Monday, October 2, 2017

“Did Jesus Become God?

    In the July issue of Time magazine there is a full page advertisement of a book entitled How Jesus Became God. Readers are called upon to “Uncover the Extraordinary Story of Jesus Christ.” It was written by Professor Bart D. Ehrman of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He stresses that “the divinity of Jesus was first conceived by his followers, demonstrating how this conception was refined over time to become the core of Christ’s theology that has significantly sharpened our civilization.” Ehrman’s book records 24 lecture titles all of which seek to defend his views apart from what the Bible clearly says about the eternality of Christ. How sad that he published this book!

    Here are a few of the many passages of Scripture which affirm the absolute Deity of Christ. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 5:23, “… So that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” John 8:24, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

    Here is a visual from my book, The God of the Bible and Other gods (No. 1 Iron Oaks Drive, Paris, Ark, 72855: The Baptist Standard, Bearer, Inc., 2009, p. 92). Jesus always was and still is the Son of God, and He will always be the Son of God.

The Father: Eph 4:6, The Son: Heb. 1:8, The Holy Spirit: Acts 5:4