Each of us needs to be able to answer this question and give an anwswer for the hope that is in us. Are we able to confidently defend our belief of whether or not Jesus is God, rather than just answering “yes” or “no”?

Did you know that world-wide there are…

1.9 billion Muslims
1.2 Billion Hindus
500 Million Buddhists
1.2 billion Non-Religious People
and billions of other people who follow other smaller religions and traditional beliefs.

That may not shock you, but did you know that according to a recent Newsweek article, 52% of Americans say Jesus isn't God but was a great teacher? How can that be when 63% of Americans claim to be Christians? There is an 11% discrepancy!

This means that millions of people claim to the Christians but don’t believe that Jesus is God. They need your help.

In this article, we are going to explore 4 reasons we can know from the Bible that Jesus is God and was God in human flesh on earth.

#1 He Accepted Worship.

The Bible teaches that God alone is to be worshiped, and Jesus Himself said this to Satan,

“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”’” (Matthew 4:10 | ESV)

At the end of the Book of Revelation, John tried to worship the angel who revealed the vision to him. But the angel rebuked him:

“I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’” (Revelation 22:8–9 | ESV)

When Paul and Barnabas were preaching in Lystra they healed a man. When the people saw this they thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods and tried to worship them, but this was their response,

“…they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ‘Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.’” (Acts 14:14b–15 | ESV)

Jesus Christ, an angel of God, an apostle, and a disciple all said that only God should be worshipped.

On a more negative note, King Herod accepted worship and was struck down by God for it:

“On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not of a man!’ Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.” (Acts 12:21–23 | ESV)

Clearly, if Jesus was not God on Earth he would not have accepted worship. But He did! Here are a few examples:

In Matthew 2:11, the wise men worshiped Him.

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:10–11 | ESV)

You might argue that of course, Jesus accepted it. He was a baby and had no choice! But consider the fact that God allowed the wise men to worship Jesus. If God disapproved, He could have struck them down as an example. But He didn’t, instead recording their example in Scripture for us to learn from. Jesus was worthy of worship even as a baby, but let’s look at some examples of Jesus receiving worship as an adult:

When Jesus healed the blind man and asked him if he believed.
- “He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.“ (John 9:38 | ESV)
When Jesus walked on water and saved Peter from drowning.
- “And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” (Matthew 14:33 | ESV)
When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary saw Jesus after his resurrection,
- “…they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.” (Matthew 28:9 | ESV)
When the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them
- “And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.” (Matthew 28:16–17 | ESV)

Jesus repeatedly accepted worship from his followers. He never stopped them from doing so or attempted to redirect their worship toward God as the angel did with John, and Paul and Barnabas did with the people of Lystra. Neither did God strike Jesus down for accepting worship as He did to King Herod.

#2 Jesus Claimed to be God

Some say that Jesus never claimed to be God. While it is true that Jesus never said the exact phrase, “I am God,” He did say something far more powerful and specific.

Jesus claimed to the I AM.

“So the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.” (John 8:57–59 | ESV)

Why would they want to stone him for simply saying “I AM”? Because they knew that Jesus was claiming to be Yahweh, the One who sent Moses to the people of Israel to rescue them from Egyptian slavery:

“Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”(Exodus 3:13–14 | ESV)

Even Jesus’ enemies knew that Jesus claimed to be God!

“The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.’” (Jn 10:31–33 | ESV)

#3 The Old Testament Prophesies Said that the Messiah would be God.

Isaiah 9:6 says,

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 | ESV)

Jesus fulfilled all of the prophecies concerning the messiah, and here Isaiah says that he would be called “Mighty God.”

#4 The Bible in General Says that Jesus is God.

Consider the beginning of the Gospel of John:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1–3 | ESV)

Skipping down to verse 14,

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 | ESV)

What became flesh? The Word. What is the Word? God. God became flesh.

Some claim that before the incarnation Jesus was God, but when He became flesh He stopped being God. Then at his ascension, He became God again.

Unfortunately, that is not what the Bible teaches. If Jesus wasn’t God while He was on earth, He wouldn’t have claimed to be, nor would he have accepted worship.

Philippians 2 helps us understand this. Unfortunately, the ESV and the NASB have mistranslated this verse.

The ESV says,

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5–7 | ESV)

The NASB says,

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5–7 | NASB95)

But the NKJV says,

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form 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.” (Philippians 2:5–7 | NKJV)

Notice that in the ESV and the NASB, it says that Jesus was in the form of God (past tense).

The Greek word here is a Present Active Participle, meaning that Jesus “has always been and at present continues to subsist” in the form of God. So the NKJV has it right, putting it in the present tense.

When Jesus emptied himself he did not stop being God, but voluntarily accepted the limitations of being a human being. He gave up the independent use of His attributes: His Omniscience, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence.

He was both God and Man.

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