Identity Crisis - What The Church Has Always Taught

This is the bottom line of this entire series: Jesus is God.

This has been the defining belief of Christians since Peter, John, and Paul. The Church has always held to this doctrine...and belief has always separated those who are truly Christians from those who aren't. We have always believed that Jesus isn't just A son of God (in the sense that you and I are sons and daughters of God). No my friends, Jesus is God the Son.

We've already read Thomas' confession of faith in John 20:27-29 ("My Lord and my God!") - declared only a week after Jesus' resurrection.
We've already seen that Peter called Jesus omniscient in John 21:17 - also spoken before Jesus ascended to Heaven.

But this is by no means the only time we read about the early apostles faith in Jesus' divinity.
As we look at the following passages, make sure you take the time to read each verse carefully!

Stephen

In Acts 7:59, we see the first Christian martyr being stoned to death. As he was dying, we read that Stephen "called on God" by saying "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Paul

In Acts 20:28, Paul was encouraging the elders of the Ephesian church to look after the congregation.
"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."
Whose blood was shed to purchase the church? According to Paul, it was God's own blood - flowing through the veins of Jesus!

In Romans 9:3-5, Paul was discussing the importance of the Israelite people. In verse 5, we read this statement: "...of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen."
Did you read that? Paul just called Christ the eternally blessed God!

As Paul discusses the difference between our God and idols in 1 Corinthians 8, we read this passage:
1 Corinthians 8:4-6 "Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods...yet for us there is one God, the Father of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live."
Clearly, as Paul describes the truth that there is one God, he mentions both the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even when Paul was teaching on the subject of grace, he couldn't help but bring up Jesus' divine nature. Look at Titus 2:11-13
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all me, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."
Jesus is our great God and Savior!

Probably Paul's most amazing declaration of Jesus as God comes from Philippians 2:5-11, as Paul was teaching on the subject of selflessness and its rewards.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form (Greek: "the exact nature of") God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men...Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

In this passage, Paul was directly referring to Isaiah 45:23-24, where Yahweh Himself said that every knee would bow to Him, and that every tongue would confess His name - "the LORD".
Evidently, there will be a day when everyone will declare that Jesus is God!

John

One of the best known teachings of Jesus' deity comes from the pen of the apostle John, in the first chapter of His gospel.

John 1:1,14,17 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth...For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

John leaves no doubt by verse 17 that this Word - the One that was with God and at the same time was God...is none other than Jesus Christ!

Later on, in 1 John 5:20, we read this: "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." 

According to the apostle John, Jesus is the true God!

Peter

2 Peter 1:1 "Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ."

Evidently, Christians had this same faith...that Jesus is our God and Savior.

Clearly, each of the most prominent apostles taught that Jesus is God. Their words leave no doubt that they truly believed this.

Let me close this series with one more passage, from Hebrews chapter 1. Pay attention to the words of these verses, and let them forever settle this in your heart - the same Jesus that saved you IS the YAHWEH of the Old Testament, and He is the God that you serve!

Hebrews 1:5-8

For to which of the angels did He [God] ever say: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You"?

And again: "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son"?

But when He again brings the Firstborn [Jesus] into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him."

And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire."

But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom."

That should be the end of all discussion. The Father Himself called Jesus "God"!