Is Jesus God?

[CG Didymus]

Hi....
Thankyou for responding to my post, which made mention of my beliefs.
Well, that's a question for you to think about.
As a Deist I already believe that 'all is part of God'....... everything.

I was writing to a Christian, acknowledging his stated beliefs and faith, and then asking him if he could acknowledge my belief.

I suppose it's a game I play, because I can acknowledge just about anybody's beliefs, but I cannot remember any Christian ever just acknowledging mine. I don't usually expect an answer from extreme Christians. Only their particular creed or church has any value at all, I'm guessing.

Yes, beliefs. It's hard to argue against someone's beliefs. The Christian God does seem separate from people. Some Christians say that God is in them... or Jesus is in their heart... or they are filled with the Holy Spirit. But before that what was in them? No God? No Jesus? No Holy Spirit? God was waiting outside of them? Waiting to be invited in? So God isn't everywhere? And Baha'is... who knows what they'll say. But it's interesting what they say about evil and Satan... they'll say that darkness vanishes once the light is turned on. So does that mean God, the light, is not where evil exists?

 

[Trailblazer]

Here's what I found on the manifestations being perfectly polished mirrors...

If God were to be likened to the unapproachable sun, the source of all light and life in our own solar system, then the Manifestations of God might be compared to mirrors that perfectly reflect the sun’s light in a form that human beings are capable of comprehending. “These sanctified Mirrors…are one and all the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty.”3

And here's another one...

"Is the Divine Manifestation, God? Yes, and yet not in Essence. A Divine Manifestation is as a mirror reflecting the light of the Sun. The light is the same and yet the mirror is not the Sun. All the Manifestations of God bring the same Light; they only differ in degree, not in reality. The Truth is one. The light is the same though the lamps may be different; we must look at the Light not at the Lamp. If we accept the Light in one, we must accept the Light in all; all agree, because all are the same."[10]
"These sanctified Mirrors...are, one and all, the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory."[14]

Goodness gracious! ~ Thanks for doing my homework. So now we know that all the Manifestations of God are mirrors that reflect the Light of God, not just Jesus.

You don't know about Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses? I bring it up to Baha'is all the time. So in case you ever read about them in the Bible and then what it says about them in the Baha'i writings, let me tell you what the problem is... Even in Judaism these people were not considered manifestations. Why does the Baha'i Faith make into one?

Of course they were not considered Manifestations in Judaism, that was long before the concept of Manifestations of God was revealed by Baha’u’llah. That was 4000 years ago, but time has marched on and so has God. We have a new Revelation from God which has revealed new information. People living 4000 years ago were not spiritually evolved enough to understand the concept of Manifestations of God and that is why it was not revealed until the present age.

Were these people, especially Adam and Noah even real, historical people? The Bible says that Adam was the first man and that he got cursed by God for falling into temptation? That doesn't sound like a manifestation of God to me. So where does the Baha'i Faith get their information about him? Never mind, I found some stuff on Adam...

Baha’is believe that Adam was a Prophet and the first Prophet in the Adamic Cycle of religion, but humans have existed for about 200,000 years so we know there were many other cycles of religion that preceded Adam.

Same with Noah... Was he and his family the only ones that survived a flood that killed all the other people on Earth? Apparently, the Baha'i Faith writes this, and his age, off as "symbolic"...

Noah and other patriarch years are symbolic[edit]
"Then the Master asked Esmael: "How old was Moses?"

"One hundred and twenty years," he replied. "But the patriarchs, such as Noah and others lived many hundreds of years."

"The Master said: "The age of those ancient prophets as recorded in the Old Testament is symbolic. It has a spiritual interpretation. Wert thou informed of the science of anatomy thou wouldst realize that this human mechanism and these material organs cannot last more than one hundred and twenty years.""

(Attributed to 'Abdu'l-Baha, Star of the West, volume 13, issue 6, p. 152)
Ark and the Flood symbolical[edit]
"The statement in 'Seven Days of Creation' certainly cannot be considered authoritative or correct. The Ark and the Flood we believe are symbolical."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, October 28, 1949: Baha'i News, No. 228, February 1950, p. 4; quoted in Lights of Guidance, no. 1716)
So, again, the Baha'i "truth" about the Bible stories is that they are to be interpreted symbolically. Fine, I don't believe they really happened. But then, why make the characters in the story real, and then make them manifestations?

I think you need to "separate" the stories in the Bible from what actually happened in reality. For a Baha’i, what Baha’u’llah or Abdu’l-Baha wrote is what really happened. Some other things might have happened, but as Baha'is we cannot “know” they happened unless Baha’u’llah or Abdu’l-Baha wrote about them, or unless historians have confirmed that they happened.

Now what about the things said about Jesus? Virgin born? Why would he have to be? Unless you want to make him divine. Able to heal the sick and raise the dead? That is God-like power. Able to forgive sins? Even in the NT, that was the complaint... that only God can forgive sins. Yet, Jesus told a guy his sins were forgiven, then healed the guy of his ailment. Then rising from the dead and appearing and disappearing and then floating off into space. Surely he is God... but he was also a man. So he must be a God/man. And was that a problem believing such things 2000 years ago? I don't think so.

Jesus had the power to forgive sins because Jesus had the power given Him by God.

I do not know if Jesus really healed the sick or raised the dead. Probably He did. Do you know that Baha’u’llah also healed the sick or raised the dead? These are moracles His close followers knew about but Baha’u’llah did not want them to be known becaue He ddod not want people to believe in Him for His miracles: Famous Miracles in the Baha’i Faith

Question.—It is recorded that miracles were performed by Christ. Are the reports of these miracles really to be accepted literally, or have they another meaning? It has been proved by exact science that the essence of things does not change, and that all beings are under one universal law and organization from which they cannot deviate; and, therefore, that which is contrary to universal law is impossible.

Answer.—The Holy Manifestations are the sources of miracles and the originators of wonderful signs. For Them, any difficult and impracticable thing is possible and easy. For through a supernatural power wonders appear from Them; and by this power, which is beyond nature, They influence the world of nature. From all the Manifestations marvelous things have appeared.
Some Answered Questions, p. 100

22: MIRACLES

So for me, still, it might all be real and the exact truth, but I doubt it. But what I absolutely don't believe is that the NT and Bible writers all wrote "symbolic" stories. Fiction yes. That could be have some symbolic meaning? Yeah, sure. But I think their intent was to write a story that was to be believed as true. Stories that got people to fear their God. People got stoned to death for breaking God's laws. Can a symbolic, fictional story do that? Can symbolic fire from heaven that destroys a symbolic city of symbolic people put the fear of God into people and get them to obey? I don't think so.

You might be right that the stories were written with the intention of being believed as true, but bear in mind that they were written a long time a ago when people needed to believe they were true so they would fear and obey God, but we do not have to believe that are true now just because people of the past needed to believe that. Humanity is more spiritually evolved now so people can choose to fear and obey God without these stories. So now looking back, in retrospect we can realize that these stories are fictional, symbolic, even if that was not the original intention of the authors.

So, same thing with Jesus. Why lesson to him? Is he just a man? Then forget it. But what if he was God in the flesh come down to teach them? And that's what I think they did. They put a lot of myth and legends into the Jesus story to make him a God/man. So what were the early Christians supposed to do? Of course, vote on it. And who's going to vote against Jesus being God? I don't have a problem not believing all those Bible stories and the NT stories, but I do have a problem with how they are explained away by the Baha'is.

In keeping with what I just said above, maybe people had to believe that Jesus was God in the past, but that does not mean that they have to continue believing that in the present. Now we have another explanation that makes more sense. Jesus was a Manifestation of God with a twofold nature, so Jesus had a human nature divine nature, but He was not actually God incarnated in the flesh.

I just explained what I think about the Bible stories. Do you have a problem with my explanation?

 

[Truthseeker]

This is what it seems like.

So Truthseeker... What are the true stories about Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses? In those stories, are they perfectly polished mirrors?

For me, I don't know if the Biblical stories are true or if they are mere myths. I lean toward them being myths. But then, why call the Bible "God's Word"? But Baha'is, having their cake and eating it too, say how great the Bible is on one hand then say it is not 100% authoritative. But then take most everything that Jews and Christians believe about it and change the interpretation. Which is fine for you, and most of us here will listen to you and the interpretations of other Baha'is, but lots of us don't believe them to be true. But, Christians do the same thing to the Jews. They see everything they need to see in the Bible to show how their interpretations are correct.

I agree with Jews... the way they interpret their own Scriptures, Jesus is not only not God, he is not their Messiah. Then I can also see how evangelical Christians can say that because of the way they interpret the NT and the Bible that Jesus is God, is the Messiah and is coming back. But I don't see in Judaism nor in Christianity that Adam, Noah, Abraham and even Moses were manifestations. Therefore, God gave them misinformation? God let people write "Scriptures" and say things that weren't true? Maybe. But then the Bible and the NT should not be called "Scripture" or "God's Word". They be nothing more than people telling, and making up stories, about their God and their prophets. And why would any of that be true?

Except, the cake and eating too of the Baha'is. Baha'is need it to be true, in one sense, and untrue in another. God knows best? I don't think so. Not if he let people write things about him and his prophets that weren't accurate. Ah yes, they were true, the serpent deceived Adam and Eve, Moses parted the seas, Jesus rose from the dead... but only symbolically. And with that Baha'is make everything they want to true, but only if interpreted symbolically... and false, if taken literally.

I don't have the answer to your questions. For one thing, I suspect you are taking one Baha'is opinion, and confusing them to another perhaps. I haven't been trying to answer your questions long enough to know what other Baha'i have said to you. At any rate, you are definitely confused abut our answers. My opinion is that the Old Testament is inaccurate as history, but I'm not sure what to think about how much of it is symbolic. I don't think that the 10 plagues of Egypt happened at all, but I am confused myself whether It is symbolic or that it just something that someone made up to make God seem more awesome because it made a good story for them. That's an example. Sometimes I wish the Old Testament never existed because it confuses everything and it has made many people become non-religious because they take it literally or doubt that any of it happened. That's my honest answer. I am on the autism spectrum, and as someone else has said elsewhere in this forum those on the autism spectrum are honest. I am too honest I think sometimes.

However, I do believe, because the central figures of our faith said so, and I do have faith in them, that Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses were Manifestations of God, and stainless manifestations of God's light. However they are shrouded by inaccuracies in the end end doesn't matter in the end or whether this or that is symbolic or simply stories the Jews liked to tell, which they may or may not have told to be symbolic of a greater truth.

 

[Truthseeker]

Sorry, I have to opt out on this because I do not know enough about them, but who said that they were all "perfectly" polished mirrors? Not Baha'u'lalh or Abdu'l-Baha or Shoghi Effendi. Abdu'l-Baha only referred to Jesus as a perfectly polished mirror.

In the Iqan Baha'u'llah said all of the Manifestations of God manifested all the attributes of God whether it was outwarded revealed or not and that they all represented God.

It hath therefore become manifest and evident that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though the light of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed from these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of Detachment doth in no wise imply that they Who are the Daysprings of God’s attributes and the Treasuries of His holy names did not actually possess it.
Bahá’u’lláh, "The Kitáb-i-Íqán", 110

He didn't have to say "perfectly polished mirror". What He says here is the equivalent of that, in my opinion.

He also said:

Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: “I am God!” He verily speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation of God, His name and His attributes, are made manifest in the world.
Bahá’u’lláh, "The Kitáb-i-Íqán", 196

 

[Trailblazer]

It hath therefore become manifest and evident that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though the light of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed from these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of Detachment doth in no wise imply that they Who are the Daysprings of God’s attributes and the Treasuries of His holy names did not actually possess it.
Bahá’u’lláh, "The Kitáb-i-Íqán", 110

I am sure I have red that before but I forgot it. That is very important because it explains why these Manifestations had these attributes even though we could not see them outwardly manifested.

 

[Truthseeker]

I believe that Pantheism is all about an 'Aware, involved' God.

Not according to most pantheists, I don't think. They see pantheism as similar to Deists. I don't know all the in or outs.

The Baha'i Faith view is viewed by some Baha'is as panentheists, that is, as within the creation, but at the same time time transcending the universe. This is justified by the fact that the universe is viewed by our faith as a reflection of the attributes of God. The material world is not devoid of the spiritual.

 

[oldbadger]

Yes, beliefs. It's hard to argue against someone's beliefs. The Christian God does seem separate from people. Some Christians say that God is in them... or Jesus is in their heart... or they are filled with the Holy Spirit. But before that what was in them? No God? No Jesus? No Holy Spirit? God was waiting outside of them? Waiting to be invited in? So God isn't everywhere? And Baha'is... who knows what they'll say. But it's interesting what they say about evil and Satan... they'll say that darkness vanishes once the light is turned on. So does that mean God, the light, is not where evil exists?

Hi....
Yep! The comfort-phrases fall from Christian mouths ... that is, when the judgemental hate phrases aren't vomiting forth.

I can sit with 'Christians in Love' and chat, take food with them, but 'Christians in Hate'.... their wicked ideas would make me feel sick, I'm afraid.

 

[oldbadger]

Not according to most pantheists, I don't think. They see pantheism as similar to Deists. I don't know all the in or outs.

Hello...
Isn't that so strange? Deism belives in an unaware and uninvolved God.
Theism believes in an aware and involved God.

And yet some Pantheists try to connect the two.
They are total opposites.

The Baha'i Faith view is viewed by some Baha'is as panentheists, that is, as within the creation, but at the same time time transcending the universe. This is justified by the fact that the universe is viewed by our faith as a reflection of the attributes of God. The material world is not devoid of the spiritual.

Ah yes! In 1977 a Bahai proposed this kind of idea at a fireside meeting with several visitors present, and there was no challenge to anything that he offered, but then received a long letter from that local assembly chairman which explained how wrong that idea was, because God is seen as a quite separate entity to the worlds and life. Panentheists would be (and was) trying to suggest that 'God is in all things'. = = strong Bahai chairman letter!

Mind you, that was half a century ago, and Bahai does seem to have changed a bit from those times.

 

[YoursTrue]

YES, this one: “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

I don't think Jesus claimed to be God.

 

[YoursTrue]

John 1.1

You also have to figure what the word god means.

 

[Trailblazer]

I don't think Jesus claimed to be God.

He never did.

 

[stvdv]

I don't think Jesus claimed to be God.

My Master declared "Jesus reached the highest Goal in life "Unity with God"

I believe this

 

[Truthseeker]

Ah yes! In 1977 a Bahai proposed this kind of idea at a fireside meeting with several visitors present, and there was no challenge to anything that he offered, but then received a long letter from that local assembly chairman which explained how wrong that idea was, because God is seen as a quite separate entity to the worlds and life. Panentheists would be (and was) trying to suggest that 'God is in all things'. = = strong Bahai chairman letter!

Mind you, that was half a century ago, and Bahai does seem to have changed a bit from those times.

Wow! I had no idea you any exposure like this to the Baha'i Faith. Personally, I think that chairman was wrong. He had no right to try to impose his views on others. Using his position as chairman in a powerful way is wrong. Assembly members ideally are there not to dictate, but to serve according to Shoghi Effendi. That shouldn't change over time. However, in reality the attitudes of people of any religion can change over time.

Hello...
Isn't that so strange? Deism belives in an unaware and uninvolved God.
Theism believes in an aware and involved God.

And yet some Pantheists try to connect the two.
They are total opposites.

Definition of pantheism

1: a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe
2: the worship of all gods of different creeds, cults, or peoples indifferently

The second meaning seems very alien to me. Never heard of it before.

Here more from Marriam-Webster:

Pantheism and Religion
Pantheistic ideas—and most importantly the belief that God is equal to the universe, its physical matter, and the forces that govern it—are found in the ancient books of Hinduism, in the works of many Greek philosophers, and in later works of philosophy and religion over the centuries. Much modern New Age spirituality is pantheistic. But most Christian thinkers reject pantheism because it makes God too impersonal, doesn't allow for any difference between the creation and the creator, and doesn't seem to allow for humans to make meaningful moral choices.

 

[oldbadger]

Wow! I had no idea you any exposure like this to the Baha'i Faith. Personally, I think that chairman was wrong. He had no right to try to impose his views on others. Using his position as chairman in a powerful way is wrong. Assembly members ideally are there not to dictate, but to serve according to Shoghi Effendi. That shouldn't change over time. However, in reality the attitudes of people of any religion can change over time.

If you can find a writing of Shoghi's that states that Bahaism supports Pantheism then I would be surprised. AS far as I know, Bahais do not believe that they are a small portion of God.
@loverofhumanity or @adrian009 might correct me on that.

That Bahai chairman was very outspoken, as I remember. He discharged a LSA member (Mr DR) for being in a Gay relationship. But he did get some Bahai policies wrong, as I remember. He instructed an elderly man that I knew to install security lighting on the front of his home, the job was done very well and he paid for it, but at a Bahai event which I took my wife to he criticised my acquaintance loudly, telling us all that such a man should not be working on such installations at his age and that he must be a failure to not be able to afford to retire. Ha ha! Bahauallah disagreed with retirement as I remember.... I wish I'd known that at the time.

Definition of pantheism

1: a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe
2: the worship of all gods of different creeds, cults, or peoples indifferently

The second meaning seems very alien to me. Never heard of it before.

Here more from Marriam-Webster:

Pantheism and Religion
Pantheistic ideas—and most importantly the belief that God is equal to the universe, its physical matter, and the forces that govern it—are found in the ancient books of Hinduism, in the works of many Greek philosophers, and in later works of philosophy and religion over the centuries. Much modern New Age spirituality is pantheistic. But most Christian thinkers reject pantheism because it makes God too impersonal, doesn't allow for any difference between the creation and the creator, and doesn't seem to allow for humans to make meaningful moral choices.

Yes, Pantheism is about an involved God.
Deism is not. Nature is probably the closest representative of God AFAICS.....

 

[Dawnofhope]

If you can find a writing of Shoghi's that states that Bahaism supports Pantheism then I would be surprised. AS far as I know, Bahais do not believe that they are a small portion of God.
@loverofhumanity or @adrian009 might correct me on that.

I agree that neither pantheism nor deism are supported by the Baha’i writings. I also agree that pantheism is distinctly different from deism.

 

[Marcion]

In the Iqan Baha'u'llah said all of the Manifestations of God manifested all the attributes of God whether it was outwarded revealed or not and that they all represented God.

It hath therefore become manifest and evident that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though the light of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed from these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of Detachment doth in no wise imply that they Who are the Daysprings of God’s attributes and the Treasuries of His holy names did not actually possess it.
Bahá’u’lláh, "The Kitáb-i-Íqán", 110

He didn't have to say "perfectly polished mirror". What He says here is the equivalent of that, in my opinion.

He also said:

Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: “I am God!” He verily speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation of God, His name and His attributes, are made manifest in the world.
Bahá’u’lláh, "The Kitáb-i-Íqán", 196

However, I do believe, because the central figures of our faith said so, and I do have faith in them, that Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses were Manifestations of God, and stainless manifestations of God's light. However they are shrouded by inaccuracies in the end end doesn't matter in the end or whether this or that is symbolic or simply stories the Jews liked to tell, which they may or may not have told to be symbolic of a greater truth.

In a talk on Tantra by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti in 1969 in Ranchi, Bihar, He spoke of the (three) earthly Manifestations of God (Táraka Brahma) and how to recognize Him:

WHEN DOES HE APPEAR?
______________________________________________

He comes on earth when there is too much sin and it is difficult for virtuous people to live on earth. When dharma declines and adharma , or sin, gets the upperhand; when the virtuous and the pious are tortured and the dishonest and evil-doers tyrannize over the good; in a word, when the human intellect is guided along degraded and destructive channels, Táraka Brahma forms a desire to come on earth with a specific mission of restoring dharma by launching a ceaseless fight against all injustice and sin.
There are a few notable criteria by which to distinguish Táraka Brahma from other Mahápurushas:

1. He Himself is a born guru and has no spiritual guru.
2. He comes with a specific mission, which is to restore morality and dharma. The entire society becomes divided between moralists and immoralists. A fight between them is inevitable, and ultimately dharma comes out victorious.
3. His emergence means a new era of white peace and dharma.

He needs no sádhaná, but just to set an example to others, He performs sádhaná with the masses.

Shri Shri Anandamurti 1969, Ranchi (quoted from Discourses on Tantra Volume 2, page 92)

Who does Shrii Shrii Anandamurti mean by those "other Mahápurushas"?
Perhaps Jesus, Buddha or even Bahaullah?? He never mentions Bahaullah or Jesus in the literature I read, but He did not specify who those other Mahápurusha's could be as far as I know.

The great importance of the comings of Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna are explained in 'Namah Shiváya Shántáya' and 'Namámi Krishnasundaram' (series of lectures). A must-read for anyone who is interested in the real and true earlier Manifestations of God.

Why were the Manifestations of God only born in India and not elsewhere on earth yet? I guess it has to do with the concentration of the devotional element there relative to the rest of the planet. He wishes to be near to His most eager devotees. But of course He comes for the whole of humanity and He does not care about petty divisions created by fallible humans.

 

[oldbadger]

I agree that neither pantheism nor deism are supported by the Baha’i writings. I also agree that pantheism is distinctly different from deism.

Thankyou for the info and confirmation.
And it's a breath of fresh air to read the separation of theism from deism ..... I'm amazed at the number of 'experts' who mix the two.

 

[Trailblazer]

Question

Is Jesus God?

Answer

Some who deny that Jesus is God make the claim that Jesus never said that He is God. It is correct that the Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am God.” This does not mean, however, that Jesus never claimed to be God.

Is Jesus God? — Jesus claimed to be God.

Take for example the words of Jesus 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, emphasis added). 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!” This is a reference back to Exodus 3:14 when God revealed Himself as the “I AM.” The Jews who heard this statement responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded (Leviticus 24:16).

Is Jesus God? — His followers declared Him to be God.

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 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. Beyond these, there are many other passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus being God.

Is Jesus God? — The reason Jesus must be God.

The most important reason that Jesus must 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.

Is Jesus God? Yes. Jesus declared Himself to be God. His followers believed Him to be God. The provision of salvation only works if Jesus is God. Jesus is God incarnate, the eternal Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13), and God our Savior (2 Peter 1:1).

Is Jesus God? Why should I believe that Jesus is God? | GotQuestions.org

 

[Trailblazer]

Some who deny that Jesus is God make the claim that Jesus never said that He is God. It is correct that the Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am God.” This does not mean, however, that Jesus never claimed to be God.
Is Jesus God? Why should I believe that Jesus is God? | GotQuestions.org

Has anyone ever heard anything this absurd? Jesus never said He was God, does not mean that Jesus never claimed to be God

 

[Trailblazer]

Take for example the words of Jesus 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, emphasis added). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity.
Is Jesus God? Why should I believe that Jesus is God? | GotQuestions.org

So just because the Jews thought Jesus was claiming to be God, that means Jesus was God?
No, the Jews did not understand what Jesus was claiming. Jesus was not claiming to be God.

“I and my Father are one” (John 10:30) means that Jesus and God are one and the same, so whatever pertains to Jesus, all His acts and doings are identical with the Will of God Himself. Jesus and God also share the same Holy Spirit, so in that sense they are one and the same. Jesus also shares the Attributes of God so in that sense they are one and the same. The verse below says that God was manifest in the flesh; it does not say that God became flesh, which is what would have had to happen if Jesus became God.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.