Defend Your FaithDefend Your Faith

Lesson 4Lesson 4Is Jesus the Divine Son of God?Is Jesus the Divine Son of God?

Jesus Is the Divine Son of GodJesus Is the Divine Son of God

• Ready to give an answer (1 Pet. 3:15)

• The importance of this question (Jn. 8:24)

• Two facts and two alternatives

• The practical lessons that come from this question (Jn. 1:1,14,18; Mt. 16:16-18; Acts 4:11-12; Phil. 2:5ff; Heb. 2:18; Rev. 5:8-14).

Presenting Your Case for JesusPresenting Your Case for Jesus• Biblical testimony

– He pre-existed as the Son of God (Jn. 1:1; 8:58)

– He was born the Son of God (Mt. 1:18-25)

– He lived as the Son of God (Mt. 3:17; 17:5)

– He died as the Son of God (1 Pet. 3:18)

– He was raised as the Son of God (Rom. 1:4)

– He commissioned as the Son of God (Mt. 28:18-20)

– He ascended as the Son of God (Acts 2:36)

Presenting Your Case for JesusPresenting Your Case for Jesus

• Fulfilled prophetic testimony (Lk. 24:44-46)

• Miraculous testimony (Jn. 11:39-53; 12:9-10)

• Pauline testimony (Acts 9:1-19; 22:1-16; 26:1-23)

• External historical testimony (Jewish historians and Roman historians, circumstantial evidence)

Presenting Your Case for JesusPresenting Your Case for Jesus

• Jesus was a liar (Jn. 7:45-46)

• Jesus was a lunatic (Mt. 7:28)

• Jesus was Lord (Mt. 14:33; 27:54)

Jesus Claims to Be the Son of GodJesus Claims to Be the Son of God( What Are the Choices? )( What Are the Choices? )

Liar Lunatic Lord

He knewhis claimswere false

He was aliar, a hypo-crite, anda fool

He didnot knowhis claimswere false

He wasdeluded,a lunatic,and a fool

He knewhis claimswere true,He is Lord

You canaccept him

orreject him

Answering Objections to JesusAnswering Objections to Jesus

Objection #1: Jesus was a well-known religious leader, but just an ordinary man.

•The entire earthly life of Jesus from start to finish was far from ordinary. This was demonstrated in this lesson with evidence from the Bible, miracles, Paul, and external sources.

Answering Objections to JesusAnswering Objections to Jesus

Objection #2: Jesus only claimed to be the Son of God, but he was not actually the Son of God. He was made out to be (a lie) divine by his followers.•If the Gospel writers lied, why did they do so to the point of death? Why did thousands believe them to the point of death? Why did they propagate their lies so soon during the lifetime of the eyewitnesses?•There are indeed religious movements based upon liars and deceivers (Mt. 24:5,23-24). But, Christianity lacks the characteristics of these false movements (Acts 5:36-39).

Answering Objections to JesusAnswering Objections to Jesus

Objection #3: I don’t have enough evidence to believe that Jesus is the divine Son of God.

•This is held, but not for rational reasons. This is a subjective opinion and it is not based upon objective and logical truth.

•Often, the person is not against Christ per se, but against Christians (the Lord’s church) and what they stand for and teach.

Answering Objections to JesusAnswering Objections to Jesus

Objection #3: I don’t have enough evidence to believe that Jesus is the divine Son of God.

•The reluctance is often moral. To admit that Jesus is the divine Son of God is to admit that he has authority over my life; something many do not want. Pride and worldliness keep many from accepting Jesus, not a lack of evidence.

•Some people are afraid of the spiritual realm. Our world of physical materialism hides the need for something spiritual.

Answering Objections to JesusAnswering Objections to Jesus

Objection #3: I don’t have enough evidence to believe that Jesus is the divine Son of God.

•It is not intellectually fashionable to believe in Jesus in our modern society. “Scholars” and “scientists” do not accept Jesus, so I don’t either.

•To admit that Jesus is the divine Son of God is to admit that he is above all other religions; something many do not want in our “PC” culture of equality for all religions.

Defend Your FaithDefend Your Faith• Are we impressed with Jesus the Son of God

(Mt.27:54)?

• Our eternal destiny is determined by our decision about Jesus (Jn.3:16-18; 8:24; 12:48; 20:30-31; 1 Jn.3:8; 4:15; 5:5,10,12,13,20).

• We must not only accept the fact of Jesus’ deity, but we must also confess Jesus as the Son of God and obey him (Jn. 11:27; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Jn. 4:15).

• Do you have the will to believe today (Jn. 7:17)?