The Deity of Christ (ARGUMENTS AGAINST IT)
The Deity of Christ (ARGUMENTS AGAINST IT)
INTRODUCTION This lesson is in addition to on the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. This precious doctrine is attacked mercilessly in this country so it is good to know "-.the arguments and Scriptures used by these opponents. The material in this lesson is taken from the booklet (an excellent study), "Christ’s Deity," by Efren Alvier, of Manila, and printed by Rangel & Sons.
We list the 21 arguments and a brief reply. For further details purchase the booklet from OMF Publishers or other Christian bookstore.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE HAD FLESH AND BONES AND GOD, BEING A SPIRIT, HAS NEITHER FLESH NOR BONES; John 4:24; Luke 24:39
Jesus Christ as man had both flesh and bones but as God He was a spirit. This objection rises from the problem of the dual nature of the Saviour. In order for the invisible God to become visible He must become flesh and bones.
1 Timothy 2:5, Jesus is a dual personality, ". . . the man Christ Jesus. . ." (man and God) 1 Timothy 3:16, "God was manifest in the flesh," in the person of Jesus Christ.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE CHRIST HAD A BEGINNING AND GOD HAD NO BEGINNING. John 8:42; Psalms 90:2.
Jesus as a man had a beginning when He was conceived of the Holy Ghost but Jesus as God is without beginning and without end. John 8:56-59; Colossians 1:17; John 1:18; Isaiah 9:6.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN CREATED AND GOD HAS NO BEGINNING. Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14.
A true translation of Revelation 3:14 is something like this, "He was the witness of the beginning of the creation of God," not a creation but a witness of the creation.
Proverbs 8:22-23, speaking of wisdom personified in the person of Christ, "Christ was from everlasting, from the beginning or ever the earth was."
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE Hosea 11:9 SAYS THAT GOD IS NOT A MAN, WHILE Ezekiel 28:2 SAYS THAT MAN IS NOT GOD.
Hosea does not say that God could not assume human form of body and flesh.
Nothing is too hard for God, Jeremiah 32:17-18, and He can be manifest in the flesh.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE CALLED GOD HIS FATHER IN Matthew 27:46 and John 20:17.
Jesus as the human Person called God His Father. God in Hebrews 1:8 calls Jesus "God?, but that does not lessen the Father’s position of Deity.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE THE FATHER SENT HIM TO EARTH.
John 8:42. The Father sending the Son to earth (Jesus volunteered to come) does not lessen His position as being the Almighty God. Luke 19:10; 1 Timothy 1:15; Galatians 4:4-5.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE APPEARED WITH FLESH. 1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 1:7. SINCE JESUS IS FLESH, BONES AND BLOOD, HE IS MERELY A MAN AND NO MORE.
Jesus assumed flesh, bones and blood merely for the incarnation. As God He is eternal Spirit but to be our Redeemer it was necessary that He become partaker of humanity.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE GOD IS HIS HEAD ACCORDING TO
1 Corinthians 11:3. In a triumvirate it is necessary that one be the chairman but that does not mean that he is greater than the other two. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal but for administrative purposes the Father acts as the executive administrator.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE IS CALLED MAN IN John 8:40 AND 1 Timothy 2:5.
Jesus was both true God and true man in one person without an intermingling of the two natures. Emmanuel means, "God with us."
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BUT HE IS A SON OF GOD, JUST AS WE MAY BECOME SONS OF GOD.
By conversion we become a "son of God" (John 1:12), but Jesus Christ is the "only begotten Son of God" (John 3:16), a unique and special position.
God’s Son is equal to the Father, Php 2:6, and the saint becomes an heir with Christ.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE THE FATHER GAVE HIM POWER ACCORDING TO Matthew 28:18.
In Php 2:5-8 the Son surrenders this power and God restores or returns it to Him after the resurrection. It was always His but He voluntarily yielded it.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE WAS MADE LORD BY GOD IN Acts 2:36.
It is not made in the sense of a promotion for though He always was God, the Father takes this opportunity to proclaim this fact to all humanity.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE IS SUBJECT TO GOD ACCORDING TO 1 Corinthians 15:28.
This does not refer to Christ’s nature but rather to His position.
Christ voluntarily chose subjection. It was not imposed on Him against His will.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE CHRIST DIED AND GOD IS IMMORTAL AND CANNOT DIE. 1 Timothy 1:17; Luke 23:46 and Acts 2:32.
Jesus as man died but Jesus as God could not and did not die, Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 2:14. It is the physical body that dies. The spirit does not die for it returns to God.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST, Matthew 1:18-20. AS A CREATURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HE IS THEREFORE NEITHER GOD NOR CREATOR.
The humanity of Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit. The Deity of Christ has always existed, John 1:1-2. Jesus existed long before the Virgin Mary.
CHRIST CANNOT BE GOD BECAUSE HE SAID IN John 20:17, "I ASCEND UNTO MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER: AND TO MY GOD AND YOUR GOD."
THEREFORE THE TWO MUST BE QUITE DISTINCT. The Father and Son are two persons but one God, "I and My Father are one," John 10:30. See also John 17:11; John 17:21-22.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE PRAYED TO THE FATHER AND ADDRESSED HIM AS THE "ONLY TRUE GOD." John 17:3 and 1 Corinthians 8:6.
This objection ignores the fact that the Son co-exists with the Father. They are one. They are one in nature (eternal Spirit), but distinct as to office and responsibilities. The Father and Son are indivisibly linked together, Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 12:45.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD FOR IF HE WERE, THEN THERE WOULD BE MORE THAN ONE GOD.
This objection is dealt with in lesson 4 (Pages 14 to 16), under the Trinity.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE HE WAS ONLY AN "IDEA," "WILL" OR "PURPOSE" OF GOD, HAVING NO MATERIAL EXISTENCE OR MATERIAL FORM IN THE BEGINNING.
This is perhaps a play on the words in John 1:1-2, but verse 1 answers it definitely and authoritatively, The Word (Jesus) was GOD." .
CHRIST IS NOT GOD BECAUSE IN John 14:28 HE SAYS, "MY FATHER IS GREATER THAN I "
This refers to His position and certainly not to His being or nature.
Positionally Jesus has chosen a position in subjection to His Father God.
CHRIST IS NOT GOD FOR THOUGH HE IS ONE WITH GOD, THAT REFER MERELY TO ONE IN PASTORING (SHEPHERDING), TEACHING AND JUDGMENT, BUT NOT ONE IN GODHEAD.
The Father and Son are one God (but two persons), co-existing as one Jehovah God. The Father was the Jehovah of the Old Testament, Psalms 23:1, Jesus in the New Testament, John 10:11; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; Revelation 7:17.
CONCLUSION
Jesus Christ is God. He is Jehovah. The Lord Jesus Christ is God Almighty. Though we cannot satisfactorily answer all queries we believe that Jesus is God.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
How can Jesus be God and possess flesh and bones? John 4:24; Luke 24:39.
How can Jesus be God when He had a definite day that He was begotten? Psalms 2:7; Psalms 90:2.
Explain Revelation 3:14, how can Jesus be God and the first being that was created?
Hosea 11:9 says that God is not a man. How then can Jesus be God?
In 1 Corinthians 11:3 God is distinctly called the head of Christ. How then can Christ be subservient and God at the same time?
We are all sons of God by the new birth but that does not make us gods. How then does Jesus as "Son of God" become God too?
If there was a specific day when Jesus was made" Lord," how can He be God? Acts 2:36.
Since God is immortal and Jesus died on the cross, how can He be God? 1 Timothy 1:17; Luke 23:46.
Is John 17:3 and 1 Corinthians 8:6 proof that God the Father is the one and only true God?
J. If Jesus is merely a "Word," according to John 1:1, how can an inanimate idea be God?