Liar, Lunatic, or God
Incarnate?
Jesus
posed the question of questions when he asked, “What do you think about the Messiah?” Matthew
Many people believe that Christ was a good
man, but nothing more. Others believe that he was an angel, or truly a
messenger of God, but certainly not divine.
From Jesus' question in Matthew 22 and
the testimony of the remainder of Scripture, we see that our eternal destiny hangs on our views of Jesus. Jesus made some
very serious claims about himself. We are even told, “Those who reject the Son reject also the
Father; those who accept the Son have the Father also.” I John
If Jesus was a mere man, then he was either an ingenious
liar or a lunatic. We must therefore investigate this crucial matter to
determine whether Jesus was only a man, making him a liar or lunatic, or was
he, indeed, God incarnate?
DID JESUS EXIST BEFORE COMING TO THIS EARTH?
1. In one incident, Jesus said
something that made the
Jews so angry, they wanted to kill him. What angered them so?
Your father Abraham rejoiced that
he was to see the time of my coming; he saw it and was glad." They said to
him, "You are not even fifty years old—and you have seen Abraham?"
"I am telling you the truth," Jesus replied. "Before Abraham was
born, I Am." Then they picked
up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the
The
Father and I are one." Then the people again picked up stones to throw at
him. Jesus said to them, "I have done many good deeds in your presence
which the Father gave me to do; for which one of these do you want to stone
me?" They answered, "We do not want to stone you because of any good
deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!"
John 10:30-33
TEV
Note:
Here Jesus claimed not only pre-existence, but equality with the One eternal
God which had spoken to Moses: “But Moses replied,
‘When I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors sent
me to you,” they will ask me, "What is his name?” So what can I tell
them?’ God said, ‘I am who I am. You
must tell them: “The one who is called I AM has sent me to
you.’ ” Exodus 3:13-14 TEV
2. Who did Isaiah & John say Messiah really was?
A
child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler. He will be
called, "Wonderful Counselor," "Mighty God," "Eternal
Father," "Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 TEV
In
the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. The Word became a human
being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory
which he received as the Father's only Son. John 1:1,2,14 TEV (see also
Micah 5:2)
3. What did Jesus say about his existence before this earth?
Father!
Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the
world was made. John
17:5 TEV
4. Who was the One who actually created the universe?
Through
him [Christ] God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made
without him. John
1:3 TEV
For through him
[Christ] God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen
things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created
the whole universe through him and for him. Christ existed before all things,
and in union with him all things have their proper place. Colossians
5. What testimony did God the Father give?
About
the Son, however, God said: "Your kingdom, O God, will last forever and
ever! You rule over your people with justice. Hebrews 1:8 TEV
And
one shall say unto him, “What are these wounds in thine hands?” Then he shall
answer, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” “Awake, O
sword, against my shepherd, and against the
man that is my fellow!” saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 13:6,7 KJV
Note:
The Hebrew word amiyt, here translated “fellow” means an associate or equal, comparable to our
English word “buddy” or “partner.” Any Jewish scholar will tell you that God
has no “amiyt.” Yet God himself declared his shepherd his “amiyt.”
6. How was he to be recognized by the Father while on earth?
As
soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Then heaven was opened
to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and lighting on
him. Then a voice said from heaven, "This is my own dear Son, with whom I
am pleased."
Matthew 3:16-17 TEV
7. If Jesus was not created, but equal with God, why is he called God's
Son?
For
God never said to any of his angels, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." Nor did God say about any
angel, "I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son." Hebrews 1:5 TEV
Note:
It is clear that Jesus took a position as
God's Son. he says, "Today, I have BECOME your Father; I will be to
you as your Father."
8. Is Christ a "lesser" god?
For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ. Colossians 2:9 TEV
9. Jesus said, “The Father is greater than
I.” Then is the Father greater
than the Son?
So
that all will honor the Son in the same way as they honor the Father. Whoever
does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. John
Note:
In becoming a human being, Christ “emptied himself” of all divine prerogatives:
“Although he existed in the form of God, did not
regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the
form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men.” Philippians
2:6-7 NAS
As a human
being, he became subject to the Father. It is in this context that the Father
is greater than the Son. Yet by intrinsic nature, they are co-equal and
co-eternal.
10. How did Jesus show that he had the power of God and that he was God?
a) he could read the human
heart—John 2:24,25
b) He could foresee the future—John
c) He had creative power—John 6:1-20
d) He had the power to give life—John 5:21
e) His word was infallible—John
f) He had the power to forgive sins—Mark 2:1-12
g) He had the power to raise the dead—John
i) He had the power to change hearts—John
h) He accepted worship—Matthew
Note:
In Romans
In Hebrews
1:6, God the Father himself tells the angels to worship Christ. The
Father's instructions to worship Jesus is
acknowledgment that he is fully God. Jesus accepted worship from the people (Matthew 8:2,
11. Where was the Father when Jesus was on earth?
And
he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ ” Luke 11:2 AMP
Note:
This verse disproves the idea that Jesus was just another manifestation of God,
as some teach. The Father was in heaven, a separate divine Person. In the book
of Daniel and the book of Revelation, we have instances of the Son being
“brought before” the Father and being handed a book from the Father—all
demonstrating that they are two distinct individuals.
12. Since Jesus and the Father are both God, how
many Gods are there?
Hear,
O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD. Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV
Note: The Hebrew word in this verse
translated "one" ("echad") also appears in
Genesis 2:24, speaking of a unit of two persons
who become "one" flesh.
This is contrasted with the Hebrew word for one “yachid”, which stresses
individuality, as in Genesis 22:2. Also, the word “elohim,”
translated into English “God,” actually means “Gods.” Therefore, this verse, so well known to pious Jewish people,
can actually be translated, “Hear, O
13. Is there any reference to God as being more than one Person?
Then God said, "And now we will
make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over
the fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild, large and small."
So God created human beings, making them to be like himself.
He created them male and female. Genesis 1:26-27 TEV
Then
the Lord God said, "Now these human beings have become like one of us and
have knowledge of what is good and what is bad. They must not be allowed to
take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever." Genesis 3:22
Let
us go down and mix up their language so that they will not understand each other. Genesis 11:7
Also
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I
send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:8
Note:
These texts all infer that there were obviously more
than one personal entity. There may have even been more than two!
14. How many times do the angels cry out the word, "Holy" when
praising God?
In
the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on his throne,
high and exalted, and his robe filled the whole
Each
one of the four living creatures had six wings, and they were covered with
eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop singing: "Holy, holy,
holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come." Revelation 4:8 TEV
15. Genesis 1:1 tells us that “In the beginning, God
created the heavens
and the earth.” Colossians
1:16,17 tells us that everything in the universe was
created by Jesus. Was there anyone else present or involved in the creation of the world?
In the beginning, when God created the universe, the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God was moving over the water. Genesis 1:2 TEV
16. Who did Jesus say the Father would send to take his place on earth?
The
Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you
everything and make you remember all that I have told you. John
17. Some people say that the Spirit of God is just his energy, power, and
creative, active force—not a person. Did Jesus refer to the Holy Spirit as a thing?
I
will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with
you forever. He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world
cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him,
because he remains with you and is in you. John 14:16-17 TEV
Note:
Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as a Person, not a thing.
18. How many Persons did Jesus name at his ascension?
Go,
then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 TEV
Note: If the Holy Spirit was merely the Spirit of the Father or a force, it would not be necessary to mention him separately at a person's baptism. But Jesus definitely taught his disciples to use the Holy Spirit's name when baptizing a believer.
Note also that the word "name" is in the singular, and the personal pronoun is used for each Person mentioned here by Jesus. This indicates that each Member of the Godhead named in this command of Jesus' is a divine Person—three distinct persons in One God.
19. Are there any other indications that the Holy Spirit is a person, not
just a "force"?
a) He speaks—Revelation 2:7, Acts 13:2
b) He makes intercession—Romans 8:26
c) He calls to "himself," oversees and
commands—Acts 16:6,7
d) He may be grieved—Ephesians
e) He may be insulted—Hebrews
f) He can be lied to—Acts
5:3
g) He can be blasphemed and sinned against—Matthew 12:31,32
h) He teaches—John 14:26
i) He glorifies Christ—John
j) He counsels—John 14:16
k) He has a mind—Romans
20. How can three Persons be One God? Did Jesus say anything that would
make this easier to comprehend?
And
now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world.
Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so
that they may be one just as you and I are one. John
Note:
The Savior prayed that his disciples would be ONE in mind, ONE in purpose, ONE
in unity, and ONE in love, even as he and
the Father are ONE! Jesus was clearly not praying that the twelve disciples
literally become one entity with twelve heads! How strange that when people
think of the three Persons of the Godhead, they view it as some type of
strange, mysterious Being with three heads! We can
understand that there can be three
strands in one rope. Three persons in one family, three persons in one
committee or board, three persons in
one team.
The perfect unity and harmony that the three members of the Godhead enjoy is such that they are said to be One God.
If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God
raised him from death, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 TEV
A companion question to that of the
Lord Jesus was asked by Pontius Pilate at the trial of Jesus: “What shall I do
with Jesus, which is called Christ?” Every
man is called on not only to decide who Jesus is, but what he will do with the
Lord Jesus: accept or reject him.
As your Friend, the Holy Spirit, teaches you more about Jesus and his Father, do you
choose to accept his teachings and to follow Christ?
Note: For a detailed study
on the Trinity, read the book The LORD God.