#3 in a series
QUESTION: “Is Jesus the same as God? A friend at work claims that these are two different designations for the same person. What do you think?”
ANSWER: This is an important question. Many sincere people are confused about this matter. Let’s see what the Bible says:
If the Father and the Son is/are the exact same person, then Jesus—at the very least—employed deceptive (Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; Psa. 92:15; Mal. 3:6; Rom. 3:4; Titus 1:2; Jas. 1:17-18) language throughout the gospel accounts. Note:
- Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38
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Yes or No: Did Jesus say He came to earth to do His own will (cf. 4:34)?
- Question: Specifically Who sent Jesus from heaven (cf. 6:33, 38-39, 41, 42, 50, 51, 58)?
- Yes or No: Does the text distinguish between the will of Jesus and the will of Him who sent Jesus?
- Observation: If Jesus is the exact same person as God the Father in all respects, then Jesus a) sent Himself (a person can “go” himself, but he can’t “send” or commission himself—John 1:6, 22, 24; 17:18), and b) He actually lied and came from heaven to do His own will.
- Question: What are the eternal implications, if in fact, Jesus came to do His own will and not the will of the Father?
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- Jesus said, “My Father, who has given them (i.e., sheep—mb, John 10:14-15) to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” John 10:29
- Yes or No: Does the text distinguish between “My Father” and “Me”?
- Question/Illustration: If I told you that my father has given me a set of new hand tools, would you think that I was only talking about one person or two?
- Question: According to the passage, Who did the giving and Who did the receiving?
- Observation: If Jesus is the exact same person as God the Father in all respects, then Jesus mentioned two persons in this passage, when He was really only talking about one person, and was therefore deceptive.
- NOTE: In the very next verse (John 10:30), Jesus said, “I and My Father are one.”
- Yes or No: Is Jesus saying that He and the Father are the exact same person?
- Question: In the context of this chapter, in what sense are Jesus and the Father one? (Answer: The two are one in their care for, and protection of, the sheep).
- Question: In what way(s) can two or more people be “one”? (Answer: They can be one in a) mind, attitude, and purpose: 24:3; Acts 4:32; 5:12; 8:6; Rom. 15:5-6; 1 Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 1:27; 2:2; 4:2; 1 Pet. 3:8, and b) flesh—Gen. 2:24; 4:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:16).
- Jesus said, “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.” John 15:9
- Question: How many individuals or groups of individuals are mentioned in this verse?
- Yes or No: Jesus tells us that He loved us as He loved Himself.
- Question: According to this passage, Who loved Jesus?
INCARNATE 