Jesus is God

What is meant by the statement, "Jesus Christ is the Son of God"?

When the statement is made, “Jesus Christ is the Son of God”, it is a declaration to the truth stated clearly in Scripture, that Jesus Christ, our Savior, was fully 100% divine. Jesus being fully God, equal with God, and a member of the Trinitarian Godhead, is critical for the salvation of man. As the Nicene Creed states, “Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made”.

First, Jesus being fully God, is eternal and has always existed. Jesus Christ existed as God before His own birth. “’ I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” John 8:58. Jesus was in a beautiful, glory filled relationship with God the Father and God the Spirit before creation and in eternity past, as part of the equal Godhead, made the covenant with the other persons of the Trinity to redeem a people to themselves.

Next, as part of the plan to redeem a people to Himself, Christ, yet fully God, humbled Himself and took upon flesh and walked the earth. This action of the fully divine Son of God is called the Kenosis of Christ. In Philippians 2:5-8, Paul explains that Jesus, who was equal with God, humbled himself to become a man. Jesus did not give up the attributes of His deity. He gave up the unlimited expression of those attributes to become fully man. Even thought Jesus became fully man, He remained yet fully God, as the Son of God. Jesus remained fully God, equal with the father in all glory, majesty, and power, so He could remain the Savior of His people.

The Bible gives many proofs to Jesus full divinity. Jesus asserted His own deity. “I and my Father are one” John 10:30 (John 5:18). The writers of Scripture asserted His deity (John 1:1, Romans 9:5, Philippians 2:6). He forgave sins, like only God can (Mark 2:5). He had the power to raise people from the dead (John 5:25-26). He was involved in creation (John 1:3). He was worshipped (Philippians 2:11-13, Hebrews 1:6). He was given names of deity (Hebrews 1:8, Revelation 19:16). He was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15). The Bible is clear, Jesus was and is fully God.

Finally, Jesus being fully God is a critical truth that must remain central to the Gospel. Many heresies have come before that refute Jesus as fully God. Marcion pointed a loving Jesus against a vengeful Father. Jesus and the Father are one God, equal in glory and in character, so Marcion was wrong to speak of Jesus’ divine nature in this light. Sabellius taught that Jesus was simply another mode of God. Again, the Bible is clear, Jesus and the Father are two members of the Godhead, not the same person. Jesus was in a unified loving relationship with His Father, remaining yet fully God but separate in person. Arius taught that Jesus was created by the Father. Jesus refutes this claim, Himself by declaring He and the Father are one, God. Jesus has always existed as God. The Bible is clear. Jesus, as the Son of God, is fully God, complete in His divine nature and was, is, and will be always 100% Divine. This alone is what we mean when we rightly declare, “Jesus is the Son of God”.