Theological Term of the Week

deity of Christ
The teaching that Jesus was really and truly God, possessing the divine nature in its fullest sense, existing from all eternity as the infinite God, the second person of the Trinity.

• From scripture:

  …looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:13-14 NASB)

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3 ESV)
  

• From The Anathemas of the Second Council of Constantinople (553 AD):

  X. If anyone does not confess that our Lord Jesus Christ who was crucified in the flesh is true God and the Lord of Glory and one of the Holy Trinity; let him be anathema.

• From The Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 38:

  Question 38: Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?

  Answer: It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death; give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession; and to satisfy God’s justice, procure his favor, purchase a peculiar people, give his Spirit to them, conquer all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting salvation.

• From Salvation Belongs to the Lord by John Frame, on why the deity of Christ is important:

  It is important that the mediator of our salvation be God. Unless our savior is God, we are without hope. It is the deity of Christ that sustains his human nature through terrible suffering, that gives worth and power to his sufferings, that makes his salvation sure. As God said through Isaiah (43:11), only the Lord can save us from our worst predicament. Only the Lord can be the Saviour. And as Jonah said, salvation is of the Lord.

Learn more:

1. GotQuestions.org: Is the Deity of Christ Biblical?
2. Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry: Jesus Is God
3. Brian Schwertley: Is Jesus Christ God?
4. J. Ligon Duncan: The Divinity of Jesus
5. J. Gresham Machen: On the Deity of Christ
6. Tim Keller: Who Is This Jesus? (mp3)
7. S. Lewis Johnson: Who Was Jesus Christ?, or Our Divine Lord (mp3)

Related terms: 

• Adoptionism
• Arianism
• eternal generation of the Son
• humanity of Christ
• hypostatic union
• Trinity

Filed under Person and Work of Christ.

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it. I’m also interested in any suggestions you have for tweaking my definitions or for additional (or better) articles or sermons/lectures for linking. I’ll give you credit and a link back to your blog if I use your suggestion.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms organized in alphabetical order or by topic.