IS JESUS GOD?
Some say Jesus Christ was just a man , or maybe a great teacher. But He was and is much more than that . The Bible says Jesus is unique in both His person and His purpose . He wasn’ t just some spiritual individual during His time on earth; He was both God ’ s Son ( John 3 : 16) and God Himself —God in human flesh (
I Timothy 3 : 16 ) . Yes , He was fully man , but He was also fully God ( Colossians 2 : 9 ) .
The claims
Jesus claimed to be God . It might be hard to understand how this could be true , but it ’ s important to remember that God is much bigger and more powerful than we can comprehend . We do know that Jesus said He existed before Abraham (
John 8 : 58 ) . He claimed that He and His Father are one ( John 10: 30 ) , and that He is equal with the Father ( John 5 : 17 - 18) .
Not only did He claim to be God , but He also claimed to have the power of God . He said He has the authority to judge the nations ( Matthew 25 : 31 - 46) . He claims the authority to raise people from the dead (
John 5 : 25 - 29 ) and to forgive sins (
Mark 2 : 5 - 7 ) —things only God can do (
I Samuel 2 : 6 ; Isaiah 43 : 25) .
Further , Jesus says He has the power to answer prayers ( John 14: 13 - 14) , and that He will be with His followers always (
Matthew 28 : 20 ) . The New Testament equates Jesus to the creator of the universe ( John 1 : 3 ) , and in John 16: 15 , He says , “All that belongs to the Father is mine. ”
But where ’ s the proof ?
Claiming to be something, as Jesus claimed to be God , doesn ’ t make it true . Where ’ s the evidence that He is God ?
Jesus’ identity isn’ t based solely on what He says , but on what He does . And He has left a lot of evidence that He is God . That evidence includes fulfilled prophecy and recorded miracles in which Jesus reversed the laws of nature . He also lived a sinless life ( Hebrews 4 : 15 ) , something no one else has done .
The ultimate proof of His divinity, however , was His resurrection from the dead after His death on the cross. No one else has ever risen from the dead on his own.