Lesson 3: Christ is Jehovah

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be

upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called

Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting

Father, The Prince of Peace.”

(Isaiah 9:6)

Is the Doctrine of the Trinity Biblical?The Argument

1)There is only one God (Jehovah) 2)The Father is identified as Jehovah 3) Christ is identified as Jehovah 4)Holy Ghost identified as Jehovah

Therefore: God is three and one

‘What is the Doctrine of the Trinity?’(Video: Walter Martin)

“For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am

well pleased.”

(2 Peter 1:17)

“Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen

Abraham? Jesus said unto them, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, before

Abraham was, I am.’ Then took they up stones to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple,

going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

(John 8:57-59)

“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not

thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou

conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.’”

(Acts 5: 3-4)

Is Jesus identified in scripture as God?

Video #2

‘Who is the Alpha and the Omega in the Book of Revelation?”

(Video: Walter Martin)

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and

which is to come, the Almighty.”

(Rev. 1:8)

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every

man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

(Rev. 22:12-13)

[Further identification of speaker]

“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the

churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright

and morning star.”(Rev 22:16)

“Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”

(Isaiah 44:6)

Further Biblical Evidences[Identification of coming

Messiah as “Mighty God”, “Everlasting Father”]

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the

government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the

mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

(Isaiah 9:6)

Christ Identified as ‘Messiah’

“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I

that speak unto thee am he.”

(John 4: 25-26)

God Speaking to God?

“But unto the Son he [God] saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and

ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”

(Heb. 1:8)

And Again?

“For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my

right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

(Mark 12:36)

“A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make

thine enemies thy footstool.“(Psalm 110:1)

“…who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his

person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by

himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

(Heb. 1:3)

Christ’s Equality with God“Let this mind be in you, which was also in

Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But

made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the

likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient

unto death, even the death of the cross.”

(Phil. 2:5-8)

There are numerous passages of scripture where Christ assumes the

role of Jehovah as well as the powers of Jehovah.

“And they asked him, ‘Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?’ And he said to them, ‘Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it

written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they

pleased, as it is written of him.’”(Mark 9:11-13)

(Crossreference - Mal. 3:1 ; 4:5-6)

The Power to Judge the World

“But he [Jesus] remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’ And the

high priest tore his garments and said, ‘What further witnesses do we need? You have

heard his blasphemy.’”(Mark 14:61-64)

“Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death

with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from

you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

(Genesis 18:25)

The Power to Forgive Sins

“And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins

are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak like

that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’”

(Mark 2: 5-7)

Who are sins against?“For I acknowledge my

transgressions and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in

thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be

clear when thou judgest.”(Psalm 51:3-4)

Christ Accepted Worship

“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and

put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord

and my God!’”

(John 20:27-28)

Who alone is to be worshiped?“And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, ‘To you I will give all

this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.

If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘It is

written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

(Luke 4:5-8)

“form”“The Greek word morphe. It is the word that refers to the full set of

characteristics which make something that which it is, as contrasted with the

word schema, which is the external appearance, or façade, which does not necessarily indicate the true nature of

the thing.” (Millard J. Erickson, Making Sense of the Trinity,, p. 20)

“express image”

Translated from the Greek word charakter. This is not merely similarity

of being, but qualitative identity. [Essence]

(Return)

Malachi 3:1“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his

temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says

the LORD of hosts.”Malachi 4:5

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the

LORD comes.”(Return)

What is a ‘person’?One who has the elements of

personality: intellect, emotion, will.“The fundamental point behind the idea of a

personal God is this: God is able to enter into a personal relationship with us.”

“We don’t relate to God in an abstract way, as if he was some diffuse cosmic force or moral principle but in a personal way.”

Understanding the Trinity, Alister E. McGrath

If a theist is going to assert that their god is a “person,” it will be necessary for them to explain what, exactly, they mean by that word in this context. It cannot be assumed that they mean the same thing as whey they describe a human being as a “person.” Whether they do mean the same thing in both contexts or whether they only conceive of an analogous relationship between the two, they will also have to explain what implications this has for the nature of God and our relationship with it.

Personal Relationships with GodBy Austin Cline, About.com

“Who being the brightness of his [God’s] glory, and the express image of his

person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by

himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

(Heb. 1:2)