Is Jesus Deity?

Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 start off identically, "In the beginning..." After that Genesis continues, "God created the heavens and the earth." John continues, "In the beginning was the Word" (Greek Logos). The word Logos theologically is a title of Jesus Christ unlike the Greeks definition of the logos which to them simply means: word, discourse or reason, a divine intelligence. Jesus is the Word of God, the Logos personified. 

Its essential I compare the two references; Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 because what John proves is that the Word is preexistent, God in the flesh, and the Creator of the universe. John 1:1-4 reads:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men

The phrase the Word was with God ( pros ton theon) depicts a close intimate relationship with the Father. The English language does not capture the intensity of the perfect relationship between the Father and Son. The phrase the Word was God is extremely important. In the Greek it is: theos en ho logos. The word was is in the imperfect tense. This refers to continuous or linear action in past time.  What this means is that the Greek verb eimi (was) describes the Word's eternal existence, before the beginning of time. Jesus is and has always been the second person in the Trinity.

Proving that Jesus is divine, and He is deity, it should be logical to believe that He is the Creator and sustainer of all things (John 1:3). 

In Colossians 1:15-18 we read, "He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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 (emphasis added). And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in every thing He might be preeminent."

Two words need to be defined here. 1) Image: Greek is eikon. This means Jesus is the same essence as the Father. 2) Firstborn: Greek is prototokos. This is a compound word. Proto means first. The second Greek word is tikto which means to beget or bring forth. So firstborn in this context is making reference to Jesus as a being first and preeminent above all things since He is the creator and sustainer of all things.

Texts that also prove Jesus is God

Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, unto us a child is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah made this prophecy approximately seven hundred years before the birth of Christ.

John 8:58-59 - Jesus said to the religious leaders, "Before Abraham was I AM." The Pharisees knew what Jesus was claiming; that He was the voice of the burning bush (Exodus 3:14); deity so they picked up stones to kill Him, but He was able to escape their threats for it wasn't time for Him to die yet.

The letter "I" is where we get the word ego which is a emphatic personal pronoun (epn). The emphasis is being placed on the person; in this case the Lord Jesus.  AM is the Greek word eimi which means to exist. In English we would use the verb "to be". AM is in the present indicative (pin). The present indicative asserts something is occurring in the present continuously. In essence Jesus was saying before Abraham was born, I was always here.

John 20:29 - When Thomas touched the resurrected Lord's hands and put His hand into His side he said, "My Lord and my God."

Titus 2:13 - while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:9 - Your throne O God, is forever and ever, and the sceptor of your kingdom is a sceptor justice. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; this is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.

In the above verse God the Father calls the Son God - twice! This text along with all the ones I have cited prove Jesus is indeed God in the flesh. He was in eternity past, He was during His first advent, and will be when He returns the second and final time to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

Judgment Is Coming! Are You Ready?

 I believe it is safe to say those that are rich in this world are not looking to die anytime soon if they are rich and happy. Why would they? They are living the "good life" as we say. Sadly, many that are rich in this world may have everything they want materially, but are bankrupt spiritually toward God. That's a horrific state to be in. What is worse, they have no clue that their day of reckoning is near.

Judgment is coming, and none will escape it.

Two rich men: The careless fool and the inquiring pragmatist

Then He (Jesus) told them a parable, saying, The land of a rich man was fertile and yielded plentifully.   And he considered and debated within himself, What shall I do? I have no place [in which] to gather together my harvest. And he said, I will do this: I will pull down my storehouses and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain or produce and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many good things laid up, [enough] for many years. Take your ease; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself merrily. But God said to him, You fool! This very night they [the messengers of God] will demand your soul of you; and all the things that you have prepared, whose will they be? So it is with the one who continues to lay up and hoard possessions for himself and is not rich [in his relation] to God (Luke 12:16-21).

The Lockman Foundation. Amplified Bible (AMP 1987) 

The above describes one who lacks common sense, mental stability and sobriety. This person is reckless and detached from reality. He has no idea that he could die at any moment and after which time he will face the judgment of God. Why doesn't he know this? Because he is a fool and is spiritually dead. A person like this has gained the whole world but is in grave danger of losing his soul if he refuses to repent (Matthew 16:26).

Now we analyze the second man who was a rich ruler.

And a certain ruler asked Him, Good Teacher [You who are essentially and perfectly morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [to partake of eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]? Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me [essentially and perfectly morally] good? No one is [essentially and perfectly morally] good—except God only. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not witness falsely, honor your father and your mother. And he replied, All these I have kept from my youth. And when Jesus heard it, He said to him, One thing you still lack. Sell everything that you have and divide [the money] among the poor, and you will have [rich] treasure in heaven; and come back [and] follow Me [become My disciple, join My party, and accompany Me].

But when he heard this, he became distressed and very sorrowful, for he was rich—exceedingly so. Jesus, observing him, said, How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to enter through a needle’s eye than [for] a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And those who heard it said, Then who can be saved? But He said, What is impossible with men is possible with God (Luke 18:18-27).

The Lockman Foundation. Amplified Bible (AMP 1987) . 

From the reading of the text it appears the rich ruler was genuine in wanting to know from Jesus how he could be saved. Jesus' reply was surprising and I want to analyze it. Jesus said to him, you know the law: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, etc. The ruler replied that he obeyed all of the commands since he was a child. Why didn't Jesus tell him to simply believe on Him only to be saved? Why did Jesus refer to the commands of Exodus 20? Was Jesus implying he had to obey the law to be saved? If so, then this would mean we can be saved by earning our way into the kingdom by our own merits. No. Jesus was testing this man to see if he practiced what he preached.

Since he claimed he kept all the commandments Jesus put that confession to the test. He commanded him to sell everything he owned, give to the poor so that he will have heavenly wealth and follow Him like the disciples did. The rich man was devasted by this revelation; that he had not checked all the boxes on what was required for his salvation. In Matthew's gospel chapter 19:22 it says the ruler walked away sorrowful for he had great wealth. His god was his money. He proved he did not love God by violating the first commandment, "You shall not serve any other gods but Me" (Exodus 20:3). Jesus immediately exposed the rich ruler's hypocrisy by showing him that he did not obey the commandments like he proudly claimed he did. His salvation was no longer a priority if it ever was. Jesus said, "The one that attempts to save his own life will lose it. But he that is willing to lose his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39). He made the worst exchange of all, he was willing to give up eternal riches for temporary ones. As we say today, "He bet on himself" and by default rejected Christ. In the end, he was just as foolish as the first rich man I discussed.

I call this rich man a pragmatist because a person of his ilk will do what works for them, no matter if its moral or right. All that matters is the results fit to get him what he wants. Jesus shattered this rich young ruler's theology by letting him know that the only thing you lack is to be willing to give up the thing you love the most, your possessions. That takes sacrifice and dying to yourself. You see, his version of eternal life was not godly, it was worldly. Like many today, they want heaven here on earth. Perhaps that is what the rich young ruler wanted also. Is it any wonder Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24)?

Jesus also wisely declared, "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon (Mammon is an Aramaic word that means treasure or riches, money Matthew 6:24).

Less I am misunderstood, the rich are not the only ones in trouble here. Those that are middle class and poor are not off the hook. 

The Word of God states for the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God, and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ( 1 Peter 4:17-18)?

I hope the reader understands the severity the Apostle's statement here. First, God will discipline and chastise His own children (Hebrews 12:5-11). Many of us will be punished heavily for our disobedience to the Lord. But rest assured, we will not lose our salvation, but I daresay most of us will be severely warned for our sinful complacency in the kingdom. Can we be honest? Are we being as effective as we can be in the Church? I know I'm not. Oftentimes we are busy about the wrong things and not about the Lord's business. Its time that we all take self inventory and tighten things up. 

Why? Judgment is coming. Are you ready?

For those of you who are not Christians, you currently are under God's wrath because of your willful rejection of Jesus and the gospel (John 3:19,36). You do not have any hope right now because the devil is your father and he desires to kill you (John 8:44). That's the bad news. Here's the greatest news of all time! You can repent right now, today and get it right with God through Jesus Christ. His bloody sacrifice on the cross for yours sins is available for you to receive if you are willing to place your trust in Him. Once you believe in Christ, He takes all your sins away, forgives you, and He adopts you into His family as a son or a daughter. This is the only way anyone is ever saved. No one goes to heaven by being a "good person". God will not accept any sacrifice other than one believing on the One whom the Father has sent (John 6:29).

To attempt to earn salvation another way is a one way ticket to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).

By God's extraordinary love mercy and grace I will escape God's holy wrath. 

Will you? (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

Why Are You Afraid?

 There are numerous things in this world that people fear. A terminal illness diagnosis. Loss of a Job. Not having enough money to pay bills and retire. The welfare and safety of our family. And most of all, the fear of death. So many people do not have an assurance of where they will end up when they die. Most believe and or hope they will end up in a better place because they have convinced themselves they are good. But who determines ultimately who is good and who is evil? Do we or God Almighty? 

It is the latter, God.

The phrase the world is going to hell in a handbasket while poetic and popular is true. This present world is going to burn  - literally! Environmentalists that want to save this world will not succeed. This beautiful planet with all its glory and splendor is disposable. Sorry but not sorry. I'll explain what I mean. 

I am sorry in the sense that I am firm believer that we should do all we naturally can to preserve and protect our natural resources; our forests, parks, lakes, rivers oceans and wildlife. I know there are many organizations that our committed to maintaining a healthy eco system like the U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife and National Park Service. The reason I feel bad for them is because while they are fighting a noble battle now, they CANNOT save this planet. Here's why.

2 Peter 3:10 - But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up (emphasis added).

Verse thirteen provides us the promise of a re-created world: Nevertheless we according to His promise look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13; Isa 65:17; Rev 21:1). So you see, in order for us to inherit the new heavens and earth, the Lord will have to destroy the current one. The one we are living in now is full of unrighteousness so it cannot remain. This old evil place will undergo a literal baptism by fire!

This is why I am not sorry the old earth will be destroyed because of the new one that awaits us.

Who will enjoy the new heavens and new earth?

Only those who have repented of sins and genuinely placed their faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life in the here and now! Time is running out my friend to get it right with the Lord. No one knows when they will draw their last breath and wake up in eternity - either in heaven or hell. 

Those of us who are in Christ have nothing to fear because when we die, we will immediately wake up in heaven. The Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). The Word of God are not just words on a page, they are the heart of God to mankind to internalize so that we are transformed in mind and heart. Without the truth from scripture a person is dead while they are alive. They are a corpse. How? Here it is. Scripture teaches us prior to one's conversion we are dead in our trespasses and sins. The great news is God has made us alive in Christ by regenerating us to newness of life by the Holy Spirit. (Eph 2:1; Col 2:13; Rom 6:4; Titus 2:13). It is the gospel message that saves the soul if it is received by the hearer. What is the gospel? That God in the person of Jesus Christ sent by the Father to come and save sinners from their sins, forgive them once they have believed in Him and His substitutionary work on the cross. Jesus said it plainly to the religious leaders of His day, "unless you believe that I AM He you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). To die in your sins is to die unforgiven; meaning that person will pay for their own sins in a Christless eternity due to rejecting their Lord and Master.

Jesus also gave this very sobering warning: "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28). If you reject Jesus Christ the only way to salvation, you have every reason to be afraid of what is going to happen to you. You need to repent today!

So in summary, a person will be afraid because they do not know what the future holds for them because they are ignorant of Biblical truth. Instead of listening to those of us who do know the truth, they rather play Russian Roulette with their souls and ape what most damned to hell people are saying when a person they love dies, "Well, they went to a better place." That is a deceptive comfort if it is not true. You do not have to roll the dice on your life. Jesus Christ has shown us the way, its Him, alone. He said, "I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me (John 14:6).

I know my eternal future is secure so I am not afraid. 

Do you know if yours is? If you are unsure I urge you to repent of your sins today, trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation so that your future is glorious instead of tragic.

Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth? 

- Galatians 4:16