Some people assume without warrant that Jesus is not actually God. For some people, this unwarranted assumption appears to stem from a belief in Him as Son of God.
To paraphrase the words of one intransigent Jehovah Witness, “God” and “Christ” stand not as one in union, but two separate, divine entities acting independently from each other…
Jesus is the Son of God, and God is God. He offered no authoritative support for these assertions.
His unsubstantiated inference of a difference between God and Christ assumed Jesus’ existence as God’s son also purportedly precluded Him from representing God incarnate.
This Jehovah Witness could not reconcile Jesus’ status as representing both God’s Son and the divine personification—living, human embodiment—of God in flesh.
But the Bible reveals otherwise. Consider the following examples:
(1) When Jesus asked Thomas to put his hand inside Jesus in an appearance after the resurrection so he may, “Stop doubting and believe,” Thomas, astonished beyond belief proclaimed, “My Lord and my God.” John 20:27-28.
Notice Thomas’ emphasis of both “My Lord” and “my God.” The added “my God,” after “My Lord,” suggests not only his recognition of Jesus as Lord and Savior but God.
One might contend he perhaps invoked God vainly in his astonishment—a valid, but tenuous conclusion. Thomas never said just “God” “Oh God,” or “Oh my God,” as if to suggest such typical prosaic platitudes commonly referenced for vain, utter amazement. Rather, Thomas uttered “my God,” after my Lord,” in dumbfounded wonder, strengthening the conclusion his sudden awareness reasonably suggested an awareness of Christ as God.
The double my, with God following Lord, both in capitals, strongly suggests both an emphatic recognition of Jesus as God distinguished even from Lord and Savior. Therefore, Thomas’ incredulous reaction to Jesus with the words “My Lord and My God” most strongly support an assumed recognition and belief in Jesus as God.
(2) Jesus cries in prayer, “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you.” John 17:20-21. These words speak perhaps most strongly to Jesus’ divinity as God—a oneness between Him and God in human flesh. The import from this prayer is that only Jesus is “one” with God. The prayer assumes this inference as indicated by Jesus’ desire for all believers to “become one with Him.” Why?
Only He, Jesus Christ, “the Way, Truth, and Life,” coexists with God. John 14:6. That desire indicated in His prayer assumes a future hope by the Holy Spirit He subsequently provides that they, “may” become “one in Him,” as He with God. See Supra. Thus, the assumption inferred here is His identity as God, or one with God, and a craving that all may get to Father God through Him at some later time. Why? No one exuded such oneness in Jesus as He with God at that present time preceding the Holy Spirit subsequently to subsume all disciples. Thus, this testimony of prayer speaks powerfully to Jesus’ divine identity as God.
(3) Hebrews acknowledges the “unchangeable” nature of God’s righteousness as exemplified in His inability to contradict, “lie”, or espouse a duplicitous disposition with opposite outcomes. Hebrews 6:17-18. Human nature—spiritually, anthropologically, philosophically, and ontologically speaking—with its imperfect qualities—tends to change. But not God. This same book of Hebrews also asserts, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. This assertion assumes Jesus is not only human but divine—not only of Himself—but lives as God because only God—not man—remains immutable, constant, unchangeable.
(4) Some Bibles contain the red letters to indicate Jesus’ words. In Revelation, the red lettering signifies Jesus Christ as God. In Revelation 1:8 the red letters of Christ read, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” followed by black letters, “says the Lord God…” The remaining portion of verse 8 resumes in red letters, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8.
No words speak more lucidly here to Jesus Christ speaking as God, for the Bible here plainly provide it in pertinent part! To say otherwise, neglects the Word of God, placing faith in some other source. If that source lacks evidentiary support, it constitutes no more than a mere valueless, subjective opinion that anyone may espouse. But the Bible relies on historical fact as its source of information.
All information assumes faith as to its validity. Ultimately, you decide where to place your faith. Nonetheless, a conjectural conclusion based not on “any firm foundation,” of evidence—e.g., one’s unsupported opinion—provides no authoritative value or reason to infer validity. Matthew 7:25; 1 Timothy 6:19; 2 Timothy 2:19. The Holy Bible features a formidable historical account of truth, grounded in empirical observation by people who entrusted their faith in God. The Scripture here stands uncontroverted.
The volumes speak to Christ and God as one. Christ walked the Earth as a man. Many witnessed Him and trusted in Jesus Christ as Son of God. But the authority above speaks even greater to His divinity, walking as a pure Holy, sovereign human embodiment of God. Thus, the totality of evidence offers probative support to infer that Jesus lived on Earth as God in flesh.