The testimony of Jesus’ divine attributes
If Jesus possesses
divine names and titles, does He also possess God’s attributes? The Bible’s
answer is an emphatic ‘Yes!’
There are attributes
which God has but which man can never have. They are true of God, but can never
be true of you and me. Yet they are true of Jesus Christ. Here are six major
attributes of God which match Jesus:
1. His holiness
The Bible declares clearly that Jesus was without sin. The apostle Peter affirms that Jesus “committed no sin, and no deceit was found in
His mouth” (1 Peter 2:
22). The apostle Paul refers to Jesus as He
“who knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Elsewhere
Jesus is said to be “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has
become higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26).
Jesus challenged His enemies, asking, “Which of you convicts Me
of sin?” (John 8:46). Even demons shouted out saying that Jesus
was “the Holy One of God” (Luke 4:34).
God alone is holy!
2. His eternal existence
The apostle John wrote, “In the beginning
was the Word” (John 1:1). In prayer to God the Father, Jesus spoke of “the
glory I had with You [God the Father] before the world
was” (John 17:5). Jesus is said to be “before all things, and in Him all things
hold together” (Colossians 1:17). God’s prophets also
wrote about the Messiah before He came. They spoke of Jesus as the “Everlasting
Father” (Isaiah 9: 6), and “the one to be ruler in Israel,
whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). He is the
eternal King!
God alone is eternal!
3. His unchanging nature
Listen to the following statements
about Jesus:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8).
“They [the heavens and the earth]
will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow
old like a garment; like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be
changed. But You are the same, and Your
years will not fail” (Hebrews 1:11,12).
God alone is unchanging!
4. His infinite power
Jesus the Messiah said, “All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). “All things have been delivered to
me by my Father” (Matthew 11:27). Elsewhere God’s Word says that Jesus sustains “all
things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). The
prophets beforehand describe the Messiah as “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6).
He had the power to raise the dead to life (John 11:43,44; Luke 7:14).
The final resurrection of all people will be accomplished through His power: “Do
not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves
will hear His voice and come forth” (John 5:28).
God alone is almighty!
5. His infinite knowledge
Amazed by His
teachings, Jesus’ disciples said to Him, “You know all things” (John 16:30). Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you think
evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4). In another place
we read, “Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did
not believe, and who would betray Him” (John 6:64).
“Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). Jesus said, “No
one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the
Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him”
(Matthew 11:27). Here Jesus implies that the Son alone possesses such unlimited
knowledge that He knows God to perfection. Jesus’ knowledge is therefore
infinite.
God alone knows everything!
6. His presence everywhere
Jesus Himself declared that He is
present everywhere. “For where two or three come together in My
name, there am I with them.” When Jesus
met with His disciples on the Mount
of Olives after His
resurrection, He assured them of His continued presence and power. He said that
His influence with them would not be that of a dead teacher, but that of a
living presence. “I am with you always, even to the
end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Since Jesus is always present, He is able to guard and
comfort His people. Therefore no suffering can come upon them except that which
He sees to be for their own good.
God alone is present everywhere!