Fortunate indeed are those who see Jesus as sharing with His Father the glorious designation of “God Almighty,” for this belief lies at the very foundation of our faith-only a Saviour who is an Almighty God can save us.—John 8:24.
Our Lord claimed to be the great “I AM,” the great Jehovah, of the Old Testament. “I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.—Revelation of Jesus Christ, 1:8.
No other than the second Person of the infinite Trinity and as such shares with the Father the title of “God Almighty.”
When we stand in the light, we can see the unlimited Divinity of our Lord. Christ is co-eternal with the Father. It is important that each believer obtains a clear understanding concerning the Deity of Jesus, that He is the Creator of all life and all worlds and that employs His almighty power in His redemptive work for mankind as well.
The meagre views so many have had of the exalted character and office of Christ have narrowed their religious experience, and have greatly hindered their progress in the divine life. The divinity of Christ is the believers assurance of eternal life.
In John’s gospel, Jesus repeated His claim of being the I AM, the Almighty Jehovah of the Old Testament: “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.”
The Jews did not misunderstand His claim, for immediately “took up stones to cast at Him: but Jesus hid Himself”…—John 8:58,59. By His declaration of being the I AM, Jesus was seeking to bring the Jewish nation to the point of decision: either they accept Him as the God of Israel, their God, now incarnate in human form, or reject Him. Silence fell upon the vast assembly. The name of God given to Moses to express the idea of the eternal presence, had been claimed by this Galilean Rabbi.
He had announced Himself to be the self existing One, He who had been promised to Israel, ‘Whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.”
From the days of eternity the Lord Jesus was one with the Father. He was equal with God. From eternity He possessed all the attributes, prerogatives and power of Deity. In form and appearance He is the image of God: “The express image of His person.”—Col. 1:15.
“Being in the form of God, [He] thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”—Phil. 2:6. “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”—John 5:17,18.
The apostle Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote: “ BY Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him, and for Him; and He is before all things and by Him all things consist.”—Col. 1:16,17.
In this same epistle Paul wrote: “For in Him [Christ]dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.”-Col. 2:9,10.
Commenting on verse 9, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown say, “The Greek [Theotes] means the ESSENCE and NATURE of the Godhead, not merely the divine perfections and attributes of Divinity [Greek, Theiotes]. He, as man, was not merely Godlike, but in the fullest sense, God.”
We declare that Jesus Christ was not only the Creator, but also the Sustainer of all the worlds — See Hebrews 1:1-3.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”—Hebrews 13:8 Jesus is the foundation of the Christian church: “For no other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”—1 Cor. 3:11; Matthew 16:16-18 “For this is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is non other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”—Acts 4:11,12. Romans 9:33; 1 Cor. 10:4; 1. Peter 2:5-8.
God did not send a messenger, He came Himself. “All things were made by Him [Christ], and by Him all things consists.” “He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth on nothing.”—Job 26:7
And we are looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”—Titus 2:13. Our doubting Thomas fell on his knees before Jesus and recognised Him as My Lord and My God [John 20:28].
Claiming to be the same in person, nature, and attributes, as His Father, Jesus said: “If you had known Me, ye should have known the Father also: and henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him…He that has seen Me has seen the Father.”—John 14:7-11.
Isaiah also prophesied: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be on His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Councellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”—Isa. 9:6 Jesus insisted that the Father and Him are one [Jn 10:30] “The Father is in Me, and I in Him.”—v.38. “I have the power to lay down My life and I have the power to take it again.”—v.17,18.
“And the 24 elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and was, and art to come; because Thou hast taken thee thy great power, and hast reigned.”—Revelation 11:16,17.
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