|
WEEKLY
Volume 3 Number 19
5 October 2008
Jesus Is God
(Message delivered by Rev
Hien Nguyen at the Worship Service, 2:00 pm, Oct 5, 08)
Many nowadays do not believe
that Jesus Christ is equal with God and is God Himself. How about you?
We have known that our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who humbled Himself and
became a perfect Man to die for our sins and the sins of the whole
world, but sometimes because of Jesus’ humility we forget the truth that
Jesus is God. Knowing and remembering that Jesus is God is vital for our
faith, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth
that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5). Believing that Jesus is
the Son of God is believing that He is equal with God and that He is God
Himself, “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he
… said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God”
(John 5:18).
Jesus Is the Son of God
The name “the Son of God”
referring to our Lord
Jesus Christ has
at least 46 occurrences in the New Testament. The Holy Scriptures
testify that Jesus Christ is “the Son of God” (Mark 1:1; Rom
1:4). The angel Gabriel announced that Jesus Christ is “the Son of
the Highest” and “the Son of God” (Luke 1:31; 35). John the
Baptist saw the Holy Spirit descending and remaining on Jesus and
testified that Jesus is “the Son of God” (John 1:33-34).
The Lord Jesus Christ Himself
declares that He is “the Son of God” (John 3:18; 5:25; 9:35;
10:36; 11:4; Rev 2:18). Jesus also declares His eternal Sonship as
“the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18; cf. 1:18; 3:16; 1 John
4:9). Sadly, many modern English versions, like NIV, replace “only
begotten” with “one and only,” undermining the eternal Sonship of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Lord Jesus also confirms
His equality with His Father, “I and my Father are one” (John
10:30) and “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also:
and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him” (John 14:7).
When Jesus spoke of God and prayed to God as His Father, He also
identified Himself as the Son of God, making Himself equal with God
(Matt 11:25-27; 26:29, 39,42; John 3:35; 5:17-26; 6:44-46; 17:1-26; et
al), and because of this, “the Jews sought the more to kill him”
(John 5:18; cf. 19:7).
Then, when we confess that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, we must mean that Jesus Christ was not
created but begotten of God from eternity, and that He is equal with God
and that He is God Himself.
We also have the testimonies
of Jesus’ apostles, disciples and followers:
After Jesus calmed down the
storm by His Word, his disciples “came and worshipped him, saying, Of
a truth thou art the Son of God” (Matt 14:33). Peter confessed that
Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16;
John 6:69). We can hear the same confession that Jesus Christ is “the
Son of God” from Nathanael (John 1:49), Martha (John 11:27), the
centurion and those with him (Matt 27:54), and the Ethiopian eunuch
(Acts 8:37), etc. John wrote his Gospel with a clear purpose, “But
these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name”
(John 20:31; cf. 1 John 5:13). After Paul met Jesus and was converted,
he immediately preached that Jesus Christ is “the Son of God”
(Acts 8:37) and confirmed that truth in his epistles (Rom 1:4; 2 Cor
1:19; et al).
Truly knowing, believing and
confessing that Jesus is the Son of God must come from God. Jesus said
to Peter, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath
not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matt
16:17).
God’s Word confirms, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son
of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15).
Our faith in the Son of God is
our Life and our victory over the world, “Who is he that overcometh
the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? ... He
that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath
not life” (1 John 5:5, 12).
Jesus Is God
The phrase “God and Saviour
Jesus Christ” in these two following verses has one definite article
in Greek, denoting that our Saviour Jesus Christ is God Himself:
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13) and “through the
righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1).
Isaiah foretold the coming of
the Lord Jesus, and His Name is called “Emmanuel”, which being
interpreted is, “God with us” (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:23) and
“Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6). Jesus
is called “The everlasting Father” although He is not God the
Father, denoting that He has the same eternal essence of God. Jesus’
name is also called “The Word of God” (Rev 19:13), and “the
Word of life,” (1 John 1:1), and “In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
It is amazing that God the
Father says to His Son, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever”
(Heb 1:8). Another clear Bible verse about our Lord Jesus’ Deity is
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was
manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached
unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”
(1 Tim 3:16). Sadly, many modern English versions, like the NIV, replace
“God” with “He,” undermining the Deity of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
In Heaven, Jesus Christ is
worshipped as God, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and
blessing” (Rev 5:12). How about you and me?
Jesus Is the Creator
As Jesus is the Son of God and
God Himself, He is the Creator, all-powerful, all-wise, and sovereign.
We shall love Him, honour Him, trust in Him and appreciate Him more when
we acknowledge that He created us and loved us so much that He humbly
came into this world to die for us, His sinful and rebellious creature!
God’s Word declares that
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made
that was made” (John 1:3), and “Who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before
all things, and by him all things consist” (Col 1:15-17), and
“upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high …
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth;
and the heavens are the works of thine hands” (Heb 1:3, 10).
Dear friends, our Lord Jesus
Christ, as God the Son, did perform the work of creation together with
God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (Gen 1:1-2; Job 33:4; Ps 104:30;
Matt 11:25; Acts 17:24). Let us ponder on this truth, All things were
created and upheld by
Jesus!
May the Lord open our eyes so that we may see His wonderful work of
creation everywhere and we may give thanks and praise to Him whether
when we look at the universe or enjoy the sunshine, the rain, the
magnificent scenery, good food and fruits, beautiful flowers, even the
life He has given to us!
Jesus’ Divine Attributes
It is always good for us to
meditate on some of our Lord Jesus’ Divine attributes so that we may
fear Him, honour Him, love Him, and trust in Him, who is:
- Eternal: “Thy throne,
O God, is for ever and ever” (Heb 1:8).
- Omnipresent: “I am
with you alway” (Matt 28:20; cf. Matt 18:20).
- Omniscient: “Jesus
knew from the beginning” (John 6:64; cf 2:24).
- Omnipotent: “All
power is given unto me” (Matt 28:18).
- Unchangeable: “Jesus
Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Heb 13:8; cf.
1:12).
- Holy: “he that is
holy” (Rev 3:7; cf. Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27).
- Righteous: “Thou hast
loved righteousness” (Heb 1:9; cf. Isa 53:11).
- Just: “the Holy One
and the Just” (Acts 3:14; cf. 1 Peter 3:18).
- Faithful: “Jesus
Christ, who is the faithful witness” (Rev 1:5; 3:14).
- True: Jesus is called
“Faithful and True” (Rev 19:11; cf. 3:14).
- Glorious: “our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” (James 2:1).
- Good: “the good
shepherd, …Good Master” (John 10:11; Matt 19:16).
- Loving: “he loved
them unto the end” (John 13:1; cf 15:9, 13).
- Gracious: “My grace
is sufficient for thee” (2 Cor 12:9; cf. John 1:14).
- Merciful: “a merciful
and faithful high priest” (Heb 2:17).
- Long-suffering: “shew
forth all longsuffering” (1 Tim 1:16).
- Forgiving: “the Son
of man hath power… to forgive sins” (Matt 9:6).
- Giving Life: “he
should give eternal life” (John 17:2; cf. 6:33; 10:10).
- Object of Worship:
“Worthy is the
Lamb...”
(Rev 5:12; cf. Matt 28:9).
- Object of Faith: “the
author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2).
Conclusion
The Lord Jesus asked the man
who was blind from his birth and was healed, “Dost thou believe on
the Son of God?” (John 9:35), and he said, “Lord, I believe. And
he worshipped him” (v 38). How about you and me? Do we really
believe that Jesus is the Son of God and is God Himself, who created us
and loved us so much that He humbly came into this world to die for our
sins and He rose again for our justification, is ever living to pray for
us and is coming back again to receive us to Himself? May the Lord help
us love Him, worship Him, and serve Him faithfully till He comes. Amen.
Top
/ Back
|
