Jesus is the “I AM”

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jesus-Is-The-I-AM.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.          Many religions cast doubts on the deity of Jesus              A.         Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is the first creation of God.              B.         Muslims see Jesus as nothing more than a significant prophet, much like Moses.              C.         Probably the best analysis of who is Jesus is found in the book of John. II.         The evidence…

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How can Christ be equal to the Father when he submitted to the Father?

Question: I read the article, ‘Who was the angel that Jacob wrestled with at Jabbok?’, and I was a bit confused. If Christ was called a messenger of God before he took a lower form (Philippians 2:6-8), how can we argue objectively with the Jehovah’s Witnesses that he is equal to God? In I Corinthians…

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Baptism, the Godhead, and the King James Bible

Question: Hey, are you the person that is behind the answer on the La Vista Church of Christ website? Surprisingly, it looks like you have very sound doctrine, which, of course, is very rare to find considering how many false prophets and teachers there are that exist. Answer: [Note: “Then the Pharisees went and plotted…

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There Are Three

by Jefferson David Tant In our Bible studies and teaching, we often refer to God the Father and Christ the Son. Obviously, this is good, as they are prominent figures in our creation, salvation, and daily living. We are also aware that there is a third being that is one of the God-head, and that…

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Is the Father the only true God?

Question: In Do You Believe in Three Gods or One? it is stated: We believe in the one true and living God because the Bible teaches it. Jesus identifies who the “one true and living God” is in John 17:3 which states in the King James Version: “And this is life eternal, that they might…

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Did God or Christ lead Israel?

Question: Hi Mr. Jeffrey, I was reading this article: Immorality: The Forbidden Territory, and found this statement: “The Israelites even had Christ on their side! How often do we quote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)? The Israelites’ access to Christ did not allow most of them to reach…

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Will we see the Godhead as three beings or combined as Jesus?

Question: Will we see the Trinity as three distinct persons in Heaven or will they all be combined as one in Jesus Christ our Saviour?  I know the Bible states that Jesus is sitting on the right hand of God but will we see God the Father and the Holy Spirit? Answer: In Revelation, there…

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Did Jesus get back his equality with God?

Question: Christ never got back His equality (Philippians 2:6) when He returned to heaven and was seated at the right hand of God. True? Answer: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but…

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The Lord Our God Is One

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/LordOurGodIsOne.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Deuteronomy 6   I.         In the world there are many views divinity.             A.        We can broadly categorize them as:                         1.         Polytheism                                     a.         Many gods, each independent. They interact with each other, sometimes cooperatively and sometimes in opposition to each other.                                     b.         Hinduism is a modern day polytheistic religion                         2.         Monotheism                                     a.         There is a single god…

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How can Jesus be God?

Question: Here are a bunch of things that say Jesus can’t be God God is invisible, Jesus was visible God is immutable (unchangeable), Jesus changed forms God is not a man, Jesus was a man God is a spirit, Jesus was flesh and bones God doesn’t pray, Jesus prayed God submits to no one, Jesus…

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Is Jesus God or someone God sent to earth?

Question: So who exactly is Jesus Christ? Is he the God, or someone whom God had sent down to this earth? Answer: According to the Bible, the answer is both, which confuses a lot of people. Speaking of Jesus as “the Word” John said: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with…

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Who must we believe in to go to heaven, God or Jesus?

Question: Who must we believe in to go to heaven, God or Jesus? Answer: The answer is both. You cannot believe in one without believing in the other. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You,…

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Jesus is God

Jesus Is GodJesus Is God Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Titus 2:11-14   I.         The religious world holds diverse views in regards to Jesus             A.        Is he a man or God? Or is it possible for him to be both?             B.        Oneness Pentecostals argue that there is only one God, and his name is Jesus.             C.        Jehovah’s…

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Ye Are Gods

by Joe R. Price via Guardian of Truth XL: 3 p. 6-7, February 1, 1996 In the last year of Jesus’ life, during the Feast of Dedication (present-day Hanukkah), unbelieving individuals confronted him and demanded of him a plain declaration that he was the Christ (John 10:22-24). Like ravenous wolves, the Jewish rulers encircled him, ready to…

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Was Jesus omniscient?

Question: I have a question that I hope you can answer for me.  Last night I heard a man preach that Jesus was not omniscient while on earth. I asked him after the sermon to explain passages like John 16:30 where the disciples state that Jesus knew everything.  He said that we should not proof-text…

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God cannot be tempted, but Jesus was tempted; so, is Jesus not God?

Question: My friend, who is an Arian, gave me this puzzling logic:  God can’t be tempted, but Jesus was tempted; therefore, Jesus is not God.  Is this true? Answer: For a Christian, it would be easy to spot this line of reasoning as a falsehood because it ends with a statement that contradicts the Bible.…

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The spirit cannot be God

Question: [Note: This has been severely reduced from the original because it was too long and filled with twisted usage of the Scriptures. I am only presenting a summary so you can get the gist of the arguments made.] The spirit cannot be God. If your congregation is singing praises to the holy spirit, you…

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Do You Believe in Three Gods or One?

by Dudley Ross Spears Question: Our pastor says the Church of Christ believes in three Gods and he says the Bible teaches there is only one God. Why do you believe in three Gods? Don’t you believe the Bible? Answer: Thanks for the question. No offense intended but your “pastor” is wrong. Yes, indeed, we believe every…

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Who should we worship: God, the Father, or Jesus Christ?

Question: Who should we worship: God, the Father, or Jesus Christ? Answer: Since both are God, that is they, along with the Holy Spirit, make up the Godhead, they are both worshiped. “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker” (Psalm 95:6). “Then those who were in…

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Was the spirit of Christ the Holy Spirit?

Question: Was the spirit of Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit? We say the Jesus is God. Jesus said that God is Spirit. This implies that the Spirit also has a sub-spirit. The spirit of Jesus was certainly not the Holy Spirit because while dying on the cross he uttered: “Father into thy hands I give…

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How can the Son be called the Everlasting Father?

Question: How do you harmonize the reference to the Son as “the Everlasting Father” in Isaiah 9:6? Answer: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah…

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How do you respond to someone claiming Jesus was not divine?

Question: Hello again.  I’ve been researching the Bible, especially the New Testament quite extensively since I last talked to you, and I came across a Jewish web site claiming that Jesus was not divine.  Here’s what it says: Question: Is it true that there are New Testament passages that refute the Christian doctrine of the…

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If There is Only One in the Godhead

by Johnie Edwards via Back To Basics, Vol. 3, No. 2, February 2005. There are consequences of the doctrine that there is only one person in the Godhead.  We take a look at some of these: Why the Word “Both?” The word “both” means more than one.  John wrote, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in…

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Exploring the Nature of God in the Old Testament

Text: Deuteronomy 6:1-6   I.          The nature of God is admittedly both a large subject and a difficult one              A.         Large because the God who holds the universe in his hand would be greater than mortal man bound to a single world – Isaiah 40:12-17              B.         Difficult because all we know of God is what God has chosen…

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Is the Holy Spirit Jesus?

Answer: “Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory…

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Subtle References to the Trinity of God

Text: Isaiah 48:12-16   I.          Often I find people making statements, such “the Holy Spirit is never said to be Deity, Divine in any way.” Or, statements that Jesus is the first of creation and thus is not fully God (or divine).              A.         The problem is that proof or denial often requires a complete knowledge of the…

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What are the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ beliefs about the Godhead?

Question: What are the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ beliefs concerning the Godhead Answer: According to The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in 1968: “God’s personal name is made known to us through his Word, the Bible, and that name is JEHOVAH” (page 17). “As for the ‘Holy Spirit,’…

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Who Is God?

I.         You run into many strange ideas in the world concerning God             A.        We have people stating that there is only one being called God                         1.         The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that His name is Jehovah                         2.         There are Pentecostal sects who claim he is Jesus                         3.         I haven’t run across any that claim He is only the Holy Spirit, though…

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