The Person of Christ - His Deity

January 28th, 2025
by Josh Leis

The Person of Christ - His Deity

The following structure, study questions, and material have been derived from Millard J. Erickson’s book “Christian Theology”, third edition.

STUDY QUESTIONS

Why is the deity of Christ important to the Christian Faith?
What did Jesus say that would support his divinity?
What views have developed that attempt to diminish the deity of Christ?
What implications may be drawn concerning the deity of Christ, and why are they important?

THE BIBLICAL TEACHING

Jesus’ Self-Consciousness
Jesus said he would send his angels (Matt 13:41)
Jesus spoke of God’s Kingdom as his (Matt 12:28, 19:24, 21:31, 21:43)
Jesus’ claimed prerogatives/rights:
- To forgive sins (Mark 2:5-11)
- To judge the world (Matt 25:31-46)
- Authority over the Sabbath (Ex 20:8-11, Mark 2:27-28)
- To be one with the Father (John 10:30)
- To be preexistent (John 8:58)
- To be the Son of God (Matt 26:63-64, John 19:7, 20:28)
- To have his word on the same level as scripture (Matt 5:21-28)
- To have power over life and death (John 5:21, 11:25)
The Gospel of John - The deity of Christ (John 1:1-5, 14)
The Book of Hebrews - The deity of Christ (Heb 1)
The writings of Paul - (Col 1:15-20, 2 Tim 4:1, 2 Cor 5:10
The Term “Lord” - New Testament references to Jesus as “Lord” as quotes from Old Testament passages using a Hebrew name for God (Acts 1:20-21, Rom 10:13 [Joel 2:31-32], 1 Pet 3:15 [Isa 8:13])

HISTORICAL DEPARTURES FROM BELIEF IN THE FULL DEITY OF CHRIST

Ebionism - denied the real or ontological deity of Jesus. According to this heresy, Jesus was an ordinary human possessing unusual gifts of righteousness and wisdom. He was the predestined Messiah, but human. They believe that at Jesus’ baptism, Christ descended upon him. They believed Jesus was primarily human and at his death, Christ ascended from him.
Arianism - This heresy was condemned by the church at the Council of Nicea in 325 and is still around in different forms today, notably the Jehovah’s Witnesses cult. Arianism is a theological doctrine that denies the full divinity of Jesus Christ, asserting that He is a created being who is subordinate to God the Father.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE DEITY OF CHRIST

We can have real knowledge of God (John 14:9)
Redemption is available to us. The death of Christ is sufficient for all sinners who have ever lived, for it was not merely a finite human, but an infinite God who died.
God and humanity have been reunited by God himself.
Worship of Christ is appropriate

Posted in Men\\\'s Bible Study Guide