Relate: One of the big arguments atheists sometimes use and Muslims frequently use to deny the divinity of Jesus is the claim that Jesus never claimed to be God. The argument, which is even found in the Quran, states that Jesus never came right out, point blank, and said, “I am God” therefore He must not be God.
This argument is ridiculous on two grounds. First, it is simply not true. We see very clearly Jesus saying in John 8:58, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM.” When Moses was sent by God to go rescue the people of Israel, he asked God, “What is your name that I might tell them who sent me?” God responded, “I AM. Say this to the people, I AM has sent me to you.” This is the very name of God and Jesus point blank uses it as His own. It is found all over the Old Testament but except for in Exodus 3:14, when it is used, we find instead the word Lord all in caps. (see Genesis 2:4, Exodus 3:2, Leviticus 1:1 and about 6,500 other times)
Not only does Jesus use the very name of God as His own, but there are also many other times where either another calls him God and he does not correct them or Jesus is speaking of Himself and the people listening understand clearly that He just referred to Himself as God. An example of the former is when Thomas says, “My Lord and my God” and Jesus responds, “You believe because you have seen. Blessed are those who have not seen yet still believe.” An example of the latter is found right here in John 10. Jesus had just said, “I and my Father are one” and now the crowd is picking up stones because, “You, a mere man, claim to be God.”
The common Muslim or skeptic response to this is that when Jesus says, “I and my Father are one”, He is talking about purpose or intent. He is saying He is one the same mission as the Father, not that He and the Father are one and the same. Really? If that were the case, these listeners were downright evil. If Jesus were merely saying, “I am on a mission from God. We’re on the same team. We are one in purpose and intent” then why on earth would the people want to stone Him? Why would they be stoning someone who was claiming to obedient to God? Either the person using this argument is being intellectually dishonest or they are just plain ignorant. The fact is, Jesus claimed to be God. This is not the first or the last time He will do so in the scriptures.
React: The question is not if Jesus claimed to be God in the gospels. The question very clearly is what we will do with those claims. We cannot simply call Jesus a good man. We cannot truly label Him a prophet and nothing more. If He was merely a good man, He would not have made those claims. If He was a prophet and nothing more, then He was a false prophet and should not be venerated as such. We have three choices. The first is that Jesus was misguided. He believed He was God but clearly He was mistaken. The second choice is that Jesus was a liar. He made claims to be God which He knew were false. If we are to come to either of these conclusions then Jesus was a blasphemer. He should not be respected or honored, He should be condemned. The judgment of God is on him. The only other option is to accept His claim at face value. We can either worship Jesus as God or with that crowd we must pick up the stones. There is no other choice. Which do you believe? Is Jesus God or is He a blasphemer?
“We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated” (D.A. Carson, “For the Love of God”).
“As a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?” (C.S. Lewis, “Mere Christianity”).
Hebrews 2:1 warns us of the danger of drifting away from God: “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away” (NKJV). To “give earnest heed” is to “pay close attention” to the things we have learned in Scripture or we will drift away from it and from God. May I admonish you to “not grow weary in doing good,” as Galatians says, “for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” And what shall we reap? A recompence of reward for all who sincerely serve in doing well for God. This reward will certainly be given to us at the proper time — if not in this world, then undoubtedly in the next. – pastorwardclinton
For Bible background read Matthew 25:1-13
They all had some knowledge of and regard for the bridegroom.
They all had lamps that were burning/lit.
While the bridegroom tarried they all slept. Not until his coming was announced did the difference between them really reveal itself. In all outward things the wise and foolish virgins were alike; the difference between them was internal.
The foolish ones had a real regard for the bridegroom, they had gone far to meet him, and were disappointed at their exclusion. It is not that there were 5 believers and 5 unbelievers in this story that Jesus told; there were 10 believers waiting for His arrival in this illustration.
There was genuineness about them as far as they went; only they did not go far enough. They were not deliberate hypocrites (i.e. acting as though they had more religion than they actually did). No, my friend, they had some feeling of attachment to Christ. They had certain impulses Christ-ward which they did not resist, but they were not completely consecrated; they had a bit of the presence of the Holy Spirit but not at a full measure.
Character is confirmed by crisis. A man has only as much religion as he desires and can muster in the moment of trial. The minor surprises of life that come our way are to prepare us for the last emergency. Character is a personal thing and cannot be passed from one person to another, but must be acquired and manifested by each one for himself. I cannot give you my courage to fortify you for your duty. How perilous to leave preparation for the testing times till they have come upon us. Every time we perform duty the soul is made stronger. It is thereby the store of oil is obtained. 1 Peter 1:5,7
Right now is the time to be fully prepared. Certain lost opportunities cannot be recalled.
–Pastor Ward Clinton
pastorwardclinton 