by C. Jones (Wales)
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only begotten, eternal and beloved Son of God. The Lord was sent by God His Father, 1Jn.4.9,14, and came down from heaven which had been His eternal dwelling place with His Father, Jn.6.38. He was born of a virgin, Isa.7.14, Matt.1.18-20, and came into the world to save sinners, 1Tim.1.15. He became what He never had been before, that is man, and yet never ceased to be what He always had been from all eternity, is now, and ever shall be, and that is God, Jn.1.1,2. His Deity and Holy Humanity are inextricably linked — God and Man, in One Person. Christ Jesus possesses full Deity eternally. He is very God in His Being, Personality, Nature and Essence.
Paul, who at one time thought he “ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth,” Acts 26.9, wrote in Col.2.9, “in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” In the Lord Jesus the totality of absolute Deity dwells eternally in bodily form. We can truly say “great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,” 1Tim.3.16.
The Lord Jesus Christ “is over all, God blessed for ever,” Rom.9.5. He is “the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ,” Tit.2.13. “Jesus Christ … is the true God,” 1Jn.5.20. He is “our God and Saviour Jesus Christ,” 2Pet.1.1, R.V. Thomas, His disciple, addressed Him as “My Lord and my God,” Jn.20.28, and in Is.9.6 He is referred to as “The Mighty God.” He is equal with God, Phil.2.6, and is the image of the invisible God,” Col.1.15. In Him, “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” Col.2.3. Whereas Adam and Eve sinned, seeking to become like God, Gen.3.5,6, in Christ Jesus we see God voluntarily becoming Man. He was Emmanuel, Isa.7.14, “God with us,” Matt.1.23.
The Lord was omniscient. He knew “all men” and “what was in man,” Jn.2.24,25. He knew “from the beginning … who should betray Him,” Jn.6.64. He knew “all things,” Jn.16.30. In Jn.19.28 we read, “Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.” This shows His Deity in knowing that, up to that moment in time, all the purposes for which He had come to earth had been accomplished. We also see His Humanity in this verse for He was thirsty, and said, in fulfilment of prophecy, Ps.69.21, “I thirst.”
He is omnipresent. He could say, “where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them,” Matt.18.20, and promised to be with His disciples to the end of the age, Matt.28.20.
He is eternal. In Jn.1.1,2 we are told of the Lord's eternal existence. He spoke of the glory He had with the Father “before the world was,” Jn.17.5. He was “before all things,” Col.1.17. The Lord could say, “Before Abraham was, I am,” Jn.8.58. When Moses asked God what he should say to the children when they would ask him for God's name, God said, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you,” Ex.3.14. “I am” is the name of God who has an un-derived, eternal existence, and the cause of His existence is in Himself.
He is immutable. God does not change, Mal.3.6, Jas.1.17, and in Heb.13.8 we read, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day and for ever.”
He forgave sins. All sin is against God, Gen.39.9, Ps.51.4, and God alone can forgive sins, Isa.43.25. The Lord forgave sins, Lk.7.48, Mk.2.5-11. He said to a sick man, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee,” Mk.2.5.
God is Holy, Lev.19.2, and He alone is to be worshipped, Matt.4.10, Ex.34.14. The Lord Jesus Christ is Holy and was worshipped, Lk.1.35, Matt.2.11, Heb.1.6. He accepted worship, Matt.28.9, and will be worshipped, Phil.2.9-11.
All judgment is committed to Him, Jn.5.22, Acts 10.42.
The Lord spoke with all the dogmatism of Deity. He said, “no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me,” Jn.14.6, and whereas the prophets would say, “Thus said the Lord,” Isa.10.24, Jer.2.2, Ezek.5.6, the Lord said, “But I say unto you,” Matt.5.22,28,34,39.
The Lord paid, in full, the penalty for our sins when He suffered, bled and died on the Cross, 1Pet.2.24, 1Pet.3.18, Gal.3.13, 1Jn.1.7. Only One possessed of full Deity could have fully revealed God to men and borne the judgment our sins deserved from a Holy God, Heb.1.1-3. He is the perfect Saviour, and Mediator between God and men, 1Tim.2.5. He possessed full Deity before His incarnation, during His life on earth and throughout His sufferings and death on the Cross. The Lord Jesus Christ is God, and now sits “on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” Heb.1.3.
— to be continued (D.V.)