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JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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255<br />

With the complete knowledge that it was God and God alone who was Savior, that it was<br />

God alone who could save, the first Christians nevertheless claimed that Jesus was the Savior,<br />

that He could save. A fish came to be a symbol of faith to the early Christians, as the five Greek<br />

letters spelling out "fish" in Greek (I-CH-TH-U-S) came to represent the slogan "Jesus Christ,<br />

Son of God, Savior." As Savior Jesus is understood to function as God, doing something which,<br />

properly speaking, only God can do--save His people from their sins.<br />

Other names, titles, and terms such as Creator, Sustainer, Judge, Lord, Forgiver, Co-<br />

Partner of Divine Glory, etc. are not treated here since they have already been addressed in<br />

earlier portions of this treatment of the deity of Jesus Christ.<br />

Jesus Christ, then, is constantly represented in Scripture as having qualities which could<br />

be possessed only by God. There is not an attribute of deity which is not directly or indirectly<br />

ascribed to Christ.<br />

SUMMARY OF NAMES AND TITLES<br />

Theologian Charles Hodge presents the following summary of the scriptural evidence for<br />

the deity of Christ, that apart from God the Father and God the Spirit, the divine attributes are<br />

found in Christ alone:<br />

"All divine names and titles are applied to Him. He is called God, the mighty God,<br />

the great God, God over all; Jehovah; Lord; the Lord of lords and King of kings.<br />

All divine attributes are ascribed to Him. He is declared to be omnipresent,<br />

omniscient, almighty, and immutable, the same yesterday, today and forever.<br />

He is set forth as the Creator and upholder and Ruler of the universe. All things<br />

were created by Him and for Him; and by Him all things consist.<br />

He is the object of worship to all intelligent creatures, even the highest; all the<br />

angels (i.e., all creatures between man and God) are commanded to prostrate<br />

themselves before Him.<br />

He is the object of all the religious sentiments; of reverence, love, faith, and<br />

devotion.<br />

To Him men and angels are responsible for their character and conduct. He<br />

required that man should honor Him as they honored the Father; that they should<br />

exercise the same faith in Him that they do in God.<br />

He declares that He and the Father are one; that those who had seen Him had seen<br />

the Father also.

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