Every major world religion has an opinion about Jesus. He's a prophet, a wise teacher, a good man, a symbol of divine love, an enlightened being, a reformer. What almost no one outside orthodox Christianity is willing to say is what Jesus actually claimed about Himself: that He was God in the flesh, that He existed before Abraham, that He and the Father are one, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. These are not the claims of a good man. They're either the claims of God or of a madman.

Last time we examined the New Testament program for the Church: preach and confirm the gospel. Now we focus on the center of that gospel — the person of Jesus Christ Himself. Who is He, really? And what does Scripture say that most people — even most Christians — don't fully grasp?

Then something remarkable happened—one of the three divine persons took on human form to redeem the world. This is what sets Jesus apart from the other members of the Godhead during these past 1,900 years. Let's explore who Jesus Christ really is as the visible manifestation of the invisible God among us.

The Bible makes it absolutely clear that the person we now know as Jesus Christ was one of the three divine persons of the deity. As God, He had no beginning. When we talk about His "pre-existence," we're referring to the time before He became a man.

Technically speaking, there's no such thing as existence "before" Him as God—but He certainly existed before becoming human. Micah 5:1-2 speaks of Him as existing from all eternity. John describes Him as existing in the very beginning with the Father John 1:1-5.

Jesus Himself spoke of being before Abraham and before the world was even created John 8:58John 17:5, 24. Paul tells us He existed before all things and that He is both the Creator and Upholder of everything Colossians 1:15-18Hebrews 1:1-3, 8Hebrews 2:10. God the Father created all things through Him Ephesians 3:9 and the Holy Spirit Genesis 1:2.

1. Divine Names and Titles Are Ascribed to Him

The names and titles given to Jesus in Scripture prove beyond doubt that He is divine by nature and a full member of the Godhead. Think of it like someone's credentials—if a person holds every title of a particular office, they clearly occupy that position.

He is called "God" and "Immanuel" Matthew 1:23John 1:1John 20:28Acts 20:28; "Lord" Luke 19:34Acts 2:36; "Lord of All" Acts 10:36; "Lord of Glory" 1 Corinthians 2:8; "Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6-7; "Christ the Lord" Luke 2:26; "The Son of God" Matthew 4:3Matthew 14:33Luke 22:70John 1:34Romans 1:4; "His Son" Matthew 22:45John 3:16-18; "My Son" Matthew 3:17; "The Only Begotten Son" John 1:18John 3:16-181 John 4:9.

He's also called "The First and the Last, Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and the Ending" Revelation 22:12, 13, 16; "The Lord" Acts 9:17; "The Son of the Highest" Luke 1:32Mark 14:61; "The Bread of God" John 6:33; "The Holy One of God" Mark 1:24; "Thy Holy Child Jesus" Acts 4:30; "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" Revelation 19:16; "Lord and Saviour" 2 Peter 3:2; and "The Word of God" Revelation 19:13.

These names and titles—along with many others throughout Scripture—prove Christ's deity. Some of them appear hundreds of times in the Bible. If we're going to believe the Bible, we must believe in the divinity of Christ.

2. Divine Attributes Are Ascribed to Him

This becomes crystal clear in Philippians 2:5-11, where Paul explains that Christ existed in God's form. He then laid aside this form and limited His divine attributes and powers to become a man. After His earthly limitation, these powers were restored to Him, as we'll see in Point VIII below.

3. Divine Offices Are Ascribed to Him

Jesus holds offices that belong only to God. He is called "The Creator" John 1:3Colossians 1:16Hebrews 1:1-3; "Mediator" 1 Timothy 2:4-5Hebrews 8:6; "Head of the Church" Ephesians 1:22Colossians 1:16-24; "Saviour" 2 Peter 3:2; "Judge" 2 Timothy 4:1; "Preserver" Hebrews 1:1-3; "Life Giver" John 10:28John 17:2; "Lord and Christ" Acts 2:36; "The Resurrection and the Life" John 11:25.

These offices and works prove that Christ is divine and one with the Father as part of the deity. Scripture calls Him the fellow and equal of God in divinity Zechariah 13:7John 5:17-23John 10:30-38John 17:10.

4. Divine Character Is Ascribed to Him

All ordinary human beings are sinners by nature Psalms 51:5Ephesians 3:1-3Romans 5:12-21. But Christ is different. He is "holy by birth" Luke 1:35; "righteous" Isaiah 53:11Hebrews 1:9; "faithful" Isaiah 11:51 Thessalonians 5:24; "true" John 1:14John 14:6; "just" John 5:30; "guileless" 1 Peter 2:22; "sinless" 2 Corinthians 5:21; "spotless" 1 Peter 1:19; "innocent" Matthew 27:4; "harmless" Hebrews 7:26.

He was "obedient to God" John 15:10Hebrews 5:8-10 and "His earthly parents" Luke 2:51; "zealous" John 2:17; "meek" Matthew 11:29; "lowly in heart" Matthew 11:29; "merciful" Hebrews 2:17; "patient" Isaiah 53:7; "long-suffering" 1 Timothy 1:16; "compassionate" Matthew 15:32; "benevolent" Acts 10:38; "loving" John 15:13; "self-denying" 2 Corinthians 8:9; "humble" Philippians 2:5-11; "resigned" Luke 22:42; and "forgiving" Luke 23:34.

5. The Works of God Are Ascribed to Him

Scripture attributes God's works directly to Christ John 1:3Colossians 1:15-18Hebrews 1:1-3, 10John 5:19-23Revelation 3:14.