This article answers Is Jesus is God? before and after He
come to the earth and if Jesus is really God then it answers How come
Jesus can be our example?
-
Did Jesus exist before He was born as human on the earth?
- Is Jesus an angel?
- Was Jesus God before He came to earth?
-
Does Jesus have all the attributes of God?
-
Was Jesus God while He lived here on the earth?
-
Did Jesus use His deity while He lived on the earth?
-
What
was the main differences between us
and Jesus while He lived on the earth as man?
-
Then, how come Jesus can be an
example to us while we remain in sin nature and
Jesus remained in divine nature while He was on the earth?
-
Warnings: Is Jesus lesser than God
the Father? Is Jesus and God the father two
different Gods?
History proves that Jesus existed and many believe that He existed. Some they think He is a wise person, good teacher, leader of
Christianity.
- Is Jesus mere human as they believe or think? or
- Is
Jesus God Himself who come down to earth to live among us?
Let us explore this slowly from the Bible and find answers to the
questions above.
-
Did Jesus exist before He was
born as human on the earth?
- Yes, Jesus existed
before He was born as human
on the earth. Before Jesus born
as human on the earth, He is
with God the father
- John 16:28
- I came
forth from the
Father and have
come into the
world.
Again, I leave the world
and go to the
Father."
- Is Jesus an angel?
- No, Jesus is not an
angel but He is the Son of God.
Hebrews 1 clearly shows that
Jesus is greater than
angels. Angels are
created to worship God.
- Heb
1:4-14 -
4 having become so much
better than the angels, as He has by inheritance
obtained a more excellent name than they.
- 5 For to which of the
angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"?
- 6 But when He again brings the
firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him."
7 And of the
angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And
His ministers a flame of fire."
- 8 But to the
Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of
righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.
- ... ... ...
13 But to
which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"?
- 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
- Was Jesus God before He came to earth?
- Yes, Jesus is God
before He born or come in flesh
to live here on earth.
- 1 Timothy 3:16
- And without
controversy
great is the
mystery of
godliness:
God was
manifested in
the flesh,
Justified in the
Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among
the Gentiles,
Believed on in
the world,
Received up in
glory.
-
Jesus
himself
describes that
He existed
before Abraham
and He appeared
to Him as LORD
(YAHWEH)
- John
8:58 - 51
Most assuredly,
I say to you, if
anyone keeps My
word he shall
never see
death."
52
Then the Jews
said to Him,
"Now we know
that You have a
demon! Abraham
is dead, and the
prophets; and
You say, 'If
anyone keeps My
word he shall
never taste
death.'
53
Are You greater
than our father
Abraham, who is
dead? And the
prophets are
dead. Whom do
You make
Yourself out to
be?"
54
Jesus answered,
"If I honor
Myself, My honor
is nothing. It
is My Father who
honors Me, of
whom you say
that He is your
God.
55
Yet you have not
known Him, but I
know Him. And if
I say, 'I do not
know Him,' I
shall be a liar
like you; but I
do know Him and
keep His word.
56
Your father
Abraham rejoiced
to see My day,
and he saw it
and was glad."
57
Then the Jews
said to Him,
"You are not yet
fifty years old,
and have You
seen Abraham?"
58
Jesus said to
them, "Most
assuredly, I say
to you, before Abraham
was, I AM."
59
Then they took
up stones to
throw at Him;
but Jesus hid
Himself and went
out of the
temple, going
through the
midst of them,
and so passed
by.
-
(Answers in Genesis) Jesus Christ possesses
divine names—names that can only be used of God. For example:
- Jesus is Yahweh. Yahweh is a very common Hebrew name for God in the Old Testament, occurring over 5,300 times. It is translated LORD in many English translations of the Bible.
- We first learn of this name in Exodus 3, where Moses asked God by what name He should be called. God replied to him, “I AM WHO I AM. . . .Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’ ” (verse 14). Yahweh is basically a shortened form of “I AM WHO I AM” (verse 15). The name conveys the idea of eternal self-existence. Yahweh never came into being at a point in time for He has always existed.
- Jesus implicitly ascribed this divine name to himself during a confrontation He had with a group of hostile Jews. He said, “I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). Jesus deliberately contrasted the created origin of Abraham—whom the Jews venerated—with His own eternal, uncreated nature as God.
- Here is another proof that John the Baptist prepares the way of the LORD (YAHWEH). This LORD is Jesus Christ.
- John 1:14 -
1
In the beginning
was the Word,
and the
Word was with
God,
and the
Word was God.
2 He
was in the
beginning with
God. 3
All things were
made through Him,
and without Him
nothing was made
that was made.
... ... 14
And the
Word became
flesh and dwelt
among us,
and we beheld
His glory, the
glory as of the
only begotten of
the Father, full
of grace and
truth. ... ...
... saying,
"This was He of
whom I said, 'He
who comes after
me is preferred
before me, for
He was before
me.' " 16
And of His
fullness we have
all received,
and grace for
grace. 17
For the law was
given through
Moses, but
grace
and truth came
through Jesus
Christ. 18
No one has seen
God at
any time. The
only
begotten Son,
who is in the
bosom of the
Father, He has
declared Him.
... ... 22
Then they said
to him, "Who are
you, that we may
give an answer
to those who
sent us? What do
you say about
yourself?"
23
He said: "I am
'The voice of
one crying in
the wilderness:
"Make straight
the way of the
LORD,"
' as the prophet
Isaiah said."
- Is 40:3 - The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. ... ... ... 9 O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the LORD God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.
- Jesus
was with God
the father before the
foundation of the world
- John 17:5 - 1
Jesus spoke
these words,
lifted up His
eyes to heaven,
and said:
"Father, the
hour has come.
Glorify Your
Son, that Your
Son also may
glorify You,
2
as You have
given Him
authority over
all flesh, that
He should give
eternal life to
as many as You
have given Him.
3
And this is
eternal life,
that they may
know You, the
only true God,
and Jesus Christ
whom You have
sent.
4
I have glorified
You on the
earth. I have
finished the
work which You
have given Me to
do. 5
And now, O
Father, glorify Me
together with
Yourself, with
the glory which
I had with You
before the world
was.
- Jesus Created all things
including us:
- Col 1:15-18 - 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn over all creation.
16 For
by Him all things were created that are in heaven and
that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is
before all things, and
in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is
the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that
in all things He may have the preeminence.
- Hebrews 1:10
- And: "You,
LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And
the heavens are the work of Your hands.
-
Hebrews 1:2 - 1 God, who at
various times and in
various ways
spoke in time
past to the
fathers by the
prophets,
2 has in these
last days spoken to us by
His Son, whom He has
appointed heir of all things,
through whom also He made the worlds;
- Does Jesus have all the attributes of God?
- Yes, Jesus
has all the attributes
that belong only to God.
- Following taken from
Answers in Genesis
- Jesus is
eternal.
- John 1:1 affirms: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The
word was in this verse is an
imperfect tense, indicating
continuous, ongoing existence. When the timespace universe came into being, Christ already existed (Hebrews 1:8–11).
- Jesus is
self-existent.
- As the
Creator of all things (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2), Christ himself must be
uncreated.
Colossians 1:17 tells us that Christ is “before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
- Jesus is
everywhere-present
(Omnipresent).
- Christ promised His disciples, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Since people
all over the world gather in Christ’s name, the only way He could be present with them all is if He is
truly omnipresent (see
Matthew 28:20; Ephesians 1:23, 4:10; Colossians 3:11).
- Jesus is
all-knowing
(Omniscient).
- Jesus
knew where the fish were in the water (Luke 5:4, 6; John 21:6–11), and He
knew just which fish contained the coin (Matthew 17:27). He
knew the future (John 11:11, 18:4), specific details that would be encountered (Matthew 21:2–4), and
knew from a distance that Lazarus had died (John 11:14). He also
knows the Father as the Father knows Him (Matthew 11:27; John 7:29, 8:55, 10:15, 17:25).
- Jesus is
all-powerful
(Omnipotent).
- Christ
created the entire universe (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2) and
sustains the universe by His own power (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). During His earthly ministry,
He exercised power over nature (Luke 8:25),
physical diseases (Mark 1:29–31),
demonic spirits (Mark 1:32–34), and
even death (John 11:1–44).
- Jesus is
sovereign.
- Christ presently
sits at the right hand of God the Father, “angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (1 Peter 3:22). When Christ comes again in glory, He will be
adorned with a majestic robe, and on the thigh section of the robe will be the words, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16).
- Jesus is
sinless.
- Jesus challenged Jewish leaders: “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” (John 8:46). The apostle Paul referred to Jesus as “Him who knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus is one who “loved righteousness and hated lawlessness” (Hebrews 1:9), was “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), and was “holy, harmless, [and] undefiled” (Hebrews 7:26).
- Was Jesus God while He lived here on the
earth?
- Yes, Jesus
is God and He didn't lose his deity
while He lived here on the
earth.
- Matt 1:23
- "Behold, the
virgin shall be
with child, and
bear a Son, and
they shall call
His name Immanuel,"
which is
translated, "God
with us."
- Is 7:14 - Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold,
the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name
Immanuel.
- Hebrews 1:8,9 -
8
But to the
Son
He says: "Your
throne, O
God, is
forever and
ever; A
scepter of
righteousness is
the scepter of
Your Kingdom.
- The virgin birth of
Jesus Christ
proves this.
(GotQuestions.org) The doctrine of the virgin birth is crucially
important (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:27, 34).
- First, let’s look at how Scripture describes the event.
- In response to Mary’s question,
“How will this be?” (Luke 1:34),
- Gabriel says,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).
- The angel encourages Joseph to not fear marrying Mary with these words:
“What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20).
- Matthew states that the virgin
“was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).
-
Galatians 4:4 also teaches the Virgin Birth:
“God sent His Son, born of a woman.”
- From these passages, it is certainly clear that
Jesus’ birth was the result of the Holy Spirit working within Mary’s body. The immaterial (the Spirit) and the material (Mary’s womb) were both involved. Mary, of course, could not impregnate herself, and in that sense she was
simply a “vessel.” Only God could perform the miracle of the Incarnation.
- However,
denying a physical connection between Mary and Jesus would imply that Jesus was not truly human. Scripture teaches that Jesus was
fully human, with a
physical body like ours. This He received from Mary. At the same time, Jesus was
fully God, with an eternal, sinless nature (John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14-17.)
- Jesus was
not born in sin; that is, He had
no sin nature (Hebrews 7:26). It would seem that the sin nature is passed down from generation to generation through the father (Romans 5:12, 17, 19). The
Virgin Birth circumvented the transmission of the sin nature and allowed the eternal God to become a
perfect man.
- Jesus didn't inherit
sin from Mary because she didn't conceive by human contact. So, like us Jesus didn't inherit sin from his parent.
- Jesus does not have sin
nature but has
divine nature.
- Jesus
born sinless and he
has diving nature i.e. he has deity while He live here on the earth.
- Jesus is
fully(100%) God
at the same time Jesus is also
fully(100%) human.
- (DG)
Jesus added
humanity to His
deity,
and lived among us.
-
(WW)
Jesus Christ is
both God and Man
-
Did Jesus use His deity while He lived on the earth?
- Jesus didn't deny
His deity when
His disciple Thomas
called Him as "God",
- John 20:28 - 26
And after eight
days His
disciples were
again inside,
and Thomas with
them. Jesus
came, the doors
being shut, and
stood in the
midst, and said,
"Peace to you!"
27
Then He said to
Thomas, "Reach
your finger
here, and look
at My hands; and
reach your hand
here, and put it
into My side. Do
not be
unbelieving, but
believing."
28
And Thomas
answered and
said to Him, "My
Lord and my
God!"
- Jesus didn't deny
deny His deity
when people worshiped Him:
- Scripture is
emphatic that
only God
can be worshiped
(Exodus 34:14;
Deuteronomy
6:13; Matthew
4:10). In view
of this, the
fact that
both
humans and
angels worshiped
Jesus on
numerous
occasions shows
that He has
deity.
Since, Jesus is God or
He had the deity
while He lives
on earth, He
received/accepted
worship
from
- Thomas (John 20:28),
- the angels (Hebrews 1:6),
- some wise men (Matthew 2:11),
- a leper (Matthew 8:2),
- a ruler (Matthew 9:18),
- a blind man (John 9:38),
- an anonymous woman (Matthew 15:25),
- Mary Magdalene (Matthew 28:9), and
- the disciples (Matthew 28:17).
- Jesus used His
deity or divine power in
following cases
but He didn't use/exercise
it always as per His
convenience.
- Jesus Possesses
the Authority of
God (Answers in Genesis)
- Jesus always spoke in His
own divine authority. He
never said, “Thus saith the Lord” as did the prophets; He always said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you. . . .” He
never retracted anything He said,
never guessed or
spoke with uncertainty, never made revisions, never contradicted himself, and
never apologized for what He said. He even
asserted, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but
My words will by no means pass away” (Mark 13:31), hence elevating His words directly to the realm of heaven.
- Jesus Performs
the Works of God
(Answers in Genesis)
- Jesus’ deity is also proved by His miracles. His miracles are often called “signs” in the New Testament. Signs always
signify something—in this case, that
Jesus is the divine Messiah.
- Some of Jesus’ more notable miracles include
turning water into wine (John 2:7–8);
walking on the sea (Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48; John 6:19);
calming a stormy sea (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24);
feeding 5,000 men and their families (Matthew 14:19; Mark 6:41; Luke 9:16; John 6:11);
raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43–44); and
causing the disciples to
catch a great number of fish (Luke 5:5–6).
- Jesus forgave people
because He is God or He has
deity:
- We all know
only God
can forgive
people. Jesus
forgave people
while He lived
on earth with His own
divine authority.
Following
passage clearly
describe it.
- Mark 2:3-12 - 1
And again He
entered
Capernaum after
some days, and
it was heard
that He was in
the house.
2
Immediately many
gathered
together, so
that there was
no longer room
to receive them,
not even near
the door. And He
preached the
word to them.
3
Then they came
to Him, bringing a
paralytic
who was carried
by four men.
4
And when they
could not come
near Him because
of the crowd,
they uncovered
the roof where
He was. So when
they had broken
through, they
let down the bed
on which the
paralytic was
lying.
5
When Jesus saw
their faith, He
said to the
paralytic, "Son,
your sins are
forgiven you."
- 6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
- 8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--He said to the paralytic, 11 I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
- Jesus has
overcome
all His temptations and
lived sinless.
- Hebrew 4:15
- For we do not
have a High
Priest who
cannot
sympathize with
our weaknesses,
but was in all points
tempted as we
are,
yet without sin.
- In the
Temptation
article I have gone through in detail how Jesus was
tempted in all points as we go through temptations but
He never sinned.
Go through this
article and find out "How did Jesus overcome all His temptations?"
- What does tempt/temptation means?
- Who tempt us? Or Who is the tempter?
- How long the tempter will tempt the
believers? or Is there any end for the
temptation while we live here on the earth?
- Was Jesus tempted while He lived on the earth?
- What does it mean that Jesus was "in
all points
tempted as we are"?
- How was Jesus
tempted as we are?
- Did Jesus overcome all of these temptations without
fall into sin?
- Were these temptations that Jesus has gone through are tough and more challenging compare to what we go through?
-
How did Jesus overcome all His temptations?
- topic and Here also I have
covered how
His Divine Nature
made Him to
stay
connected with
God the father
and how His
Divine
Power
helped Him
overcome
temptation.
- Especially Jesus
did
not used His deity or divine
nature to escape suffering on
the cross. He endured the suffering
while He boring all our
sins on the cross and
totally obeyed God the
father. He didn't
miss use His deity.
- Matt 26:38,39- 38 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me;
nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
- He endured suffering
- Hebrew 2:9,10 -
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and
honor, that He, by the grace of God, might
taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him,
for whom are all things and
by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings.
- Phil 2:5-8 - 5
Let this mind be
in you which was
also in Christ
Jesus, 6
who, being in
the form
of God, did not
consider it
robbery to be
equal with God,
7
but made Himself
of no
reputation, taking
the form of a
bondservant,
and coming in
the likeness of men.
8
And being found
in appearance as a
man, He
humbled
Himself
and became
obedient
to the point of
death, even the
death of the
cross.
- In everyday life Jesus
didn't use His deity. He lived like a
normal human being.
By this way demonstrated
how we need to live.
- He woke up
early morning
and prayed to
almighty God the
Father.
As God He do not
have to pray
because Jesus
and God always
in constant
communication
with each other.
- Mark 1:35 - 35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and
departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.
37 When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”
38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
- Jesus become one
among the
humanity and
consider those
who believe in
Him as brothers,
worshiped God
with them, and
trusted God with
them:
- Heb 2:11-13 -
11 For both
He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one,
- for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
- 12 saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." [Quote from Psalm 22:22]
- 13 And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me." [Quote from Isaiah 8:17,18]
- Whatever Jesus
sees father
doing He does
here on earth
and demonstrated
how we need to
live a obedient
Christian life
to God by doing
whatever God ask
us to do as per
the leading of
the Holy Spirit
- John 5:19 - Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for
whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
-
John 5:30 - I can of
Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because
I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
- That is why Jesus is
our prefect example and our
perfect model that we need to
follow.
- John 13:15 - 13
You call me
Teacher and
Lord, and you
say well, for so
I am.
14
If I then, your
Lord and
Teacher, have
washed your
feet, you also
ought to wash
one another's
feet.
15
For I have given
you an example,
that you should
do as I have
done to you.
-
1 Peter 2:20-21
- 20
For what credit
is it if, when
you are beaten
for your faults,
you take it
patiently? But
when you do good
and suffer, if
you take it
patiently, this
is commendable
before God.
21
For to this you
were called,
because Christ
also suffered
for us, leaving us an
example, that
you should
follow His
steps: 22
"Who committed
no sin, Nor was
deceit found in
His mouth";
23
who, when He was
reviled, did not
revile in
return; when He
suffered, He did
not threaten,
but committed
Himself to Him
who judges
righteously;
24
who Himself bore
our sins in His
own body on the
tree, that we,
having died to
sins, might live
for
righteousness--by
whose stripes
you were healed.
25
For you were
like sheep going
astray, but have
now returned to
the Shepherd and
Overseer of your
souls.
- 1 John 2:6
- He who says
he
abides in Him
ought himself
also to walk just as He
walked.
-
1 John
3:15-16 -
15
Whoever hates
his brother is a
murderer, and
you know that no
murderer has
eternal life
abiding in him.
16
By this we know
love,
because He laid down His
life for us.
And we
also ought to
lay down
our lives for
the brethren.
-
1
John 4:17
- Love has been
perfected among
us in this: that
we may have
boldness in the
day of judgment;
because as He is, so are
we in this world.
-
1 Cor
11:1
- Imitate me,
just as I also
imitate
Christ.
-
Eph 5:1-2 -
1
Therefore
be
imitators of God
as dear
children.
2
And walk
in love, as
Christ also has
loved us
and
given
Himself for us,
an offering and
a sacrifice to
God for a
sweet-smelling
aroma.
-
Col 3:13 -
12
Therefore, as
the elect of
God, holy and
beloved, put on
tender mercies,
kindness,
humility,
meekness,
longsuffering;
13
bearing with one
another, and
forgiving one
another, if
anyone has a
complaint
against another;
even as
Christ forgave
you, so
you also
must do.
-
What
was the main differences between us
and Jesus while He lived on the earth as man?
- Jesus born sinless because
He didn't inherit sin form Mary due to His
miraculous birth but
we are born sinners
because we all inherit
sin from our parents.(Romans 5:12, 17, 19)
-
So, Jesus
remained in divine nature
while He was on earth but we all humans
from birth remain in sin nature.
-
Then, how come Jesus can be an
example to us while we remain in sin nature and
Jesus remained in divine nature while He was on the earth?
- Yes, it sounds unfair
because Jesus remained in divine nature
while He lived on the earth but we all humans
remain in sin nature from
birth.
- But once a person
become believer in Christ or
born again in His Spirit, then
God made a way for all the
believers to
partake in His Divine Nature.
- All believers can
partake the His Divine
Nature to
escape the corruption
that is in the world by the
promises of God
- 2 Peter 1:3b,4
- 3b
through the
knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us
exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be
partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
-
2
Cor 5:17
- Therefore,
if
anyone is in
Christ,
he is a
new
creation; old
things have
passed away;
behold, all
things have
become new.
-
In what ways are believers partakers of the divine nature? (GotQuestions.Org)
- As partakers of the divine nature,
believers do not have to follow the sin nature any more. At salvation,
our old nature is defeated, and we receive a new, divine nature that desires the things of God (2 Corinthians 5:17). We love what He loves and hate what He hates (Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:4).
- As partakers of the divine nature,
believers are no longer enslaved to the passions and sins of the flesh (Romans 6:6, 14). We have
power from on high to conquer every temptation that comes against us (1 Corinthians 10:13).
- As partakers of the divine nature,
believers are made part of the family of God (John 1:12), and this results in a changed life.
- First John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” By giving us His nature, God makes us His sons and daughters and conforms us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 6:18).
- As partakers of the divine nature,
believers have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. God declares that we are “more than conquerors” because of the
power of the Holy Spirit within our hearts (Romans 8:37). Our
Comforter/Advocate/Counselor is with us wherever we go (John 14:16). We will never be forsaken (Hebrews 13:5).
God is faithful to keep His “great and precious promises,” and we praise Him for our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ; for the
gift of the Holy Spirit; and for the everlasting life we enjoy as partakers of His divine nature.
- Not only that:
- For
all believers
Grace and peace be
multiplied through the
knowledge
of God and of
Jesus Christ
- 2 Peter 1:2
- Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
- All
believers
will receive all the necessary
things/power
to live a godly life by God's
Divine Power and
through the knowledge
of Him.
- NIV:
2 Peter 1:3
- His divine power has given us
everything we need for a godly life through our
knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
- 2 Peter 1:3 - as
His
divine power has given to us
all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
- God
the Father and Jesus Christ will
manifest within
believer
who
diligently obey Him.
- John 14:21
- He who has My
commandments and
keeps them,
it is he who
loves Me. And
he who
loves Me will be
loved by My
Father, and I
will love him
and manifest
Myself to him."
22
Judas (not
Iscariot) said
to Him, "Lord,
how is it that
You will
manifest
Yourself to us,
and not to the
world?"
23
Jesus answered
and said to him,
"If
anyone loves Me,
he will keep My
word; and My
Father will love
him, and We will
come to him and
make Our home
with him.
- Like Jesus
Christ we too
can overcome the
world by partaking
the divine
nature
and the divine power
- So, Jesus is our perfect example
that all the believers can follow
because God has given all
believers the necessary things that Jesus used to overcome
the world.
- Do all believers
need to partake the divine nature and divine
power always?
- Yes, all
believers need to partake the
divine nature and divine power
always to live a
victorious and exemplary
Christian/godly life.
- How all the believers can always partake the
divine nature and divine power?
- Always partake
the divine
nature by
-
Continuously
filling by His
Holy Spirit.
- Eph 5:18-21 - 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but
be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
-
Continuously knowing
more about
Jesus
by
reading
the word of God and hold on to the promises
- Col 3:16-17 - 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- Through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord
- Grace and peace be multiplied
- Partake Divine Power and Divine Nature
- 2 Peter 1:2-4 - 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as
His
divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
-
Warnings: Is Jesus lesser than God
the Father? Is Jesus and God the father two
different Gods?
- Since Jesus is Son of God
most of us think He is
lesser than God the Father.
If Jesus is God
then Jesus is equal with
God the Father (read
below for more details). Bible
also clearly teaches that
the Holy Spirit is also
God.
- So, God the
Father, God the Son and God the
Holy Spirit are
equal.
It is easy if Bible teaches that
we have three Gods but Bible
teaches God the Father and God
the Son and God the Holy Spirit
are
one.
They form
one Godhead.
In other words one God in three
persons. This teaching is called
doctrine of Trinity. Even
though it is not easy to
understand or explained with
examples but Christians
need to believe it because the
Bible teaches so.
- Like these there are many complex teachings are there
but people without detail study
with their limited understanding
emphasize certain
portion of the scripture and
miss out important teachings
in the Bible.
Following are few objections
that we may come across while we
read the Bible or hear through
someone else. Beware!
- These objections are answered by
one of the
Answers in Genesis
article:
Answering Objections
- Cults and
false religions
often raise
objections
against both the
deity of Christ
and the doctrine of the
Trinity.
In what follows,
key objections
will be briefly
summarized and
answered.
-
Jesus Is
the Son of God
- Some claim that because Jesus is the Son of God, He must be a lesser God than God the Father. Among the ancients, however, an important meaning of Son of is “one who has the same nature as.” Jesus, as the Son of God, has the
very nature of God (John 5:18, 10:30, 19:7). He is thus
not a lesser God.
- The Father
Is “Greater”
Than Jesus
- Some cults argue that because Jesus said the
Father is “greater” than Him (John 14:28), this must mean Jesus is a lesser God. Biblically, however,
Jesus is equal with the Father in His divine nature (John 10:30). He was
positionally lower than the Father from the standpoint of His becoming a servant by taking on human likeness (Philippians 2:6–11).
Positionally, then,
the Father was “greater” than Jesus.
- Jesus Is the
Firstborn
- Some cults argue that because Jesus is the
“firstborn of creation” (Colossians 1:15), He is a created being and hence cannot be truly God.
Biblically, however, Christ was not created but is the Creator (Colossians 1:16; John 1:3). The term
firstborn, defined biblically, means Christ is “first in rank” and “preeminent” over the creation He brought into being.
- Jesus Is Not
All-Knowing
- Some cults argue that because Jesus said
no one knows the day or hour of His return except the Father (Mark 13:32), Jesus must not be all-knowing, and hence
He must not be truly God. In response, Jesus in the Gospels sometimes spoke from the perspective of His
divinity and at other times from the perspective of His
humanity. In
Mark 13:32, Jesus was speaking from the
limited perspective of His humanity (see
Philippians 2:5–11). Had he been
speaking from His divinity, He would not have said He did not know the day or hour. Other verses show that
Christ, as God, knows all things (Matthew 17:27; Luke 5:4–6; John 2:25, 16:30, 21:17).
- Jesus Prayed
- Some cults argue that because Jesus prayed to the Father,
He could not truly be God. Biblically, however,
it was in His humanity that Christ prayed to the Father. Since
Christ came as a man—and since one of the proper duties of man is to worship, pray to, and adore God—it was
perfectly proper for Jesus to address the Father in prayer. Positionally speaking as a man, as a Jew, and as our High Priest—“in all things He had to be made like His brethren” (Hebrews 2:17)—Jesus could pray to the Father. But this in no way detracts from His intrinsic deity.
- The Trinity
Is Illogical
- Some cults claim the Trinity is
illogical (“three in one”). In response, the Trinity may be
beyond reason, but it is not against reason. The Trinity does
not entail three gods in one God, or three persons in one person. Such claims would be nonsensical.
There is nothing contradictory, however, in affirming three persons in one God (or three whos in one what).
- The Trinity
Is Pagan
- Some cults have claimed
the doctrine of the Trinity is rooted in ancient paganism in Babylon and Assyria. In response, the Babylonians and Assyrians believed in triads of gods who headed up a pantheon of many other gods. These triads constituted
three separate gods (polytheism), which is utterly
different from the doctrine of the Trinity that maintains that there is only
one God (monotheism) with three persons within the one godhead.
These answers proves that
- Jesus was God before
He come to the earth to
live among us
-
Jesus was God and added humanity to His
deity and lived like a normal human
being but without sinning.
-
Jesus is our model and example
that all believers in Christ must follow
Not only that
- Even though He was born
sinless and lived sinless but He
bore all our
sins on the cross and died on our behalf.
This made Him to be perfect sacrifice (atonement
sacrifice or propitiation) that covers all our
sins and fulfilled all the requirements of the
law.
- Jesus puts an end to the fear of death to those
who believe
-
Jesus is God now by
resurrecting from dead and He
lives in Heaven and
enthroned with God at His right hand
-
Jesus is interceding for us as the
great High Priest.
So, Jesus is eternal God. He is same
yesterday, today and forever.
- Heb 13:8 -
Jesus Christ is the
same
yesterday, today, and forever.
- Rev 1:8
- "I am the Alpha and
the Omega, the Beginning and the
End," says the Lord, "who
is and who was and who is to
come, the Almighty."
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