It seems this subject comes up at least every 6 months or so.
The answer isn't always a simple yes or no to everyone.
We have modalists, who would.. "sometimes".
We have oneness unitarians who would say ... "never".
We have trinitarians who would say "always".
And even if the answer is yes.... it can be controversial.
He is one of many Gods. (One large cult/church here in the US says we can ALL become Gods)
We have "Jesus only" believers that don't believe the Father or the Holy Spirit are God.
It would seem to be an important subject, not everyone can be right.
Does it matter? To me at least, if you aren't worshiping the right God... you are worshiping a false god.
Why do we think Jesus is God? Why do we believe in a trinity? If you don't know the answers...
why do you believe what you believe? Just because some one else "told you so"?
======================================================================================
In one of the major prophecies about Jesus... He is called "God".. and He is also called "Father".
Does that mean Jesus is the Father? More about that later.
Isa 9:6; For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Another old testament prophecy about Jesus says...
Isa 7:14; "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
OK, so His name is Immanuel, what does that have to do with anything?
Matt 1:23; "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."
Jesus's name actually means... "God with us". It doesn't say "almost God" or "half-God" or even "Gold-like".
It says.. "God with us".
========================================================================================
Some of the more common passages to support Jesus as God are in John 1.
John 1:1; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2; He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3; All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
The "Word" was God, but also... He was "with" God? How can you be "with" yourself?
This Word/God created everything, and nothing was created without Him.
John 1:14; And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:15; John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'"
This Word/God became flesh and dwelt among men. It seems the last time God dwelt among men
from time to time was way back at the beginning of Genesis. John the apostle is talking about John the Baptist here. Now John the Baptist was a cousin to Jesus. ( Luke 1:26; )
John the Baptist was also about 6 months older than Jesus. ( Luke 1:24-27; )
Yet in John 1:15; he says Jesus "existed before me".
============================================================================================
Is Jesus the Son ever called God?
Heb 1:7; And of the angels He says, "WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE."
Heb 1:8; But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.
Heb 1:9; "YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS."
Is Jesus ever called God out-right in the Bible?
Tit 2:13; looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus,
2 Pet 1:1; Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
Both Peter and Paul called Jesus "God" (and Savior).
... to be continued ...
The answer isn't always a simple yes or no to everyone.
We have modalists, who would.. "sometimes".
We have oneness unitarians who would say ... "never".
We have trinitarians who would say "always".
And even if the answer is yes.... it can be controversial.
He is one of many Gods. (One large cult/church here in the US says we can ALL become Gods)
We have "Jesus only" believers that don't believe the Father or the Holy Spirit are God.
It would seem to be an important subject, not everyone can be right.
Does it matter? To me at least, if you aren't worshiping the right God... you are worshiping a false god.
Why do we think Jesus is God? Why do we believe in a trinity? If you don't know the answers...
why do you believe what you believe? Just because some one else "told you so"?
======================================================================================
In one of the major prophecies about Jesus... He is called "God".. and He is also called "Father".
Does that mean Jesus is the Father? More about that later.
Isa 9:6; For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Another old testament prophecy about Jesus says...
Isa 7:14; "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
OK, so His name is Immanuel, what does that have to do with anything?
Matt 1:23; "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."
Jesus's name actually means... "God with us". It doesn't say "almost God" or "half-God" or even "Gold-like".
It says.. "God with us".
========================================================================================
Some of the more common passages to support Jesus as God are in John 1.
John 1:1; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2; He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3; All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
The "Word" was God, but also... He was "with" God? How can you be "with" yourself?
This Word/God created everything, and nothing was created without Him.
John 1:14; And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:15; John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'"
This Word/God became flesh and dwelt among men. It seems the last time God dwelt among men
from time to time was way back at the beginning of Genesis. John the apostle is talking about John the Baptist here. Now John the Baptist was a cousin to Jesus. ( Luke 1:26; )
John the Baptist was also about 6 months older than Jesus. ( Luke 1:24-27; )
Yet in John 1:15; he says Jesus "existed before me".
============================================================================================
Is Jesus the Son ever called God?
Heb 1:7; And of the angels He says, "WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE."
Heb 1:8; But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.
Heb 1:9; "YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS."
Is Jesus ever called God out-right in the Bible?
Tit 2:13; looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus,
2 Pet 1:1; Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
Both Peter and Paul called Jesus "God" (and Savior).
... to be continued ...