Twelve Points That Show Christianity Is True: A Handbook on Defending the Christian Faith by Norman Geisler

Author:Norman Geisler
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Politics & Social Sciences, Philosophy, Theology, Apologetics, Religion & Spirituality, Religious, Christian Books & Bibles
Publisher: Bastion Books
Published: 2013-11-03T00:00:00+00:00

According to Jewish belief, only God could forgive sins. Knowing this, “Jesus said, Son, your sins are forgiven you.” When He had done this, “The scribes replied, ‘Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” (Mark 2:5-7). As noted above, Jesus’ response revealed another claim to deity, namely, that He was “The Son of Man,” a title applied to the Messiah-God in the Old Testament (Dan. 7:13).

Jesus Claimed He Should be Honored Just as God is Honored

While the Bible teaches that honor should be given to whom honor is due, even to those in political authority (Rom.13:1-7). But never does it say that a human being should be honored “just as the Father [God] is honored. But this precisely what Jesus claimed for himself. He told the Jews, “All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father” (John 5:23).

Jesus Accepted worship on Numerous Occasions

The Jewish Scriptures declared clearly, “You shall worship no other god for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Ex. 34:14). Jesus rebuked Satan with a quote from Deut. 6:13, saying, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Mat. 4:10). The Bible forbids worshiping anyone but God (Exod. 20:1-4; Deut. 5:6-9). Human beings refused worship (Acts 14:15). Even Angels refuse to be worship (Rev. 22:8-9). Yet Jesus accepted worship on numerous occasions. He accepted worship from (1) the mother of James and John (Mat. 20:20), ( 2) the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:6), (3) a blind man (John 9:38), (4) doubting Thomas (John 20:28), (5) the women at the tomb (Mat. 28:9), (6) a Canaanite woman (Mat. 15:25), (7) His disciples (Mat. 14:33), (8) a healed leper (Mat. 8:2), and (9) a rich young ruler (Mat. 9:18). Never once did Jesus rebuked anyone who worshiped Him. He even commended people for worshiping Him and acknowledging His deity (John 20:29 cf. Mat. 16:17).

Jesus Put His Words on the Level with God’s

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Till heaven and earth pass away” (Mat. 5:18), not the smallest part of God’s Word would pass away. Yet later Jesus placed His own words on the same level with God’s, saying, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away” (Mat. 24:35). He added elsewhere, “He that rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).

Jesus Commanded His Disciples to Pray in His Name

Again, in the monotheistic Jewish context, prayer was an act of worship, and the Scriptures declared clearly, “Do not worship any other god” (Exod. 34:14). Yet Jesus called on His disciples to pray in His name, saying, “Whatever you ask in My name that will I do, that the father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). He even accepted prayer to himself from the first Christian martyr who said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59).

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