To mischaracterize Christ isn’t just a small theological mistake, it reshapes how people understand God, salvation, and truth itself. Scripture consistently calls us to handle Him rightly.
Below is an example of how the Lord was displeased with Moses for how he handled Him before the people:
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:12, MEV)
I have gathered an article by Charles Ryrie concerning Deity of Christ.
The Full Deity of Christ Incarnate
A. He Possesses Attributes that Only God Has
1. Eternality. He claimed to exist from eternity past (John 8:58; 17:5).
2. Omnipresence. He claimed to be everywhere present (Matt. 18:20; 28:20).
3. Omniscience. He showed knowledge of things that could only be known if He were omniscient (Matt. 16:21; Luke 6:8; 11:17; John 4:29).
4. Omnipotence. He demonstrated and claimed the power of an omnipotent person (Matt. 28:18; Mark 5:11–15; John 11:38–44).
Other attributes of Deity are claimed for Him by others (e.g., immutability, Heb. 13:8), but these cited are claims He made for Himself.
B. He Performs Works that Only God Can Do
1. Forgiveness. He forgives sins eternally. Men may do that temporarily, but Christ grants eternal forgiveness (Mark 2:1–12).
2. Life. He gives spiritual life to whomever He wishes (John 5:21).
3. Resurrection. He will raise the dead (John 11:43).
4. Judgment. He will judge all people (John 5:22, 27).
Again, all of these examples are things He did or claims He made, not claims others made of Him.
C. He Was Given the Names and Titles of Deity
1. Son of God. Our Lord used this designation of Himself (though rarely, John 10:36), and He acknowledged its truthfulness when it was used by others of Him (Matt. 26:63–64). What does it mean? Though the phrase “son of” can mean “offspring of,” it also carries the meaning “of the order of.” Thus in the Old Testament “sons of the prophets” meant of the order of prophets (1 Kings 20:35), and “sons of the singers” meant of the order of the singers (Neh. 12:28). The designation “Son of God” when used of our Lord means of the order of God and is a strong and clear claim to full Deity.
Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. 1999. Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth. Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
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