The Deity of Jesus

    As a Christian my faith is primarily founded upon the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Without that my faith would be useless. Why do I believe that however?

Let's look at some characteristics of Jesus that could only belong to deity.

• He was in the Beginning. "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." John 17:5 also see: John 1:1 &14
• He was/is sinless. "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth:" 1 Peter 2:21 &22. See also: Hebrews 4:15, 2 Cor. 5:21 and 1 John 3:5
• He had/has the authority to forgive sins. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us." Ephesians 1:7 & 8 See also: Mark 2:3-11
• "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6
• " For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form..." Colossians 2:9

Some of the things He did could only be done by deity.

• He shared in the work of creation. "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones of dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16  See also John 1:1-3 & 10 and Hebrews 1:2
• He upholds all things. "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they." Hebrews 1:3 & 4
• He is our redeemer. " Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." Titus 2:14 See also Ephesians 1:7 and Revelation 5:9
• He will be involved in punishing the wicked. "....When the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believe - for our testimony to you was believed." 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

Jesus made claims that could only be true of Deity.

1. "Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." John 8:58
2. He claimed to be wiser/greater than Solomon. Matthew 12:42
3. "And He was saying to them " "you are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world." John 8:23
4. "I and the Father are one." John 10:30
5. "Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, who do you not believe Me?" John 8:46
6. "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." John 10:17 & 18
7. "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." John 8:24
8. "But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, "Are You the Christ the Son of the Blessed One?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of Heaven." Mark 14:61 & 62
9. "For this is My blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:28
10. "But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." Luke 22:69
11. "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgement." John 5: 28 & 29
12. "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 6:38

These claims that Jesus made are either true or they are false. There is no in between. I believe they (and the many others you can find as you read the gospel) to be true. 

 Many other testified that Jesus was deity - God the Father (Matthew 3:17), John the Baptist (John 1:29-34), The angel Gabriel ( Luke 1:31-35), Philip (John 1:45), The Centurion (Matthew 27:54), Thomas (John 20:27-28) and Peter (Matthew 16:15 & 16).

Do you believe that Jesus is God?