SUB-TOPIC: The Basic Bible Doctrines of Jesus Christ Bequeathed to His Church.
Having considered the first of the Bible doctrines under review, which is The Authenticity and Sacredness of the Holy Bible, we shall continue with the second, which is:
2.THE GODHEAD AND THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
John 1:1; 1 John 5:7; Colossians 1:15; 2:9.
“…But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by Him”. 1 Corinthians 8:6.
The Holy Bible teaches of the existence of a Supreme Being whom people generally refer to as God.
But there are other beings (Satan, demons, and humans) who usurp that title and subtly convince some other people to worship them as gods. We shall do well to address this latter part in a separate study.
“Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods”. Galatians 4:8.
( For a full study on the Godhead, click the link below: https://joeachi.cw.center/the-god-head/)
We shall divide the study into two points, namely:
- The Godhead.
- The deity of Jesus Christ.
- THE GODHEAD
The Holy Bible teaches that there are three different and distinct Persons, equally manifesting the attributes of the Supreme Being we refer to as God. There is the Person of the Father (Jehovah), the Person of the Son of God (Jesus Christ or the Messiah), and the Person of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost, Comforter, Helper, Teacher).
All of these three Persons are distinguishable from one another and have existed from times immemorial. However, a careful study of the Holy Bible has shed light on their hierarchy and function in the Goodhood, thus establishing their individual uniqueness. See Genesis 1:26., 27; Matthew 3:13–17; 1 John 5:7;
John 3:16; 10:17, 18; 14:28; 16:5–15; Luke 24:49; Acts 5; 1 Corinthians 15:24–28.
“For there are three that bear record in heaven; the Father, the Word (Son or Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one”. 1 John 5:7.
Although the three members of the Godhead are each distinct and unique in their hierarchy and function, they nevertheless have the same attributes (character), as though they were one Person. These attributes are what make each of them God.
To illustrate this, we humans, irrespective of our colours and languages, share some common attributes that distinguish us as a species of living things different from all other earthly creatures. It is much in this same way that the concept of godhood evolved among mankind.
In essence, man refers to the Supreme Being, who made all things, as God, and the other two Beings who share this title with Him are one with Him because they also manifest all the attributes that ascribe this title to Him.
Below are some of the collective attributes that the three Persons of the Godhead share as one:
1.GODHOOD:
God the Father is referred to as God in the following scriptures:
1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10.
Genesis 17:1: “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect”.
His Son Jesus Christ also is referred to as God in the following scriptures: Isaiah 9:6, 7; John 20:28; Titus 2:13.
Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”.
Prophet Isaiah’s prophecy above, about the birth of Jesus Christ the Messiah, confirms that He is God.
Similarly, the Holy Spirit is referred to as God in Acts 5:3, 4 where Apostle Peter said to Ananias:
“…why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God”.
The inference to be drawn from the words of Apostle Peter above is simple: a lie against the Holy Ghost was deemed a lie against God, thus establishing the fact that the Holy Ghost was considered God also among the earliest body of Christians.
2.INHERENT HOLINESS:
By their nature the three persons of the Godhead are each holy as we can see in the following scriptures:
God the Father: Isaiah 6:1–3; Psalms 93:5; Leviticus 11:45; 1 John 1:5.
God the Son: Luke 1:30–35; Hebrews 7:26, 27; Acts 4:29, 30. God the Holy Spirit: 1Thessalonians 4:8.
3.ETERNAL EXISTENCE/IMMORTALITY:
The three persons of the Godhead each possesses eternal life as we can see in the references below:
God the Father: 1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 90:1, 2.
God the Son: 1 John 5:20; 1 Timothy 1:15–17.
God the Holy Spirit: Hebrews 9:14.
4.OMNIPOTENCE:
The following scriptures prove that the three persons of the Godhead each have the attribute of being omnipotent.
God the Father: Revelation 19:6; Psalms 62:11; 66:3.
God the Son: 1 Peter 3:22; 1 Corinthians 15:24–28; Matthew 28:18.
God the Holy Spirit: Romans 15:13, 19; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 5.
5.OMNIPRESENCE:
They also share the attribute of being omnipresent.
God the Father: Jeremiah 23:24; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Hebrews 4:13 . God the Son: John 1:43–50; Matthew 18:20.
God the Holy Spirit: Psalms 139:7–10.
6.OMNISCIENCE:
Lastly, the three members of the Godhead are omniscient in their being as we can see in the scripture references below:
God the Father: Psalms 139:1–6; 1 Kings 8:38, 39; Acts 15:18.
God the Son: John 2:23–25; Revelation 2:1–29; 3:1–22.
God the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11.
2.THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
Having, from the foregoing, said so much about the three Persons of the Godhead, of whom Jesus Christ is one, we have thus already established His deity.
However, it is still beneficial to point out some more Scriptures about the fact that Jesus Christ is also God.
1.In the Gospel of John 20:28, one of Jesus Christ’s disciples called Him God, and we know that Jesus Christ accepted it because He didnt reprove that disciple.
“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God”.
2.In Matthew 28:16–17, it is recorded that the disciples of Jesus Christ worshipped Him.
“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
And when they saw him, they worshipped him…”
Being Jewish, the disciples knew that only God deserved to be so worshipped.
Luke 4:8: “…Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve”.
- Revelation 5:8, 11–12:
“And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing…”
We can also see from the Scripture above that, even in God’s presence in heaven, the angels and saints worshipped Jesus Christ.
4.But perhaps the most compelling proof of Jesus Christ’s deity is seen in the Scripture below:
Hebrews 1:6, 8:
“And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him …But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom”.
From the Scripture above, God did not only command His angels to worship His Son, Jesus Christ, but He also addressed Him using the title God, which is proof of the deity they both share as one. This perfectly aligns with Jesus Christ’s words recorded in John 10:30:
“I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE”.
To Be Continued.