the worship and service that is due to God alone (Matt. 4:10; 8:2; 14:33; 28:9; John 9:38; Luke 24:52; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:8).

Because Jesus fully exhibits God's attributes: omniscience, omnipotence, holiness, love, and more (Luke 5:22; 6:8; 9:47; John 2:25; Matt. 28:18; Heb. 4:15b; 1 Peter 2:22; John 13:1; 15:9, 13).

The Bible's view of the Lord Jesus is lofty. It refers to Him as "God" in nine texts: Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; and 1 John 5:20.

What we've said so far may be seen as mere proof-texting. The truth can be further confirmed by study of key Christological passages:

Matthew 11:27, linked with John 5:18, 19; 10:30: Jesus is equal to and one with His Father, in that each alone knows the other fully.

John 1:1 -3, 14: The Word that was with God and was God in the beginning became flesh: Jesus the Christ. The only begotten of the Father was full of God's glorious grace and truth.

Philippians 2:5-11: Jesus fully shared the divine image and glory of His Father before becoming man, as He confirms in John 17:5. Every tongue should confess Jesus Christ as Lord — a title reserved for God alone (Isa. 45:23).

Colossians 1:13-23: Christ is exalted to highest heaven, preeminent by God's good pleasure. Deity fully dwells in Him bodily (2:9).

Hebrews 1: Jesus Christ, the brightness of God's glory and express image of His person (v. 3), is no mere angel. Rather, He, as God, receives worship from all God's angels (vv. 4-14).

Revelation 1:8, 11, 17, 18; 17:14; 19:16: The glorified Christ describes Himself in terms reserved for God himself: Alpha and Omega; Beginning and End; First and Last; the one who was, is, and is to come; King of Kings and Lord of Lords (compare Isa. 44:6; 1 Tim. 6:13-16).

Based on the written Word, we may be confident that the Living Word was both God and man, thus able to mediate and reconcile the two.

— Elder Calvin Burrell

March-April 2014 "Bible Advocate"