The Foundation Series – DOCTRINE - Lesson 4

There are three things that define the true Church:
1. Apostolic Doctrine
2. Pentecostal Experience
3. Christian Lifestyle


“Jesus is God”

The fact that Jesus is God is as firmly established in Scripture as the fact that God is one. The Bible teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man. This lesson will deal with the concept that has confused many when trying to define the manifestations of God—“the dual nature of Jesus Christ.” The dual nature of Jesus includes both, Deity and humanity.

When I use the term, Deity, I’m referring to the Godhead being revealed in Jesus Christ. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, meaning we view Him as God. Another word that will be used in revealing the deity of Jesus Christ is the word, incarnate, or incarnation. Incarnation defined by the Theological Dictionary means, the act of God in coming among men as a man, manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. Dictinary.com defines incarnate as embodied in flesh; given a bodily form.


“The Old Testament Testifies That Jesus Is God”

1. (Isaiah 9:6/ KJV) says, “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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

The terms child and son refer to the Incarnation or manifestation of “The mighty God” and “The everlasting Father.”

2. (Isaiah 7:14/ KJV) says, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be called Immanuel, meaning God with us.

3. (Isaiah 35:4-6/ KJV) says, “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”

All of these things were fulfilled through the ministry of Jesus Christ.

4. (Isaiah 40:3. 5/ KJV) says, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God…5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy when he prepared the way for Jesus; so Jesus is Lord and God! Therefore, the Old Testament clearly states that the Messiah and Savior to come would be God Himself.


“The New Testament Proclaims That Jesus Is God”

1. Thomas confessed Jesus as both Lord and God in (John 20:28).
2. According to (Acts 20:28), the church was purchased with God’s own blood, which we know is the blood of Jesus.
3. Paul described Jesus in (Titus 2:13) as “the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
4. Peter described Him in (2 Peter 1:1) as “God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:”
5. The Book of Colossians strongly emphasized the deity of Christ:

(Colossians 1:9-28/ KJV) says, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: 25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”

(Colossians 2:6-10/ KJV) says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

According to these verses of Scripture, Jesus is NOT just a part of God, but ALL of God is resident IN Him! If there were several persons in the Godhead, according to Colossians 2:9 they would all be resident in the bodily form of Jesus. But (Colossians 2:10) says we are complete in Him, NOT them!

We can conclude that the New Testament testifies to the full deity of Jesus Christ also.


“God Was Manifest in the Flesh as Jesus”

The statement that Jesus is God implies that God took on human flesh. This is in fact what the Bible Says.

(1 Timothy 3:16/ KJV) says, “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.”

God was manifest (made visible) in the flesh; God was justified (shown to be right) in the Spirit; God was seen of angels; God was believed on in the world; and God was received up into glory. How and when did all of this happen? In Jesus Christ!

(John 1:1, 14/ KJV) says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…14 And 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.”

Literally, the Word (God) was tabernacled or manifested in the flesh. When did God tabernacle or robe Himself in flesh? In Jesus Christ. Both verses of Scripture prove that Jesus is God—that He is manifest (revealed, made known, made evident, displayed, shown) in flesh.

God is a Spirit—without flesh and blood and invisible to man. In order to make Himself visible to man and in order to shed innocent blood for our sins, He had to put on flesh. Jesus is NOT another God or a part of God, but He is the God of the Old Testament robed in flesh. He is the Father; He is Jehovah who came in flesh to bridge the gap between man and God that man’s sin had created. He put on flesh as a man puts on a coat!

The Word in (John 1) was NOT a separate person or a separate god any more than a man’s word is a separate person from him. Rather the Word was the thought, plan, or mind of God. The Incarnation existed in the mind of God before the world began. In the mind of God the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. (1 Peter 1:19-20; Revelation 13:8)

In Greek usage, the word logos can mean the expression or plan as it exists in the mind of the proclaimer—as a play in the mind of a playwright—or it can mean the thought as uttered or otherwise physically expressed! So, (John 1:1) says the Logos existed in the mind of God from the beginning of time. When the fullness of time was come, God put that plan in action. He put flesh on that plan in the form of the man Jesus Christ. The Logos is God expressed!

According to (Colossians 1:15 and 2 Corinthians 4:4) Jesus is “the image of the invisible God.” So, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was none other than the Word, or God, revealed in flesh!


“The Mystery of Godliness”

Jesus is like no other man that ever has been or will be. He has two natures; He us fully God and fully man. It’s often referred to as “the dual nature of Jesus Christ.” Most problems in people’s mind concerning the Godhead comes from not understanding the dual nature of Christ and not correctly separating these two roles.

The only mystery about the Godhead is how God could come in flesh, how Jesus could be both God and man. But truth of this mystery has been revealed to those who will believe. (Romans 16:25-26/ KJV) says, “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:”

(Colossians 1:26-27/ KJV) says, “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

The mystery of Jesus Christ has been kept secret since the world began, but was revealed in the New Testament age. The mystery of God has been revealed to us by God’s Spirit. This revelation comes to us through God’s WORD, which is illuminated by the Holy Ghost!

The Foundation Series – DOCTRINE - Lesson 3

There are three things that define the true Church:
1. Apostolic Doctrine
2. Pentecostal Experience
3. Christian Lifestyle


“The Names and Titles of God”

(Acts 4:12/ KJV) says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Even though man cannot fully comprehend God, God has employed several methods to reveal Himself to mankind. One of these methods is the use of different names or titles to identify Himself.

“The Significance of a Name”

The use of names in Bible times, especially in Old Testament times, carried much more significance than it does in our day. People often used names to reveal something about the characteristics, history, or nature of individuals, and God did too. For example, God changed the name of Abram (meaning high father) to Abraham (father of a multitude), and the name of Jacob (heel catcher, supplanter) to Israel (he will rule as God). Even in the New Testament, Jesus changed the name of Simon (hearing) to Peter (a rock).

God used names as a means of progressive revelation!

For example, in (Exodus 6:3/ KJV) God said, “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” However (Verses 4-8) says, “And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.”

We know that Abraham used the name Jehovah in (Genesis 22:14); however, God did NOT make known to him the full significance of this name in its redemptive aspect. So, in (Exodus 6:3) God promised to reveal Himself to His people in a new way. When you read (verses 4-8) you see that he revealed Himself as their Deliverer and Redeemer (Salvation) He began to associate His name with a new understanding of His character and presence.

In addition to using names to manifest His character, God used His name to manifest His presence. At the dedication of the Temple in (1 Kings 8), Solomon acknowledged that God was omnipresent and that no temple could contain Him (verse 27). Since God fills the universe (omnipresent), Solomon asked how the Temple, a man-made structure, could contain God. Then he answered his own question by reminding God of His promise: “My name shall be there” (verse 29). Although God’s omnipresence could not be confined to the Temple, the fullness of His character as represented by His NAME could dwell there.

Solomon went on to pray in (verse 43) “that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.”

God also used the concept of his name to represent the revelation of His nature and power. He told Pharoah in (Exodus 9:16), “And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” The name of God represents His authority as well as His power.

So God’s NAME represents the following:
1. God’s presence
2. the revelation of His character
3. His power
4. His authority


Names and Titles of God in the Old Testament

Throughout the Old Testament God was known by many names or titles, each expressing a different aspect of God.

Some of the names used include:

1. Elohim (e-lo-heem) – a name often used for God in the Old Testament, expressing His greatness, glory, and divine majesty
2. Jehovah (je-ho’-vah) – used 6,823 times in the Old Testament, embracing the concept of a Deity which is self-existent (eternal) and self-sustaining; it is the redemptive name of God in the Old Testament and the unique name by which the one true God distinguished Himself from all other gods
3. El-Shaddai (el shad-di’) – emphasizing God’s almightiness
4. Adonai (a-do-ni’) – signifying God’s ownership of all of his creation



Compound Names of Jehovah:

1. Jehovah-jireh – (Genesis 22:14) – The Lord will see; will provide
2. Jehovah-rapha – (Exodus 15:26) – The Lord that heals
3. Jehovah-nissi – (Exodus 17:15) – The Lord our banner; victory
4. Jehovah-m’kaddesh – (Exodus 31:13) – The Lord that sanctifies
5. Jehovah-shalom – (Judges 6:24) – The Lord our peace
6. Jehovah-saboath – (1 Samuel 1:3) – The Lord of hosts; almighty
7. Jehovah-elyon – (Psalm 7:17) – The Lord most high
8. Jehovah-raah – (Psalm 23:1) – The Lord my shepherd
9. Jehovah-hoseenu – (Psalm 95:6) – The Lord our maker
10. Jehovah-tsidkenu – (Jeremiah 23:6) – The Lord our righteousness
11. Jehovah-shammah – (Ezekiel 48:35) – The Lord is present


The Progressive Revelation of the Name

We find that in the Old Testament God progressively revealed more about Himself as various needs arose in the lives of man, and He used names to express this self-revelation. When Abraham needed a lamb to sacrifice, God revealed Himself as Jehovah-jireh, the Lord that provides. When Israel needed deliverance, God revealed that His name Jehovah had a previously unknown significance with respect to deliverance and salvation (Exodus 6:3-8). When Israel needed protection from disease and sickness, God revealed Himself as Jehovah-rapha, the Lord that heals. When Israel needed victory over enemies, God revealed Himself as Jehovah-nissi, the Lord our banner (victory). So the names and titles described all reveal important aspects about the nature of God. However, none of them is a complete revelation of God’s nature.


The Name Jesus

But when the fullness of time had come, God revealed Himself in all His power and glory through the name Jesus! Jesus means Jehovah-Savior, Jehovah our Salvation, or Jehovah is Salvation.

(Matthew 1:21/ KJV) says, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Jesus is the culmination of all the Old Testament names of God. It is the highest, most exalted name ever revealed to mankind. The name of Jesus is the name of God He promised to reveal in (Isaiah 52:6) when He said, “Therefore my people shall know my name.” It is the one name of (Zechariah 14:9) that includes all the other names of God within its meaning.

The New Testament church is identified by the name of Jesus! The early church was persecuted for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:28; 9:21; 15:26), and they considered it a privilege to be counted worthy to suffer for His name (Acts 5:41). Peter stated that the lame man at the gate Beautiful was healed “by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” (Acts 4:10). He then explained two verses later the supremacy and necessity of this name in receiving salvation when he said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” The Apostle Paul wrote in (Philippians 2:9-11/ KJV), “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…”

Because of the exalted position of this name, we are exhorted to rely upon the name of Jesus in all we do or say. (Colossians 3:17/ KJV) says, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…” We teach and preach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:17-18; 5:28). We cast our devils, speak in tongues, receive supernatural power and protection, and pray for the sick—all in the name of Jesus (Mark 16:17-18; James 5:14). Signs and wonders are done by the name of Jesus (Acts 4:30). We pray and make requests know to God in the name of Jesus (John 14:13-14; 16:23). We gather together in the name of Jesus (Matthew 18:20). We baptize in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38).

The name of Jesus represents God’s presence, power, and work. When we speak the name of Jesus in faith, Jesus Himself is actually present and begins to work! When we call His name in faith, Jesus manifests His presence, performs the work, and meets the need!

Through the name JESUS, therefore, God reveals Himself fully. Just as God in the Old Testament progressively revealed more about His nature and His name by responding to the needs of His people, so Jesus in the New Testament fully revealed the nature and name of God through miracles, healings, casting out devils, and forgiveness of sins.

Why is the name of Jesus the full revelation of God? Simply because Jesus is Jehovah and in Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).

Names and Titles applied by scripture to Jesus Christ include:
The Christ
The Messiah
Saviour
Redeemer
Wonderful Counselor
Fatihful Witness
The Word of God
The Truth
The Light of the World
The Way
The Good Shepherd
Mediator
Deliverer
The Great High Priest
The Author and Perfector of our Faith
The Captain of our Salvation
Our Advocate
The Son of God
The Son of Man
God
The Holy One of God
Only Begotten Son
Mighty God
The Image of God
Everlasting Father
Lord
Lord of All
Lord of Glory
Lord of Lords
King of Israel
King of Kings
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth
Prince of Life
Prince of Peace
The Branch
Root and Offspring of David
The Bright and Morning Star
Immanuel
The Second Adam
The Lamb of God
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah
The Alpha and Omega
The first and the Last
The Beginning and the End
The Amen

But after all of the names and titles of both the Old and New Testaments, ONE NAME says it all—JESUS!