According to the New Testament, Jesus is more than a teacher or prophet – He claims to be God in human form which caused many Jews to want him dead as an act of sacrilege against their sacred religion.
Jesus demonstrated His divinity throughout His ministry by commanding nature, physical diseases and demon spirits under His control while leading an impeccable moral life.
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1. Jesus is a human
Jesus was born a human (Luke 2:7) and died as one (Luke 23:46), experiencing physical weakness and death as one. Paul taught that when people deny His humanity they are following in the spirit of antichrist (1 John 4:2; 2 John 7).
Although Christ’s conception and birth may appear miraculous, it’s essential that we remember He was fully human. Conceived in Mary’s womb, He took on both genetic material from Mary as well as her experience; thus experiencing fatigue, hunger and temptation from evil just like us – making His life an example for all to follow and his sacrifice on the cross as an exemplar to follow in our own lives.
Another aspect of Jesus’ humanity that shines through is in His experience with sin. According to Scripture, whenever Satan attempted to tempt Him with sinful temptations, He answered each attack from scripture from the Old Testament as proof against his attempts – something impossible had He not been fully human being.
Jesus claimed in His Prayer of Gethsemane that “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), clearly asserting equality with God. This was made clear throughout Scripture: Jesus is described both as Son of God as well as God in both Old Testament and New Testament writings, creating and upholding all things, knowing all truth despite human limitations such as Mark 13:32 where He said He didn’t know when or if his return would take place.
2. Jesus is a prophet
The Old Testament tells Israel that prophets would come from among their fellow Israelites, with Jesus being chosen as the fulfillment of that prophecy. According to Scripture, prophets act on behalf of God by communicating his messages directly to people (Matthew 11:27). Jesus often delivered these messages through parables – stories designed to teach lessons – or made predictions regarding future events.
He claimed he was the Messiah, sent by God to save humanity from its sins. Furthermore, He asserted that He could forgive sins and raise the dead – things only God himself can accomplish.
Some may misinterpret Jesus being called the Son of God as evidence that He is somehow inferior to his Father; however, that does not need to be the case as “Son of God” simply refers to their shared nature – being fully divine yet fully human simultaneously – this process known as hypostatic union.
While Jesus lived on Earth, He experienced hunger and thirst as we do. Additionally, He faced criticism from his own followers, along with witnessing Lazarus’ rejection and death; He is therefore well able to understand our pain. This allows Him to empathize with us and understand what we’re going through.
Christians must keep Jesus at the forefront of their minds as an unparalleled source of moral teachings and salvation for humanity. He came as God incarnate, not simply to impart moral lessons but as the one-and-only way into heaven and hope of eternal life for humanity as a whole.
3. Jesus is a teacher
Jesus was an extraordinary master teacher. His love of truth led Him to teach it to his disciples, while His teachings stressed the necessity of loving one another and God in equal measures, warning against seeking earthly goods at the expense of eternal life.
Jesus mastered both language and teaching methodology, using carefully constructed questions to guide His students in their thought processes and frequently using parables utilizing familiar settings to illustrate His point; He famously taught about weeds that choked out wheat (Matthew 13:36)! Additionally, His actions illustrated His message of generosity through selecting twelve disciples at once and healing untouchables like blind persons and lepers; this represented His new kingdom as being generous instead of oppressive or repressive.
Jesus understood the deep spiritual longing in people, and knew that obedience and service would bring spiritual satisfaction. He connected deeply with his disciples by sharing his personal desire for salvation as well as its promise.
Some cults maintain that Jesus could not foretell when or how He would return (Mark 13:32), thus disproving their claim that He could truly be God as they cannot know all things as He must have known about his return.
This argument overlooks the reality of Jesus being more than a teacher or prophet; He clearly identified Himself in the New Testament as both Son of the Father and Savior of mankind, inviting his followers to baptize in his name; this name included Father, Son and Holy Spirit — three factors associated with monotheism.
4. Jesus is a healer
The New Testament contains many stories of Jesus healing people. The term “heal” (sozo) appears 110 times throughout His Gospels and was an area of emphasis for Him and His followers alike. People flocked to watch his miracles and respond positively; some even sacrificed to Him, a sign that He was divine (Matthew 16:18).
Cults often argue that Jesus’ comment in Mark 13:32 that He didn’t know the day or time of His return proves He is not God. Unfortunately, they ignore the fact that He spoke from His human viewpoint rather than from a divine one and would have had all of our limitations just like us if He were just an ordinary mortal like ourselves.
Furthermore, He healed many sick and suffering people because healing was part of His nature. Furthermore, He created you; He cares deeply about you; He wants to set you free from whatever binds you; His hands are strong; they can restore wholeness.
He took on the curse pronounced upon serpents in Genesis 3:14-15 and bore it for us all on the cross (Genesis 3:14-15). According to Scripture, anyone who looks upon Jesus Christ will be saved (2 Corinthians 1:21) just as those who looked on a pole-borne serpent were healed when looking upon it in the wilderness.
He continues to perform God’s works of healing today by healing the sick and driving out demons from people’s lives. When He looks upon someone suffering, His heart breaks with compassion for them – making them whole in every aspect. He provides hope and meaning in life like food gives sustenance; peace and protection like shepherds do for their flock.
5. Jesus is a sacrifice
Jesus’ sacrifice atoned for our sins and appeased God’s wrath while also reconciling us back into his presence.
Old Testament worshipers frequently offered sacrifices of sheep, bulls and pigeons as acts of devotion to God. Each animal represented their willingness to lay down their life for Him – this act represented true worship that formed part of humanity’s covenant with the divine.
Because Jesus is God, He can offer Himself as an atonement for humanity’s sins. However, many misunderstand this and assume He must have been created instead (Colossians 1:15-17). However, according to scripture He was begotten by Him before all creation (John 17).
Colossians 1:15 refers to Jesus as the “First-born of all creation.” However, this doesn’t refer to His birth; that takes nine months! Instead, this phrase refers to who has first claim on an inheritance or something similar and it is evident that Christ holds this title due to being sacrificed on the cross.
Some Christians struggle with Jesus praying to His Father during His time on Earth, believing this to be evidence that He wasn’t truly divine. Unfortunately, this line of thinking is flawed as Jesus possessed two natures – divine and human – making Him both fully God and fully man – what’s known as hypostatic union.
