God and Man, Part 6: Deity 5

Part 1: Like No One Else | Part 2: Deity 1 | Part 3: Deity 2 | Part 4: Deity 3 | Part 5: Deity 4

The next category of evidence for Christ’s deity is passages that describe him with divine attributes.

First, a little background.

All of us have attributes—that is, characteristics. Some people are outgoing, others not so much. Some people are patient, others not.

God has attributes too; there are adjectives we can use to describe him. Some of those attributes are ones that we humans, and angels, can share, to one degree or other: we can be patient; we can be loving; we can be faithful.

But there are other attributes of God that we can’t share. Theologians traditionally speak of 4 of these “non-communicable” attributes: omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, and immutability, or changelessness. Most would include eternality as derived from this last one.*

So here’s the premise. If Jesus is said to have any of God’s non-communicable attributes, then he must be God. In fact, he’s said to have all of them. Let’s demonstrate that.

• Omniscience

It’s worth noting that during his earthly ministry Jesus voluntarily limited his independent use of his divine attributes, relying completely on his Father for what he needed to accomplish his mission (Jn 5.19, 30). When he needed to know something that an ordinary human couldn’t, the Father would reveal that to him (Jn 2.25; 4.17-18; Lk 6.7-8). At one point he even said that he didn’t know the answer to the disciples’ question (Mk 13.32).

But in addition to being voluntary, that limitation was temporary. Now exalted, he knows all things. To each of the 7 churches to which he writes letter in Revelation, he says, “I know your works” (Re 2.2, 9, 13, 19; 3.1, 8, 15). In one of those letters, he says, “I am he who searches mind and heart” (Re 2.23). The author of Hebrews writes, “No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (He 4.13). Paul writes, “In [Christ]­ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Co 2.3).

• Omnipresence

Here we need to begin by observing that there are modes of God’s presence. In one sense he is seated on his throne in heaven—but of course he is everywhere. He is said to be in heaven but not in hell; he is said to be in the hearts of his people but not in the hearts of the lost. The Spirit is said to indwell all who believe, but not others (Ro 8.9).

It works similarly with the Son. He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ac 2.34), where he stands to watch Stephen’s execution (Ac 7.55). He is “in you [believers], the hope of glory” (Co 1.27). In the Great Commission he says, “I am with you always, unto the end of the age” (Mt 28.20). And Paul calls Christ “him that filleth all in all” (Ep 1.23).

We’ll get to the other 2 non-communicable attributes next time.

* Notably, Charles Ryrie disagrees. He argues that we have defined the attributes to support the thesis. By calling God’s knowledge “omniscience” rather than “knowledge,” for example, we have made it something that we can’t share, thereby assuming our thesis. I find his point interesting, but I still see the distinction as valid. In any case, Ryrie’s point doesn’t invalidate the evidence here as arguing for the deity of Christ.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Part 7: Deity 6 | Part 8: Deity 7 | Part 9: Deity 8 | Part 10: Deity 9  | Part 11: Humanity 1 | Part 12: Humanity 2 | Part 13: Humanity 3 | Part 14: Humanity 4 | Part 15: Unity 1 | Part 16: Unity 2 | Part 17: Unity 3