Jesus

The Word

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Over the centuries there have been many kinds of people who have tried to deny, disprove, and discredit Jesus for who He is by using their own limited intellect and understanding.  Instead of going to God looking for answers about Himself, they ask for answers about God from those who do not know God, or Christ.  They do so in an attempt to lessen His power and authority of Christ over all creation, thus not having to answer to Him for their lives.  Who Christ is, or is not, does not depend on what His creation thinks, but in who He has proven Himself to us to be.

In today’s verse of Scripture, God, through the Apostle John, has revealed to us who Jesus is.  Let’s take a look:

  1. “In the beginning…” – at the beginning of time and all created existence (John 1:3).  Before the world was, Word was (John 17:5).
  2. “was the Word,” – the Word has a name, Jesus, the Christ, who is the manifestation of God to those who don’t know Him, or who are without Him (John 1:18).  Christ is God incarnate.
  3. “and the Word was with God,” – Jesus is a conscious, personal, distinct existence from God, but inseparable and associated with Him (John 1:18; John 17:5; 1 John 1:2).
  4. “was God.” – Jesus is in substance and essence, God. He possesses the same Divinity as God.  There is complete and perfect harmony and unity between God and Jesus. One is not greater than the Other, nor is there ever any contradiction between them.

There are those who believe that Jesus is not God because Jesus Himself says that all power was given to Him (Matthew 28:18), which to them implies that Jesus had no Deity until God the Father imparted it to Him.  That assumption is incorrect.  Here’s what Jesus said,

“Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).”

What Jesus means is that all authority is given to Him by the fact that He is God, the reality of His Deity.  Because of His Deity, He has the power to create, and all authority over all things He has created in the heavens above, and on earth.  Jesus’ Deity is well discussed and proven in the Bible in several different ways:

  1. By His names: 1. God (Hebrews 1:8).  2. Son of God (Matthew 16:16; 26:61-64).  3. Lord (Matthew 22:43-45).  4. King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).
  2. By His Characteristics:  1. Omnipotence (Matthew 28:18).  2. Omniscience (John 1:48).  3. Omnipresence (Matthew 18:20).  4. Life (John 1:4).  5. Truth (John 14:6).  6. Immutable, or unchanging (Hebrews 13:8).”
  3. By His works:  1. He creates (John 1:3).  2.  He sustains (Colossians 1:17).  3. He forgives sin (Luke 7:48).  4. Raises the dead (John 5:25).  5. Judges (John 5:27).  6. Sends the Holy Spirit (John 15:26).
  4. By worship given to Him:  1. By angels (Hebrews 1:6).  2. By men (Matthew 14:33).  3. By all (Philippians 2:10).
  5. By equality in the Trinity:  1. With the Father (John 14:23; 10:30).  2. With the Father and the Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

Please don’t rely on the words of mere mortals and their finite minds.  Though it may take you a while, please read all the Scripture references given so that you can see for yourself what the Bible says, and it will prove to Jesus that you really want to know Him.  Only then will Jesus reveal Himself to you.  Before you do though, pray that God will reveal His truth to you, and He will.

In Christ’s love,

Phil Covone