Introduction: The Central Claim of Christianity
The central question of Christianity is not merely the historicity of Jesus Christ, which is overwhelmingly supported by historical, archaeological, and secular evidence regarding his place (Bethlehem) and time of birth. The true point of controversy and the core of our faith is whether Jesus Christ is truly God—God in the flesh.
While a philosopher may view him as a great teacher, a humanist as a moral reformer, or a Muslim as a prophet, Christians hold an unambiguous, compelling case that Jesus is the Divine Son of God.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
The Scriptures present Jesus Christ as:
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Co-equal with God.
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Co-eternal with God.
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Consubstantial with the Father, sharing the same divine nature and essence.
Part I: Jesus Claimed What Only God Can Claim
Jesus didn’t just perform miracles; he made direct claims about his identity that were understood by his contemporaries as asserting divine equality.
1. Claims of Equality and Divine Essence
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Equality with the Father (John 10:30): Jesus declared, “I and my Father are one.” The context shows this is not merely unity in thought or process, but unity in essence.
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The Jewish Response (John 10:33): The Jews immediately understood this as a claim to deity, stating, “For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” This proves they saw his words as blasphemy—the highest offense—because he equated himself with the one true Deity.
2. Claim of Pre-existence and Eternity
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The “I AM” Statement (John 8:58): Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
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This is not a chronological statement (“I was”). It is a direct declaration of the eternal present tense—the very name of God, Yahweh, revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14 (“I AM THAT I AM”). Jesus was claiming eternal existence before time began.
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3. Acceptance of Worship
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Only God Deserves Worship: Worship is solely reserved for God. Men (Acts 10:25) and even angels (Revelation 22:8-9) instantly and vehemently refused worship, saying, “I myself also am a man,” and “Worship God.”
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Jesus Accepted Worship: Christ accepted worship on multiple occasions, thereby affirming his divine identity:
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After calming the storm (Matthew 14:33).
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After his resurrection (Matthew 28:9).
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From the man he healed (John 9:38).
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Part II: Jesus Possessed What Only God Can Possess
The attributes of God are categorized into communicable (shared with humanity, like love and kindness) and non-communicable (attributes God possesses solely). Jesus Christ explicitly demonstrates the non-communicable attributes of God.
| Non-Communicable Attribute | Description & Key Scripture |
| Eternal | His existence is “from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2; John 1:1-3) |
| Uncreated Creator | He is the uncreated source of all things; everything in heaven and earth, visible or invisible, was created by Him and for Him. (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17) |
| Omniscience | He knows all things—including the inner thoughts and reasonings of others. (John 16:30; John 2:24-25) |
| Omnipotence | All power has been given to him in heaven and on earth; the forces that hold the cosmos together consist in Him. (Matthew 28:18; Colossians 1:17) |
| Omnipresence | He is present everywhere simultaneously. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) |
| Holiness and Sinlessness | He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22) |
| Giver of Life and Forgiver of Sins | He possesses the power to grant eternal life and forgive sins, which only God can do. (John 11:25: “I am the resurrection and the life”; Mark 2:5-7) |
Part III: Explicit Scriptural Declarations and Prophecies
1. Direct Declarations of Deity
The New Testament explicitly calls Jesus Christ God.
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John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
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John 20:28: Thomas declares after the resurrection, “My Lord and my God.”
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Colossians 2:9: “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
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Romans 9:5: Christ is described as “who is over all, God blessed for ever.”
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1 John 5:20: “…Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
2. Old Testament Prophecies Affirming Deity
The Old Testament foretold a Messiah who would not just represent God, but be God.
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Isaiah 9:6: Prophesying the Messiah’s birth and reign, his name is called The Mighty God and The Everlasting Father.
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Isaiah 7:14: His name shall be called Emmanuel, which means God with us.
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Micah 5:2: Though born in Bethlehem, his “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
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Zechariah 12:10: God speaking: “And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced.” This prophecy affirms that the one pierced on the cross would be God himself.
Conclusion: The Trinitarian Evidence and Logical Trilemma
The Trinitarian Evidence
The plurality found within the unified divine identity of God, seen in the Old Testament word Elohim (“Let us make man in our image”), is confirmed in the New Testament.
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At Christ’s Baptism (Matthew 3:16-17): The Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends as a dove—all three distinct persons present simultaneously.
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The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19): Believers are baptized “in the name (singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” showing a single, unified divine identity across three persons.
C.S. Lewis’s Trilemma: Liar, Lunatic, or Lord
If Jesus claimed to be God, received worship, held divine attributes, and rose from the dead, only three logical possibilities remain:
1. A Liar: He knew he wasn’t God but lied.
2. A Lunatic: He genuinely thought he was God but was delusional.
3. The Lord: He truly is who he claimed to be.
Given the depth of his teachings, the integrity of his life, his undeniable miracles, and his resurrection, the first two options are untenable. The only sound logical conclusion is that Jesus Christ is the Lord and the very God of very God—God in the flesh.