Jesus has God’s power to create, power to save, power to forgive, power to anoint, and power over life and death. These powers are different demonstrations from the same one and only Spirit of God whether He is robed in Son of Man flesh or not.

Continuing in the series “Jesus, The Everlasting Father”, this page provides proof text that Jesus is the Redeemer, Savior, and Shepherd.

Only God can forgive sins. Jesus forgave sins which is compelling evidence that He is God. Some mistakenly believe that the cross somehow gave Him power to forgive sins. Because Jesus is God, He always had the power to forgive sins long before the cross. The cross was about providing access to God for covenant restoration conversation not about providing a blanket once and for all time forgiveness of sins. We must ask for forgiveness to be forgiven. Without covenant restoration, God can abandon us as we have abandoned Him.

Do you believe that Jesus is the Creator? Let’s look at the Scriptures that reveal the He is the Word or the Creation Voice.

Though Jesus is said to have many names, those labels are actually titles or descriptions of roles. For example: Redeemer, Savior, Almighty, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace. Those identifiers are not names, instead they describe attributes, authority, or character traits much like Accountant, Secretary, and Engineer would describe jobs in our culture.

Often in the Bible language, terminology is intentionally used to express prophetic fulfillment. For example in the Old Testament, God dwelled among His people in the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:8-9). The Ark of the Covenant was a place of God’s presence (Exodus 25:22). The New Testament fulfillment was God in flesh, aka Jesus, dwelling among His people (John 1:14). While we don’t go around calling Jesus “The Tabernacle” or “The Ark of the Covenant” to identify Him as “God with us” or “God’s presence”, those identifiers represent prophecies fulfilled as God made Himself known in human form (Isaiah 9:6, Exodus 25).

Let’s examine this further. God gave exact specifications for how the Tabernacle would be designed. The Tabernacle was a tent of meeting and a precursor to Solomon’s Temple. Both were created to be a place where a sinful people could approach a Holy God. The high priest would enter the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement. The high priest’s role was to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat atop of the ark of the covenant to atone for the sins of the people. The hope was that the judgment of God would be transformed into mercy from God. I should note that the sprinkling of blood did not obligate God to forgive the rebellion or evil deeds of the people. It was simply an act to signal a hope for covenant restoration from God. Without restoration God could abandon His people as they abandoned Him in their disobedience and sin.

Everything about Christ on the cross was to replace the earlier Tabernacle and Temple. For example: The veil or curtain that divided the Holy Place and the residing place of the Ark of the Covenant (aka the Most Holy Place) was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died. The torn veil at the entrance to the Most Holy Place symbolized our ability to approach God for a private and individual covenant restoration conversation. We don’t need a high priest to approach God on our behalf. Jesus was the final priest in the priestly lineage. He forever fulfilled the need for intercession. We are each responsible to have conversation directly with God. (Read Hebrews 10:10-12.)

Are the attributes of God the exact same attributes of Jesus? “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (Hebrews 1:3 NIV) “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:15-16 NIV)

There can only be one God who is the first and the last. There is only one God who is the Creator. There can only be one God who is sovereign. Only God can forgive sins. There is only one Righteous Judge and King of Kings.

Jesus is the Creator. Jesus is the first and the last. Jesus forgave sin even before the cross. Jesus said that He is God … do you believe Him or do you think that He is a subordinate “God” to the real God?

Do you have a covenant relation-ship with God? If Jesus is not the one God, then the first command-ment forbids that you bow down to Him as a separate God.

Are you ready to know who your God is? If you can only have one God, you must decide if He has your wholehearted/undivided allegiance. Who is on the throne of your life?

There are three very distinct roles of God described in the Bible. Those roles are: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Please hear me. Those are roles, not separate people. As an example: I am a daughter, sister, and a mother. I’m not three people. I’m just one person who has three distinct positions or roles. I have a different relationship to others in those three roles. I respond differently to my siblings than I do to my children. I am only one person, not three people.

To use the Bible to explain this in relation to God’s three roles, let’s look at Scriptures. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the NAME of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV) I bolded the word “name” to emphasize that this is a singular name, not three names. What is the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Is the name Jesus? God is a He, not a they.

The word “God” is a title, not a name. As an example: I do not call my parents by their names. I call them by their favorite titles “Mom” and “Dad”. I don’t call God by His name, “Jesus” either. I call God by His favorite and most excellent title “God” because He is my God. I know that Jesus is God. Just like I know that my parents have names too.