The Deity of Christ (Part 2)

Attributes

That Jesus is called by the identical names given to God, proving him to be God, is beyond dispute. But, that is not the only evidence that identifies him with God- Christ possesses all of the attributes ascribed to God throughout scripture.

Christ is preeminent. Traditionally, this is usually not included among the attributes of God. But, it pertains to Christ; he is superior and above everything. Christ is supreme and transcends or surpasses all things. Similarly, because of who he is and his work, all of history revolves around him and finds its end and purpose in him. History exists for him; it is God directing and orchestrating everything for his glory. Everything!

What saith the scriptures? “He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all” (Jn. 3:31). “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent” (Col. 1:18).

The opening verses of Hebrews makes this point considerably well. It reads, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Heb. 1:1-4). Wow! These verses could not be any clearer- Christ is superior, he is preeminent, above all, and fully reveals God. Christ is God.

Christ is self-existent. Unlike creation, God is not dependent on anything for his existence. He exists uncontingently- in and within himself. He is uncreated. Jesus, too, has life within himself; he is life. As such, Christ is independent and uncreated. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (Jn. 1:4). “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself” (Jn. 5:26).

Jesus shares another attribute with God- they are eternal. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn. 1:1). “Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am'” (Jn. 8:58). “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Rev. 22:13). These verses distinctly teach that Christ was eternal; he always existed with the Father.

Jesus is also immutable. This means that he does not change. God cannot change because he is perfect; he cannot grow, learn, or anything else-perfection cannot be improved upon. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Alluding to the Son, the author of Hebrews also says, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end” (Heb. 1:10-12). Christ will not change. When everything else wears out, dies, withers, and grows old, Christ remains the same.

Christ is even omnipresent. He is right now at the Father's right hand ruling and reigning. Yet, he is with his redeemed. He hears their cries, prayers, praise, jubilance, etc. Not only so, he ministers to his sheep. That is what is so amazing; Christ can comfort me while, at the same time, rejoice with you. God alone is ever present, and if Christ is present everywhere, then it is logical to conclude that he is God.

Two passages in Matthew establish this. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them” (Matt. 18:20). At the end of his gospel, Matthew records the disciples' commission. Near the end, Jesus states, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). We know that there are multiple gatherings and that the disciples went different directions. In order for Christ to be among and with his people in different places, he must be omnipresent.

Christ possesses omniscience. He has perfect and complete knowledge of all things. In Matthew 17:24-27, Jesus knows that a fish will have a coin in its mouth which Peter is to use to pay the temple tax. Matthew 21:1-7 shows that Jesus knew that a donkey and her colt would be tied in the village. His disciples were to untie them and lead them back to Christ in order that he may enter Jerusalem triumphantly. Luke tells of an instance where Jesus again sent disciples into a city to prepare the Passover. They were instructed to follow a man carrying a jar of water (Lk. 22:7-13). Jesus also predicts Peter's denials (Jn. 13:36-38). These are just a few examples; many more could be produced to show that Christ is omniscient.

The scriptures display Christ's omnipotence as well. All power belongs to Christ. He is able to do whatever he pleases in heaven or on earth. Jesus demonstrated his omnipotent power when he created. “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (Jn. 1:3). “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him” (Col. 1:16). Ponder also Hebrews 1:2 and 1 Corinthians 8:6.

Not only is creation ascribed to Christ, providence or the governing and sustaining of creation is likewise. “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). “He upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3). That is power- creating the entire universe and then upholding everything and guiding it to its end.

Christ has power to judge. It takes tremendous power to judge, but to carry out that judgment is something only God can do. God alone has the ability to uphold his judgments and punish offenders. “For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done” (Matt. 16:27). Jesus will be “revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2Thess. 1:7-8). There will be a day when “God judges the secrets of men by Jesus Christ” (Rom. 2:16).

Jesus even has the power to save and forgive sin. “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil. 2:20-21). “He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). “When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:12-14).

John's gospel reveals that Christ has the ability to raise himself from the dead. That's power! “Jesus answered them [the Jews], 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' The Jews then said, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?' But he was speaking about the temple of his body” (Jn. 2:19-21). “'For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again'” (Jn. 10:17-18).

Jesus, as it has been seen, is identified with God throughout the New Testament. This confirms his deity; Christ is God. Only God is preeminent, self-existent, eternal, immutable, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. Simply put, only God has the attributes of God. Scripture is not silent, it speaks and testifies to the deity of Christ. Scripture is replete with examples, as has been demonstrated, that show the divinity of Christ. Nonetheless, there is more evidence. 

 

Excerpt from the author's book The Unsearchable Riches of Christ vol. 1: The Person of Christ