The Trinity 17 The Deity Of Christ 6 Series

The Trinity 17

The Deity of Christ 6

Names of God

3/03/13

Think about this for a moment. How would you describe the color green to a person who has been blind all their life? That would a rather difficult task. It would be difficult because the terms you would use such as it is the color of grass, or trees in the summer, those terms would be useless because the person would be unfamiliar with them.

I believe that illustrates the difficulty we sometimes have in explaining the Triune nature of God, because we have nothing to say, what it is like… Because God is like nothing that we know. As I have said that anything we do know about God, comes from God. It must be revealed by God.

And because it is something that is revealed by God, we must treat it for what it is, and that is a very precious gift. So I want you think about this study into the Trinity as just that, a blessed gift from God, for by it we grow in the knowledge in the One who is our Lord and Saviour.

Today we continue to look at the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ and we turn now to the third category, and that is the names of God ascribed to Christ. Though many folks seek to deny it, Jesus Christ is clearly and plainly called God in the NT. Today we will be looking at several passages where the name or names that are used of God are ascribed to Christ. I will also point out that this list is not exhaustive.

Of course one of the most obvious passage calling Jesus God is John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We have already looked at that passage in detail so let us move on to some others.

Please turn with me to John 20. Chapter 20 of the gospel of John begins the narration of the resurrection of Christ. Looking down to vs. 19 we see that Jesus appears to His disciples in a room where they are hiding out of fear of the Jewish leaders. There is however someone missing from the group and that is Thomas.

When Thomas does show up the disciples tell him that they have seen the risen the Lord. Thomas makes the statement, “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.”

Now look at vss. 26-29; “Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.””

The first thing to point out is that Jesus knows of the skepticism of Thomas even though He was not physically present when Thomas made the remark. So when Jesus does appear to the disciple again, this time with Thomas, He turns His attention to Thomas.

Jesus here gives a call to Thomas to believe. We are not told whether Thomas actually touches Christ, but Thomas profession of faith is quite clear as to what he believes ABOUT Christ.

We should note that the text statement that Thomas “answered him”, He is speaking to Jesus. His faith is the fact that Jesus is “My Lord and my God!” There is no reason what so ever, either in the context or other wise for not seeing the Thomas is calling Jesus his Lord and his God.

It must be pointed out that Jesus does not rebuke him. Certainly Jesus would have if He were in fact not God, for no created being that is from God would accept such a title. But rather than rebuke Thomas, Jesus pronounces a blessing on him. Jesus goes on to say that while Thomas believed because he had seen Jesus, Blessed are those who have not seen Jesus physically yet believe.

And believed what? The context is clear, that Jesus Christ is our Lord and God. That is the profession of faith we must make if we are to be as Jesus states here, blessed.

I am at a loss as to how one can read this passage any other way. It is a clear statement of the deity of Christ.

Moving to the next passage I want us to look at, Romans 9:4-5; “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”