PART 3: SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT CONTINUED

WORSHIP NO OTHER GODS

Exodus 34:14

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Jesus was worshipped and accepted worship on several occasions, if Jesus was not God then to worship him would be a violation of God's law.

See John 9:35-38, Matthew 2:11, Matthew 9:18, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 28:16

We see in all the above passages that Jesus was worshipped. If you read the passages from which these verses are quoted you will see that Jesus never rebuked, or warned that they were violating God's law by worshiping him.

Romans 1:25 

…Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

We know that Jesus is the creator from other verses, but it says here people were not worshiping him as much as they were the creation.  So this verse again shows us that Jesus is to be worshipped. It also indicates that Jesus was not a created being because it contrasts the creature (created beings) from the Creator

Hebrews 1:6 
And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him
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The word translated worship in these passages "proskuneo." With one exception this is the same word used for worship of God. We see it used in the following passages Matthew 4:10, John 4:23, John 4:24, Revelation 7:11, Revelation 11:16 and many other places.  Note that in John 4 it is used to express the true worship of God. This is the most commonly used word for worship in the New Testament. The word "proskuneo" means "to kiss the hand, in token of reverence."  It is interesting that this meaning echo's a passage from the Psalms.

Psalms 2:12 

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

So God commands the angels to worship Jesus. While this does not seem a direct violation of God's law, because the law was given to men, why would God direct worship to a being that God's word forbids men to worship?

The fact is Jesus never denied worship, and God sanctioned it.  Contrast this with those we know were not God. Peter denied being worshipped (Acts 10:25-26) as did the angel in Revelation 19:10 and 22:9.  If they knew enough to deny it, then why didn't God the Father or Jesus rebuke those who worshiped Jesus?

God says only He should be worshipped, His word repeatedly rebukes those who worship other things. We see from the above passages that both men and angels recognize this, but Jesus accepted worship and God commanded it be given to him. The only way this makes sense is if Jesus were God. The several words in the New Testament that have to do with worship carry with them the meaning of making kneeling or bowing, including "proskuneo" consider this passage:

Phillipians 2:9-10

 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth

Above we noted Hebrews 1:6 where it says, "let all the angels of God" worship him. The word used there is "proskuneo." Compare this with Luke 4:8 where the word worship is also "proskuneo"

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

WHOM DID THE BIBLE WRITERS SERVE?

Luke 16:13 

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.

Paul identifies himself as a servant of Jesus Christ in Romans 1:1, but of God in Titus 1:1
James identifies himself as a servant of  God and Jesus Christ in James 1:1
Jude and Peter were servants of Jesus Christ. Jude 1:1, 2nd Peter 1:1.

WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD?

Acts 3:26

Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Acts 17:30-31

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

But Jesus said "I will raise my body"

John 2:18-21

Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.


John 10:17-18
 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

WHO IS THE CREATOR

Job 38:4

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Isaiah 44:24 
Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Isaiah 42:5
Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Jeremiah 32:17
Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

Romans 11:33-36

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Hebrews 2:10

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain  of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Revelation 4:8-11

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

But the following verses say that Jesus created everything.

John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God .The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Colossians 1:14-17
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 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: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

WHOSE BLOOD PAID THE PRICE?

Acts 20:28 

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

1 Peter 1:18-19
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

This creates a real problem, if Jesus was not God. For then God could not say the price was paid with his own blood.  But it says here that the church was purchased with the blood of God.

THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST

1 Peter 1:10-12

Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Hebrews 1:1

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets

2 Timothy 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Here we have an interesting statement. Peter says that it was the Spirit of Christ that testified to the prophets of the sufferings and glory of Christ, but the writer of Hebrews tells us that it was God who spoke to the prophets. And 2 Timothy tells us that all scripture was inspired by God, this must have included the prophets.  

The word inspiration in the Greek is also interesting, it is a combination of the word for God and the word for spirit. "theopneustos." All scripture is inspired by the Spirit of God, yet it is Christ's Spirit that testified of  his sufferings and glory. If the Spirit of God is also the Spirit of Christ, then Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.

MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER

Isaiah 9:6
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.

Jesus is the child who was born, the son who was given. This passage also calls him, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Now some say that the "mighty God" was a lesser God, not the "Almighty God." Not only is this reasoning contrary to the fact that God says there are no other Gods, but it is also ignorant of the scriptures. The term "mighty God" in the Hebrew is "El Gibbowr" and is used of YHWH in the following passages. It is the same word spoken of the "Son."
Isaiah 10:21 

The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

Jerimiah 32:17-18
Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,


GOD WITH US
Jesus is the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the Ending, the Creator, Savior.  He was the Son that was given.

Matthew 1:23  (Quoting Isaiah 7:14)

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Jesus by his own admission in calling himself "I AM", was God with us.

The power to forgive sins.
God the Father: Isaiah 43:25, Psalm 103:2-3
Jesus Luke 5:20-24, Ephesians 1:7

Who is Lord of the Sabbath:
God the Father: Exodus 20:10, Leviticus 23:3, Deuteronomy 5:14.
Jesus: Matthew 12:8 

THE NAME OF JESUS
It is worth noting that the name of Jesus is the only name for God that appears in the New Testament. God is referred to as Lord using the Greek word Kurios, or God the Father using the Greek word Theos, but the name Jehovah or Yahweh never appears in the Greek text.  For those who believe in the inspiration of scripture this raises an interesting question. Why would God omit his own name in the whole of the New Testament, and furthermore why was Jesus never recorded as speaking it? I believe this really hits home the point that the name God wanted us to focus on is Jesus. And this would only make sense if Jesus were God.

Phillipians 2:9-10

 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth