Our God

Our God

An old poem has recently reappeared. Like a hardy perennial it comes up again and again, and the undiscerning will find it good, since they read it through sentiment and not through the Word of God. Richard Watson Gilder wrote:

If Jesus Christ is a man,
And only a man, I say
That of all mankind I cleave to Him,
And to Him I will cleave away.
If Jesus Christ is a God,
And the only God, I swear
I will follow Him through Heaven and hell,
The earth, the sea and the air.

According to the truth of God it would be necessary to change the first verse to read something like this:

If Jesus Christ is a man,
And only a man, I say
That of all mankind He a liar is
For leading so many astray.

Let us apply the simple method of choice between two alternatives. Jesus Christ certainly claimed to be God. That claim is either true or false. If it is true, and we know it is true, then He is God, and all things are subject unto Him. If it is false, then either He knew that the claim was false or He did not. Let us take these propositions and analyze them.

If Jesus Christ made a false claim to be God, knowing that the claim was false, He was a liar of the first order. If He made a false claim to be God, not knowing that it was a false claim, He was simply insane. In such a case we would have to classify Him with those in asylums who think they are Napoleon, Hitler, or God, as some poor creatures do.

There is no fourth possibility. Jesus Christ is God, a liar, or a lunatic. The Christian knows on grounds of inner conviction that Jesus is his Lord, both in clear title and in the Lordship of life. He is our God.

1. Where in scripture do we find Jesus talk about his deity?
2. How would you use these texts to prove Jesus is not a lunatic or liar?
3. Does Jesus ever have to prove to his audience that he is the son of God and not a lunatic or a liar? Where?