I love the truth of God’s Word.
Here’s a verse I love so much, that I would die for it.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 ESV)
I believe that this verse teaches that Jesus Christ (the Word) always was, always is, and always will be God.
Stick a gun to my head and tell me to deny the deity of Christ, and I will tell you, “You’ll have to go ahead and kill me. Go ahead and make my day infinitely brighter because I refuse to recant my belief that Jesus is the eternal and almighty God — the Creator, Sustainer, and Lord of the universe.”
Yes, I would die for the truth of John 1:1. That would be a privilege.
I will also do whatever I can to tell others that Jesus is God.
I just spent the last eight months meeting with members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization, who came to my house last summer and offered to study the Bible with me in my house. I gladly accepted the invitation.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in the deity of God the Father, but they deny the deity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is a created being and therefore he is not God. And the Spirit is merely God’s active force in the world and not a person.
We met about 15 times, for 1-2 hours each session. We used their materials, and this provided ample opportunity to explain the Trinity to them. We discussed John 1:1-18, Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 1:1-13, and many other passages, in detail. I did my best to explain the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. They let me talk as much as I wanted, and to take them to as many passages as I wanted. They asked many questions and I was delighted to have this opportunity to explain my beliefs.
Unfortunately, it was all to no avail. They are resolute in their conviction that Jesus is a created being. He is Savior and King, but he’s not God. Their Bible (the New World Translation) has inaccurately translated many passages that teach the deity of Christ and the Spirit.
We never argued. They were polite and respectful of me, and vice versa. We agreed to disagree. After eight months, they finally said, “Wayne, there’s no point continuing this study with you.” The last few times we met, I verbalized what we knew was happening: “We don’t have the same God.”
I continue to pray for them. My heart aches for the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are so passionate about their beliefs. They are sincere and devout. But I believe their answer to the question “Who is Jesus?” is contrary to Scripture.
Like Paul, “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” (Romans 10:1-3).
I could go on and on about what God taught me through this experience. My understanding of the Trinity was taken to a new level. Explaining anything for 10+ hours will do that! My love for Jesus is greater. My desire to tell people who he is has become dramatically more intense.
Does it matter whether we believe that Jesus is God? Absolutely. Our eternal destiny depends on it. How we answer the question “Who is Jesus?” has everlasting consequences. The Apostle John made this clear in 1 John 4:15 and 1 John 5:12 –
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”
“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
And what is the meaning of the title “Son of God”? It means that Jesus is “equal with God,” as indicated in John 5:17-18 –
“But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is working until now, and I am working.’ This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”
To understand that Jesus claimed to be God is not rocket science. Even his enemies knew that’s what he meant.
Jesus’ claim to deity was the “crime” (blasphemy) for which the Sanhedrin demanded his crucifixion. Matthew 26:63-66 makes that clear:
“And the high priest said to him, ‘I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his robes and said, ‘He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death.’
If you’re unsure whether Jesus is God, here are some additional resources, so you can examine the Scriptures — “to see if these things be so” (Acts 17:11).
Short but Meaty Articles
Basic Bible Doctrine – Who Is Jesus?
https://godwrotethebook.com/169
Basic Bible Doctrine – Who Says Jesus Is God?
https://godwrotethebook.com/225
Basic Bible Doctrine – How Do We Know Jesus Is God?
https://godwrotethebook.com/227
For a Deeper Dive, Here’s an Excellent Book
The Forgotten Trinity, by James White
https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Trinity-James-R-White-ebook/dp/B00B0VMJC0
If you find anything in this post helpful, please leave a comment below. I welcome your feedback.
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