The Mystery of His Deity . . . OR . . . When Answers Come Before Questions

Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope
April 12, 2008
Larry R Evans

Due to other commitments there will be no additional class notes this week, however, the Reflective Review following the questions does give a brief overview of where we would have most likely gone with this week's lesson.


Quiz for Reflection

1. Jesus did not have his origin in Mary’s womb. [Col. 1:15,16] True or False?

2. Whether Christ preexisted or not is a theological concern and not a practical one as far as day-to-day living is concerned. [Isa 9:6,7; Rom 5:1-11; Col 1:15-23] True or False?

3. Christ was aware of His preexistence while living on this earth. [Luke 19:10; Jn 17:5; Jn 8:58,59] True or False?

4. John 3:16, by the use of the words “only begotten son” suggests that there was a time when Jesus was not. [Jn 3:16; Lk 7:11-15; 8:41,42] True or False?

5. Jesus was God. [Matt 3:3; Jn 1:1; Jn 20:28] True or False?

6. God the Father and God the Son are of one nature yet not one and the same person. [1 Cor 1:3; Rev 20:6; 2 Cor 13:14] True or False?

7. Jesus became a deity the moment He was born in Bethlehem. [Jn 1:1-3; Col 1:17] True or False?

Reflective Review

Normally we begin with a problem before searching for an answer. In our study for this week, we begin with the solution. The underlying premise is that we won’t understand the nature of the problem until we understand who Jesus was and is and ultimately the cost for the solution. Strange but true. What practical insights for day-to-day living can we possibly gain by studying about Christ’s divinity? There are many but they aren’t all obvious.

One author wrote, “Just as we cannot understand human nature without reference to God, the Creator, so also we cannot understand the full possibilities of our humanity apart from Jesus Christ, the Redeemer.” -- Kenneth Cain Kinghorn in Christ Can Make You Fully Human, p.40. A study of Christ’s divinity not only reveals who He is but also what we can become. He is both the Creator and Redeemer. He is the very One who knows both what we are made of and what we can become. Despite living in a broken world, we have a hope that transcends all prophecies of doom. The divine being of Christ is empowering. “The genius of Christianity rests not on the notion that we do something for God, but on the affirmation that God does something for us. Christian discipleship does not primarily mean that we live for Christ—it means that Christ lives in and through us. Christ does not say, ‘Be like me.’ He says, ‘I want to dwell in you so that I can impart my life and my character to you. Paul gathered up this thought when he wrote, ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me’ (Galatians 2:20).” (Ibid. p.47-48) Spending a quarter studying about Jesus is all about learning how to let Him live in us. So you can see, it is important to first understand the “answer” before we understand “the problem.” We begin first with what God has done for us. We will have plenty of time to reflect on our response but first things must be first. By letting God be God we are more likely to understand not only who He is but also who we are.

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