Ask Mr. Religion
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Scripture stands against those that would deny the diety of Our Lord . Those that deny this are not within their Scriptural warrant to declare themselves to be professing Christians.
1. Jesus made every created thing (John 1:1-3, Col 1:16-17)
2. God alone made every created thing (Gen 1:1; Isa 44:24)
3. Therefore, Jesus is God
In the above I presuppose Scripture does not contradict itself. But suppose we do not take inerrancy for granted. Well, it is quite unreasonable to imagine that John was attempting to correct Genesis Chapter 1 verse 1. It is obvious John was assuming the truth of Genesis 1:1 so as to demonstrate the same conclusion I have made above.
We can go further...
4. A created thing cannot make itself
5. Therefore, since Jesus made every created thing, Jesus is not a created thing
6. But if Jesus is not a created thing, then He is an eternal, necessary thing (He exists because He must exist)
7. Therefore, Jesus is either [i] something with the same attributes as God, although not God; or [ii] Jesus simply is God
8. [i] defeats God’s omniscience and omnipotence, as well as being unsupported in Scripture; [ii] is theologically unproblematic and attested in Scripture
9. Therefore, [ii]: Jesus simply is God
Some may ask, "Why does implying two gods in the above defeat omnipotence and omniscience?"
Under the assumption of [i], there are two necessary, personal beings (Jesus and God), and they are not the same being. But omnipotence necessarily means God has no external constraint on His power. Therefore Jesus nor God can be omnipotent as each would be an external constraint on the other’s power. Similarly, omniscience involves knowing every truth—but how could one of the two gods know truths about the other god's thoughts? Thus if Jesus is not God, Christianity is ransacked. If Jesus is God, Christianity stands unmolested.
HANDS: A useful memory aid for those who rightly affirm the divinity of Christ
In John 20:25, Thomas expresses his skepticism. Then, in John 20:26, Jesus appears and gives Thomas his requested sign: Jesus shows his hands (and side) to his doubting disciple. Using the acronym HANDS as a mnemonic device, we get an overview of the case for Jesus’ deity:
H – Honors – Jesus receives the honors reserved for God
A – Attributes – Jesus possesses the attributes of God
N – Names – Jesus is identified by the names of God
D – Deeds – Jesus does the deeds of God
S – Seat – Jesus shares the seat of God’s majesty and dominion
Specifically:
1. Jesus receives the honors reserved for God:
Honor – John 5:23
Glory – Heb 13:21, 1 Peter 4:11, 2 Peter 3:18, Rev 5:12-13
Worship – Matt 2:11, Matt 14:33, Matt 28:9, Matt 28:17, Heb 1:6, Rev 5:13-14
Prayer – John 14:14, Acts 1:21-25, Acts 7:59-60, 2 Cor 12:8-9,
Songs – Eph 5:19, Rev 5:9-10, Phil 2:6-11
Faith – John 1:12, John 3:16, John 6:35, John 8:24, Acts 10:43, Rom 9:33, 1 John 3:23
Fear – 2 Cor 5:10-11
Love – Matt 10:37, John 14:21, Eph 6:24
2. Jesus possesses the attributes of God:
Perfect Image/Precise Nature/Fullness of God – John 12:45, John 14:7-10, Col 1:15-19, Col 2:9, Heb 1:3
Eternal –John 1:1-3, John 8:56-59, Heb 1:2
Uncreated – John 1:3, 1 Cor 8:6, Col 1:15-16, Heb 1:2
Immutable – Heb 1:10-12, Heb 13:8
Omnipotent – Matt 28:18-20, Heb 1:3
Omnipresent – Matt 18:20, Matt 28:20, John 1:47-49
Omniscient – Matt 9:4, Mark 2: 6-8, Luke 6:8, John 4:16-18, Acts 1:24, 1 Cor 4:5
Incomprehensible – Matt 11:27, Luke 10:22
3. Jesus identified by the names of God:
God – John 1:1, John 1:18, John 20:28, Acts 20:28, Rom 9:5, Tit 2:13, Heb 1:8, 2 Peter 1:1
Lord – Matt 3:3, Mark 1:3, Acts 2:16-21, Acts 7:59-60, Rom 10:9-17
King of Kings and Lord of Lords – Rev 17:14, Rev 19:16
“I AM” – John 8:57-59, John 18:5-6
First and Last/Beginning and End/Alpha and Omega – Rev 1:7-8, Rev 2:8, Rev 22:12-13 (compare Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12)
4. Jesus does the deeds of God:
Creator of all things – John 1:3, 1 Cor 8:6, Col 1:16-17, Heb 1:2
Sustainer of all creation – Heb 1:3
Ruler of creation – Mark 4: 39-41
Giver of revelation – Matt 11:27
Speaks with absolute and binding authority – Mark 1:22, Matt 7:24-29, etc.
Forgives sins – Matt 9:1-8, Luke 7:47-50, Acts 5:31, Col 3:13
Sends the Holy Spirit – Matt 3:11, Luke 24:49, John 15:26, Acts 2:33,
Gives Spiritual Gifts – Eph 4:8-11
Judges all people – Matt 16:27, John 5:22, Acts 10:42, 2 Cor 5:10, etc.
5. Jesus shares the seat of God’s majesty and dominion:
Equal with God – Matt 9:2-7, John 5:17-18, John 10:30-33
Seated at the right hand of God – Mark 14:61-64, Rom 8:34, Eph 1:20, 1 Peter 3:22, Rev 3:21
Rules over all things – Matt 11:27, Matt 28:18-20, Luke 10:22, Eph 1:22, Heb 2:8
Reigns forever – Luke 1:33, Eph 1:19-21, Heb 1:8, Rev 11:15
AMR
1. Jesus made every created thing (John 1:1-3, Col 1:16-17)
2. God alone made every created thing (Gen 1:1; Isa 44:24)
3. Therefore, Jesus is God
In the above I presuppose Scripture does not contradict itself. But suppose we do not take inerrancy for granted. Well, it is quite unreasonable to imagine that John was attempting to correct Genesis Chapter 1 verse 1. It is obvious John was assuming the truth of Genesis 1:1 so as to demonstrate the same conclusion I have made above.
We can go further...
4. A created thing cannot make itself
5. Therefore, since Jesus made every created thing, Jesus is not a created thing
6. But if Jesus is not a created thing, then He is an eternal, necessary thing (He exists because He must exist)
7. Therefore, Jesus is either [i] something with the same attributes as God, although not God; or [ii] Jesus simply is God
8. [i] defeats God’s omniscience and omnipotence, as well as being unsupported in Scripture; [ii] is theologically unproblematic and attested in Scripture
9. Therefore, [ii]: Jesus simply is God
Some may ask, "Why does implying two gods in the above defeat omnipotence and omniscience?"
Under the assumption of [i], there are two necessary, personal beings (Jesus and God), and they are not the same being. But omnipotence necessarily means God has no external constraint on His power. Therefore Jesus nor God can be omnipotent as each would be an external constraint on the other’s power. Similarly, omniscience involves knowing every truth—but how could one of the two gods know truths about the other god's thoughts? Thus if Jesus is not God, Christianity is ransacked. If Jesus is God, Christianity stands unmolested.
HANDS: A useful memory aid for those who rightly affirm the divinity of Christ
In John 20:25, Thomas expresses his skepticism. Then, in John 20:26, Jesus appears and gives Thomas his requested sign: Jesus shows his hands (and side) to his doubting disciple. Using the acronym HANDS as a mnemonic device, we get an overview of the case for Jesus’ deity:
H – Honors – Jesus receives the honors reserved for God
A – Attributes – Jesus possesses the attributes of God
N – Names – Jesus is identified by the names of God
D – Deeds – Jesus does the deeds of God
S – Seat – Jesus shares the seat of God’s majesty and dominion
Specifically:
1. Jesus receives the honors reserved for God:
Honor – John 5:23
Glory – Heb 13:21, 1 Peter 4:11, 2 Peter 3:18, Rev 5:12-13
Worship – Matt 2:11, Matt 14:33, Matt 28:9, Matt 28:17, Heb 1:6, Rev 5:13-14
Prayer – John 14:14, Acts 1:21-25, Acts 7:59-60, 2 Cor 12:8-9,
Songs – Eph 5:19, Rev 5:9-10, Phil 2:6-11
Faith – John 1:12, John 3:16, John 6:35, John 8:24, Acts 10:43, Rom 9:33, 1 John 3:23
Fear – 2 Cor 5:10-11
Love – Matt 10:37, John 14:21, Eph 6:24
2. Jesus possesses the attributes of God:
Perfect Image/Precise Nature/Fullness of God – John 12:45, John 14:7-10, Col 1:15-19, Col 2:9, Heb 1:3
Eternal –John 1:1-3, John 8:56-59, Heb 1:2
Uncreated – John 1:3, 1 Cor 8:6, Col 1:15-16, Heb 1:2
Immutable – Heb 1:10-12, Heb 13:8
Omnipotent – Matt 28:18-20, Heb 1:3
Omnipresent – Matt 18:20, Matt 28:20, John 1:47-49
Omniscient – Matt 9:4, Mark 2: 6-8, Luke 6:8, John 4:16-18, Acts 1:24, 1 Cor 4:5
Incomprehensible – Matt 11:27, Luke 10:22
3. Jesus identified by the names of God:
God – John 1:1, John 1:18, John 20:28, Acts 20:28, Rom 9:5, Tit 2:13, Heb 1:8, 2 Peter 1:1
Lord – Matt 3:3, Mark 1:3, Acts 2:16-21, Acts 7:59-60, Rom 10:9-17
King of Kings and Lord of Lords – Rev 17:14, Rev 19:16
“I AM” – John 8:57-59, John 18:5-6
First and Last/Beginning and End/Alpha and Omega – Rev 1:7-8, Rev 2:8, Rev 22:12-13 (compare Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12)
4. Jesus does the deeds of God:
Creator of all things – John 1:3, 1 Cor 8:6, Col 1:16-17, Heb 1:2
Sustainer of all creation – Heb 1:3
Ruler of creation – Mark 4: 39-41
Giver of revelation – Matt 11:27
Speaks with absolute and binding authority – Mark 1:22, Matt 7:24-29, etc.
Forgives sins – Matt 9:1-8, Luke 7:47-50, Acts 5:31, Col 3:13
Sends the Holy Spirit – Matt 3:11, Luke 24:49, John 15:26, Acts 2:33,
Gives Spiritual Gifts – Eph 4:8-11
Judges all people – Matt 16:27, John 5:22, Acts 10:42, 2 Cor 5:10, etc.
5. Jesus shares the seat of God’s majesty and dominion:
Equal with God – Matt 9:2-7, John 5:17-18, John 10:30-33
Seated at the right hand of God – Mark 14:61-64, Rom 8:34, Eph 1:20, 1 Peter 3:22, Rev 3:21
Rules over all things – Matt 11:27, Matt 28:18-20, Luke 10:22, Eph 1:22, Heb 2:8
Reigns forever – Luke 1:33, Eph 1:19-21, Heb 1:8, Rev 11:15
AMR