In His H.A.N.D.S.: How We Can Know That Jesus is God

Airing on
Probe Radio


May
24-28

Don Closson — Defending the deity of Christ can be a source of anxiety for some believers. Perhaps it is because our defense often consists only of a couple of proof texts which are quickly challenged by Jehovah’s Witnesses and others. Even worse, some Christians themselves are troubled by passages that seem to teach that Jesus is something less than God, that He is inferior to the Father in some significant way. They are fine with Jesus being the suffering servant, the Messiah who died for our sins, but less sure of His role in creation or as a member of the triune everlasting “I am” of the Old Testament.

A recent book by Robert Bowman and Ed Komoszewski titled Putting Jesus in His Place is a great confidence builder for those wrestling with this key doctrine. The book offers five lines of evidence with deep roots in the biblical material. The book is organized around the acronym H.A.N.D.S. It argues that the New Testament teaches that Jesus deserves the honors only due to God, He shares the attributes that only God possesses, He is given names that can only be given to God, He performs deeds that only God can perform, and finally, He possesses a seat on the throne of God.

Listen Now
Link to Transcript
(left-click to listen
or download)

 

MEET THE AUTHOR
Don ClossonDON CLOSSON

"Many act as if the deity of Christ is an obscure and difficult theological position to defend. However, the New Testament goes out of it way to argue that Jesus is fully God. This week’s program was frustrating to write because so much had to be left out. I highly recommend that listeners purchase a copy of Putting Jesus In His Place by Bowman and Komoszewski to get the rest of the story."

Don Closson is Director of Administration and research associate for Probe. He has a B.S. in education and an M.S. in educational administration, and the M.A. in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. Before joining Probe, Don served as a public school teacher and administrator.

Email the Author

 

DIG DEEPER

Related Articles:

NAMEThe Deity of Christ
Don considers evidence for the truth-claim that Jesus is God. It examines Jesus' own self-perception, the apostles' teachings, and the beliefs of the early church.

NAMEJesus' Claims to be God
Sue Bohlin wrote this essay in response to a friend's question: 'Can you tell me where in the Bible Jesus claimed to be God?'

NAMEThe Council of Nicea
Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslims point to the influence of the Emperor Constantine on the Council of Nicea in 325 AD and argue that the secular government of Rome imposed the doctrine of the Trinity on the Christian church. In reality, Don says, church leaders were too resilient for such a simple conclusion and Constantine's role more complex than is often presented.

 

Probe Answers Your Questions:

"Did Christ HAVE to be Deity?"

"Where in the Bible Does It Prove that Jesus was 100% Man and 100% God?"

"The Doctrine of the Trinity is Stupid"