​Firstly, if Jesus was an ordinary man, then he is not the son of God, and as a consequence of this the principles of the gospel and the Christian hope crumble; his death was meaningless.

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The apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians says: “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-19. ESV)

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Secondly, if Jesus was a pre-existent angelic being, it fundamentally affects the understanding of the redemptive work of Jesus.

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In the letter to the Hebrews, the writer speaking of Jesus states “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15. ESV).

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Similarly, if Jesus pre-existed the force of the argument in 1 Corinthians 15:46 is lost. “But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. (ESV). If Jesus pre-existed, then for him, this divinely appointed order is reversed – first spiritual then natural. Romans 8:15 speaks of Jesus being “the firstborn among many brothers”. This is impossible if his experience is the reverse of theirs.

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Finally, what is probably the most common belief, that Jesus is part of the triune godhead, part of the trinity. Consider what the Bible says:

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  1.  No-one has ever seen God.

“But,” he (God) said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20. ESV). Similarly, “No one has ever seen God;” (John 1:18. ESV). See also 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:13-16 1 John 4:12.

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  2.  Jesus has a separate will from God.

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39. ESV)

See also John 5:30, John 6:38, Romans 15:3.

 

  3.  ​God has always known everything.

Jesus said to his disciples “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” (Matthew 20:23. ESV)

See also Acts 1:7, Mark 13:32.

 

  4.  ​God cannot be tempted.

In the letter of James, we read “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. (James 1:13 ESV). This tells us categorically that God is unable to sin. However, in Hebrews we read “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15. ESV). This is clearly telling us that Jesus was able to sin but did not. See also Luke 22:28, Hebrews 2:18, Mark 10:18.

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  5.  God never Changes

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.” (Luke 2:52 ESV) If Jesus and God were the same being, this verse makes no sense. Jesus grew, God remained the same.

The Bible states that Jesus’ nature changed on resurrection “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” (Hebrews 2:10 ESV). Again, in Hebrews “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.  And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him”, (Hebrews 5:8-9 ESV) clearly showing that Jesus passed from death to life – God cannot die. See also Luke 13:32.

 

  6.  ​God is more exalted than Jesus.

The Bible clearly states that God is more exalted than Jesus. For example:

“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3. ESV)

Similarly, and quite clearly, “You heard me say to you, I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28. ESV). See also these other verses Matthew 12:18, and 1 Corinthians 15:28.

The Bible clearly states that God is Jesus’ Father: “that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:6 ESV).

See also John 20:17.

These verses and many others clearly show that God is more exalted than Jesus, even after his ascension.

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  7.  The Bible clearly distinguishes between Jesus and God.

In all passages where Jesus and God are mentioned together, the Bible aways clearly shows which of the two is God.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36 ESV)

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5 ESV)

See also Acts 2:22, Romans 15:6, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Philippians 2:11, John 17:3.

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The Bible gives a clear distinction between God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV).

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The belief that Jesus and God are the same is sincerely believed by many, however the Bible says they are two separate and distinct entities.

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We ask you to approach the nature of Jesus with prayer and a willingness to accept the word of God.

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