The subject of the deity of Christ is of contention of unbelievers. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Muslims may use the below three verses to say that Jesus is not God. Jehovah Witnesses say that Jesus is an inferior god while Muslims say Jesus is just a prophet or a religious genius. He merely had a public ministry, lived a moral life and had no divine nature.
John 14:28: “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”
1 Corinthians 11:3: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.”
John 20:17: “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
However, Christian people should be able to defend the deity of Christ easily. This article examines the scriptural proofs that Jesus Christ is indeed God. This central doctrine is important in the Christian faith as Christ is the object of faith.
What is the deity of Christ?
According to the Webster 1828, deity’s real meaning is:
1. Godhead; divinity; the nature and essence of the Supreme Being; as, the deity of the Supreme Being is manifest in his works.
2. God; the Supreme Being, or infinite self-existing Spirit.
In other words, the deity of Christ refers to Jesus Christ as God.
Bible Verses proving the Deity of Christ
1) Jesus is God, but He humbled Himself as He took the form of a man and had human nature.
Philippians 2:5-8: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Isaiah 44:6: “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
cf Revelation 1:17: “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:”
2) God the Father is Lord, and Jesus Christ is Lord.
Matthew 11:25: “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
cf Philippians 2:11: “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
They might argue that the above means there are two Lords, but the below proves that there is only one Lord and one God.
cf Ephesians 4:4-5: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”
The context of the below is Jesus speaking in v10. Only Jesus was ever pierced. Jehovah Witnesses might interpret it to say that God the Father’s heart was pierced when He saw His son crucified, but this is unbiblical as no verse says that.
Zechariah 12:10: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”
cf John 19:33-37 – v37 is quoting the above scripture. Thus, Jesus is the Lord.
cf John 19:33-37: “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.”
3) Thomas called Jesus “my Lord and my God”. In v29, Jesus did not deny this. He confirmed it.
John 20:26-29: “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
If Jesus was not God, then Jesus and Thomas committed two grave sins:
1. Thomas took God’s name in vain. The penalty? Stoning to death.
Exodus 20:3: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:7: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
2. There is only one Lord and one God who should be worshipped. If Jesus is not the Lord and God, then He should have corrected Thomas as He did to Satan here:
Matthew 4:10: “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
4) Jesus is mankind’s Savior, came to give eternal life, and has power over the forgiveness of sins.
Titus 3:6: “Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”
cf Isaiah 43:11: “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”
cf Hosea 13:4: “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”
5) God manifested in the flesh. Other modern Bible versions changed ‘God’ to ‘He’, but this refers to Jesus.
1 Timothy 3:16: “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.”
The below verses prove: the Word was God (v1), and the Word was made flesh (v14). These refer to Jesus.
John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:14: “And the Word was made 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.”
6) cf Hosea 13:4 – There is only one God and Savior.
Hosea 13:4: “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”
7) ‘A child is born’ and ‘a son is given’ refer to Jesus. He is also called ‘The mighty God’, ‘The everlasting Father’.
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.”
The context is again Jesus. He was referred to as the Lord of hosts.
Jeremiah 32:18: “Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,”
8) v8 – The Almighty; v11, 17-18 – The first and the last is Jesus. Who else ever died, buried, and resurrected? Only Jesus.
Revelation 1:8: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:11: “Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”
Revelation 1:17-18: “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
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