DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST

What do we believe about Jesus Christ? 

    -Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

    -Jesus Christ is co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial (same essence) with the Father.

    -Jesus Christ was God manifested in flesh. He was both fully God and fully human. Jesus did not cease to be God when He became human.

 
Historical traces – Christian Groups denying the deity of Jesus Christ.
Ebionites (1st–2nd Century), Jewish-Christian sect. Denied Jesus’ divinity and virgin birth. Saw Jesus as a righteous man chosen by God, not pre-existent. They view Jesus as A human Messiah, adopted by God at baptism
Adoptionism (2nd–3rd Century): They Believed that Jesus was adopted as God's Son at His baptism or resurrection
Paul of Samosata (3rd Century): Denied Christ’s pre-existence.
Arianism (4th Century): Jesus (the Son) is not co-eternal with the Father. He is the first created being, through whom God made the world. There was a time when the Son was not.
Socinianism (16th–17th Century): Jesus did not pre-exist. Was a divinely appointed human teacher and moral example.
Unitarianism (17th–21st Century): God is one person, not three. Jesus is a great teacher, moral leader, and the Messiah, but not God.
 
Unitarians deny the deity of Jesus Christ
Unitarians - God is One (not three persons). They emphasizes the oneness of God, believing that God the Father is the sole supreme being. Jesus is God’s human son, born of a virgin, died and rose again but deny the Trinity and pre-existence of Christ.
 
Prominent unitarian groups today
Church of God General Conference (CoGGC)
Christian Disciples Church / Restoration Fellowship
The Church of God (Seventh Day)
Unitarian Christian Alliance (UCA)
Christadelphians
Spirit & Truth Fellowship International
Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship (UUCF)
 
Responses for the Unitarians’ arguments
Deuteronomy 6:4 – “The LORD is one.”
Unitarian Claim: This verse teaches strict, absolute monotheism, denying plurality in God.
Response: God is one in essence, but three in persons.
 
John 17:3 – “...the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Unitarian Claim: Jesus calls the Father the only true God, excluding Himself.
Response: Jesus is speaking in His incarnate human role, praying to the Father.
This verse does not exclude Jesus from deity; it identifies the Father as God without denying the Son’s divine nature.
 
1 Timothy 2:5 – “One God... and one mediator... the man Christ Jesus.”
Acts 2:22 – “Jesus, a man attested by God...” 
Unitarian Claim: Jesus is clearly identified as a man, not God. 
Response: Jesus is fully man and fully God. These verses reflect Jesus’ earthly ministry in His humanity. 
 
John 14:28 – “The Father is greater than I.”
Unitarian Claim: Jesus admits He is inferior to the Father.
Response: This refers to functional subordination during the incarnation. Jesus voluntarily humbled Himself (Philippians 2:6–8).

John 5:19 – “The Son can do nothing of Himself...”
Unitarian Claim: Jesus lacks divine independence or power.
Response: The verse shows Jesus' perfect unity and obedience with the Father, not inferiority.

     Mark 13:32 – “No one knows... not even the Son...”
Unitarian Claim: Jesus cannot be God if He is not omniscient.
Response: This reflects Jesus’ voluntary limitation in His humanity.
As the incarnate Son, Jesus did not always exercise His divine attributes (Phil 2:6–7). Post-resurrection, He declares all authority has been given to Him (Matt 28:18).
 
Luke 2:52 – “Jesus grew in wisdom...”
Unitarian Claim: Jesus grew in knowledge, which God cannot do.
Response: Jesus had a real human nature and experienced genuine human development. This verse reflects His human consciousness, not a denial of His divine nature. His divine nature was united to His human nature without confusion.
 
Romans 5:8 – “Christ died for us.”
Unitarian Claim: God cannot die; therefore, Jesus is not God.
Response: Jesus died in His human nature, not His divine nature (which is eternal). Death is separation of the soul from the body, not annihilation. Jesus is God who took on flesh precisely so He could die for our sins (Hebrews 2:14).

    John 20:17 – “I ascend to my God and your God.”
Unitarian Claim: Jesus has a God—therefore, He cannot be God.
Response: In His human nature, Jesus rightly calls the Father “my God.”
 
Jesus did not claim that He is God

     Unitarian Claim:  Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus say the words ‘I am God.’ 
Response: Jesus used first-century Jewish expressions to communicate His identity. John 8:58 – “Before Abraham was, I AM” – an allusion to Exodus 3:14, claiming God's name. John 10:30–33 – “I and the Father are one.” Jews tried to stone Him for blasphemy—they understood what He was claiming.
 
Jesus had limitations

    Unitarian Claim: Jesus' limitations prove he was only human. God cannot be tempted or die.
Response: Jesus is both fully God and fully man (hypostatic union).
His human nature could be tempted and could die, but His divine nature remained unchanged.
 
Deity of Christ was invented by early church.

     Unitarian Claim: “The early Church invented the deity of Christ.”
Response: Earliest sources (e.g., Paul’s letters, written within 20 years of the crucifixion) affirm Jesus’ deity. Philippians 2:6–11 – Jesus was “in the form of God” but took human form. 
 
Jesus Prayed

     Unitarian Claim: “Jesus prayed to the Father—how can He be God?”
Response: As the God-Man, Jesus prayed in His humanity (Philippians 2:6–8).

      Son of God not God
Unitarian Claim: “Jesus is called ‘Son of God,’ not God.”
Response: In Jewish context, Son of God meant equality with God (John 5:18).
 
Evidences for the divinity of Jesus Christ

      1. Pre-existence of Jesus  Christ
The following verses claim the pre-existence of Jesus Christ
 
John 1:1–3 – In the beginning was the Word.
John 3:13 - No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
John 6:38 - For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  This is a clear claim of heavenly origin.
John 6:51 - I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
John 8:23 - You are from below; I am from above.
John 17:5 – “Glorify me… with the glory I had with you before the world began.”
Philippians 2:6–7 – “Though He was in the form of God, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped…”
1 Peter 1:19–20 – “...a lamb without blemish… foreknown before the foundation of the world...”Indicating eternity and pre-existence, a divine attribute.
 
2. Incarnation of Jesus Christ
Incarnation refers to the eternal Son of God taking on human nature. The following verses convey the incarnation (God becoming flesh to save humanity)

     Matthew 1:18–25 - Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit, not through natural means. This shows that Jesus’ origin is divine
Luke 1:35 – The angel tells Mary: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you… the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”
Luke 2:11 – The angels announce: “A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” The title “Lord” (Kyrios) often refers to Yahweh in the Greek Old Testament. Luke uses it for Jesus, suggesting divine status.
John 1:1,14 - The Word was God… and became flesh
Philippians 2:5–11: Christ humbled Himself and took the form of a servant
Colossians 2:9 - In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.
Hebrews 2:14–17 : He shared in our humanity
Isaiah 7:14 / Matthew 1:23:  “Immanuel” – God with us
 
3. Works of Jesus Christ proved His divinity
 
Jesus Christ had power over nature
-Turning water into wine : John 2:1–11    
-Calming the storm : Matthew 8:23–27; Mark 4:35–41; Luke 8:22–25               
-Feeding 5,000 : Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–14

      -Walking on water : Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52; John 6:16–21                
-Feeding 4,000  : Matthew 15:32–39; Mark 8:1–10     
-Withering the fig tree : Matthew 21:18–22; Mark 11:12–14, 20–25
-Large catch of fish : Luke 5:1–11; John 21:1–14 
 
Jesus Christ healed all kinds of sickness
-Healing the leper : Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 1:40–45; Luke 5:12–16
-Healing a centurion’s servant : Matthew 8:5–13; Luke 7:1–10
-Healing Peter’s mother-in-law : Matthew 8:14–15; Mark 1:29–31; Luke 4:38–39
-Healing a paralytic : Matthew 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26
-Healing a man with a withered hand : Matthew 12:9–14; Mark 3:1–6; Luke 6:6–11
-Healing a woman with bleeding : Matthew 9:20–22; Mark 5:25–34; Luke 8:43–48
-Healing a deaf and mute man : Mark 7:31–37
-Healing a blind man (Bethsaida): Mark 8:22–26
-Healing a man born blind : John 9:1–12
-Healing ten lepers : Luke 17:11–19
 
Jesus Christ casted out demons
-Casting out demon in synagogue : Mark 1:21–28; Luke 4:31–37
-Healing a demon-possessed mute : Matthew 9:32–34
-Healing the Gerasene demoniac (Legion) : Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39
-Healing a boy with a demon : Matthew 17:14–21; Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–43
-Healing a Syrophoenician woman's daughter : Matthew 15:21–28; Mark 7:24–30
 
Jesus Christ raised dead persons
-Raising Jairus’ daughter : Matthew 9:18–26; Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56
-Raising the widow’s son (Nain) : Luke 7:11–17
-Raising Lazarus :  John 11:1–44
 
4. Jesus Christ displayed divine nature in His suffering
 
Jesus willingly submitted to suffering.
John 10:17–18 : “I lay down my life… No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.” He predicted His arrest and death repeatedly (e.g., Matthew 16:21, Mark 10:33–34).
 
Jesus’ Divine Authority During Trial and Death
-Before the Sanhedrin, Jesus declares: Matthew 26:64 – “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”  This is a direct reference to Daniel 7:13–14, a divine figure worshiped by all nations.
-At the cross: Luke 23:43 – “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” Only God can grant entry into eternal life.
-Jesus dies by His own will: John 19:30 – “He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” He chose the moment of His death, showing divine command over life and death.
 
Cosmic Signs Confirm His Identity.
Several supernatural events occur at His death:
-Darkness over the land (Matthew 27:45) : Symbol of divine judgment or mourning
-Veil torn in the temple (Matthew 27:51) : Symbol of access to God's presence through Christ
-Earthquake & raised dead (Matthew 27:51–53) : Divine power breaking into the natural world
 
Confession of the Centurion
Mark 15:39 – A Roman centurion, seeing how Jesus died, says: “Truly this man was the Son of God!” Ironically, Jesus' divinity is recognized in his suffering and death
 
5. Jesus displayed divine nature in His resurrection and ascension
The divinity of Jesus Christ is most powerfully and unmistakably revealed through His resurrection from the dead. Romans 1:4. “...who through the Spirit of holiness was declared to be the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead—Jesus Christ our Lord.” The resurrection publicly declared what Jesus claimed all along: He is God’s Son with divine authority and power.
 
Jesus Predicted His Own Resurrection.
John 2:19 – “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; Matthew 16:21 – Repeated predictions. None can predict His own death and resurrection with such certainty unless He had divine knowledge and authority. Jesus’ control over His resurrection affirms His divine omniscience and sovereignty.
 
Jesus Raises Himself
John 10:17–18 “I lay down My life that I may take it up again... I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” Jesus claims to have the power over life and death, a power that belongs to God alone (cf. 1 Samuel 2:6).
 
The Exalted Christ After Resurrection
After rising, Jesus is described in divine terms:
-Worshipped by disciples (Matthew 28:9,17), which only God should receive.
-All authority in heaven and earth is given to Him (Matthew 28:18).
-Declared Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).
-Seated at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19; Hebrews 1:3).
-Jesus Is Enthroned at the Right Hand of God Acts 2:33–36
  
ARGUMENTS FOR THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
1. Names of Yahweh in Old Testament applied to Jesus Christ
John 8:58 – “Before Abraham was, I AM.” (echoes Exodus 3:14)
Revelation 22:13 (echoes Revelation 1:8 where God says it)
 
2. Jesus performed Divine Works 
In Jewish thought, only God creates, forgives sin, receives worship, and judges the world.
Creation: John 1:3, Colossians 1:16 – All things were created through Him
Forgiveness of sins: Mark 2:5–7 – Only God can forgive sins; Jesus does it
Judgment: John 5:22 – The Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son
Gives life: John 5:21, John 11:25 – Has authority to raise the dead
Accepts worship: Matthew 14:33, John 9:38, Hebrews 1:6
 
3. Jesus was called God.
John 1:1 - “The Word was God”
John 20:28 - “My Lord and my God” – Thomas speaking to Jesus
Titus 2:13 - “Our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”
Hebrews 1:8 - “Your throne, O God…” (quoting Psalm 45, applied to Jesus)
1 John 5:20 - “Jesus Christ… this is the true God and eternal life.”
 
4. Jesus Claimed Equality with the Father
John 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.”
John 5:18 – The Jews tried to kill Him “because He was… making Himself equal with God.”
John 14:9 – “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
 
5. Jesus Is the Image and Fullness of God.
Jesus as having the very nature and fullness of God, not merely a reflection
Colossians 1:15 – “He is the image of the invisible God…”
Colossians 2:9 – “In Christ all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”
Hebrews 1:3 – “He is the radiance of God’s glory and exact representation of His being.”
 
6. Jesus Was Worshiped
Worship of anyone but God is idolatry in Judaism; Jesus being worshiped implies divinity. Matthew 28:17, John 9:38, Revelation 5:12–14. In the NT, angels and apostles reject worship (Acts 10:25–26, Revelation 19:10), but Jesus accepts it
 
7. Old Testament Prophecies Identify the Messiah as God
Isaiah 9:6 – “Mighty God, Everlasting Father” ...Applies to the coming Messiah
Malachi 3:1 – “The Lord you seek will come to His temple” Fulfilled in Christ entering the temple
 
8. Early Christian Worship and Confessions
Philippians 2:9–11 – Every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord (Kyrios) – a title used for Yahweh in Isaiah 45
1 Corinthians 8:6 – One God, the Father… and one Lord, Jesus Christ — seen as a reformulation of the Shema with Jesus included
Baptismal formula – “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19)
 
9. Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension Confirm His Deity
Romans 1:4 – Declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection
Acts 2:36 – “God has made Him both Lord and Christ”
Ephesians 1:20–22 – Seated at God’s right hand, above all authority and name