The Doctrine of One Lord (2)

Last time we began our look at the fourth of seven doctrinal truths in Ephesians 4:4-6 that form the very essence of Christianity and therefore unite all true believers—is one Lord.

Continuing our look at the meaning of one Lord, the Deity of Christ is an absolute cardinal doctrine of Christianity; without it, Christianity collapses of its own weight. But it’s also a doctrine that is clearly taught in Scripture without any ambiguity. I once heard a pastor say, “It’s too bad the Bible just doesn’t say, ‘Jesus was God’ and therefore clear up all the confusion.” I can’t express how that saddened me because it was based upon not only an ignorance of what we’ve just seen in the term one lord, but also of other statements in Scripture.

For example, one must always begin with John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Theologian Charles Ryrie well sums up the deep significance of this verse: “Before time began, Christ was already in existence with God. That is what is meant by the term ‘the pre-existent Christ.’ See Gen. 1:1 and 1 John 1:1. Logos [Word] means ‘word, thought, concept, and the expressions thereof.’ In the OT the concept conveyed activity and revelation, and the word or wisdom of God is often personified (Ps. 33:6; Prov. 8). In the Targums (Aramaic paraphrases of the OT) it was a designation of God. To the Greek mind it expressed the ideas of reason and creative control. Revelation is the keynote idea in the logos concept. Here it is applied to Jesus, who is all that God is and the expression of Him (1:1, 14). In this verse the Word (Christ) is said to be with God (i.e., in communion with and yet distinct from God) and to be God (i.e., identical in essence with God).”

In Revelation 19:14, the one on the white horse is “The Word of God,” the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:14 declares, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Only the most dishonest or foolish “interpreter” would deny what these verses declare concerning Jesus Christ.

Besides the many confessions of Jesus as God by his followers—Peter (Matt.16:16-17), Martha (Jn. 11:27), Nathaniel (1:49), Stephen (Acts 7:59), and Paul (Acts 20:28; Heb. 1:8)—more importantly Jesus Himself claimed He was God. This silences those who argue, “Well, Jesus’ followers were deluded; they thought He was God, but He didn’t really claim deity.” One key passage is John 5:16-18, where Jesus had just healed a lame man on the Sabbath: “And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” While our culture might understand these words to mean, “Big deal. My father is working and I’m working. So what?” the Jews heard something far different. Based on their culture and traditions, what those religious leaders heard was this: “By using the term my Father instead of our Father, this man is claiming equality with God. This man is, in fact, claiming to be God.” And that is what enraged them.

The same thing happened on another occasion: “I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God” (John 10:30-33). The Jews knew exactly what Jesus was claiming to be. His statement, in fact, becomes all the more offensive to the Jewish ear because the Greek for “one” is neuter not masculine, which therefore means not one in person but one in essence or nature. Jesus was clearly saying that He was the same as God, and the Jews went berserk. We’ll take one more look at this next time.