In this episode of Basecamp, we discuss the divinity of Jesus as taught in the Bible and why this is important for Christians to reflect upon for our own lives and as we share the Gospel and make disciples.
6 ways the New Testament teaches that Jesus is God.
1. Jesus is called God and Lord (Matthew 1:21-23; Luke 2:11; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13)
2. Not only that, but, secondly, Jesus claimed to be God (John 8:58, 10:30)
3. Jesus Christ is presented as the object of the believer’s faith and trust (John 14:1; 17:3; 2 Cor. 5:15; Eph. 3:12; 5:23; Col. 1:27; 1 Thes 1:3 1 Tim. 1:1)
4. Jesus is presented as the object of the believer’s worship (Matt 2:10-11, 28:17; John 5:23; Phil. 2:9–11; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:12)
5. Jesus Christ is described as both being God and performing the very works of God (John 1:1-3, 14-18; Hebrews 1:1-4; Colossians 1:15-20)
6) From eternity past, just like God the Father and God the Spirit, He has always existed prior to His incarnation (1 Cor. 8:6; 10:4, 9; 2 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 4:4; Rom 8:3; Col. 1:15-20; Phil 2:6; 1 Tim 1:15; 3:16; 2 Tim 1:9-10).
Council of Chalcedon (451 AD): “We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood [perfect here means complete in all respects]; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood [consubstantial means having the same substance or essence of being]; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly [that means not mixed up or in disorder], unchangeable, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the prophets from the beginning have declared concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.
Why does the deity of Christ matter?
1. The deity of Christ matters for revelation.
2. The deity of Christ matters for salvation.
3. The deity of Christ matters for all of the Christian life, for how we live from this moment onwards.
Sermon Resource:
How God Became Man (from our Miracles Sermon Series): https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Zvh53pqN7pMUYFS2KFtqz?si=cxSRPd7fRQ21QOzPMSTFnw
