JESUS CHRIST IS GOD

The Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am
God.” That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim
that He is God. Take for example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and
the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His
statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him
for this very reason: “You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John
10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—
deity. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one,” He was saying
that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is
another example. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth … before
Abraham was born, I am!” Jews who heard this statement
responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the
Mosaic Law commanded (Leviticus 24:16). John reiterates the concept
of Jesus’ deity: “The Word [Jesus] was God” and “the Word became
flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in
the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, “Be shepherds of the church of God,
which he bought with his own blood.” Who bought the church with
His own blood? Jesus Christ. And this same verse declares that God
purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God!
Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, “My Lord and my
God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages
us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see
also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, “But
about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and
ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” The
Father refers to Jesus as “O God,” indicating that Jesus is indeed God.
In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship
God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives
worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He
never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not
God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel
in Revelation did. There are many other passages of Scripture that
argue for Jesus’ deity. The most important reason that Jesus has to
be God is that, if He is not God, His death would not have been
sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A
created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not
pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only
God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the
sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected,
proving His victory over sin and death.