"The Christ We Worship--His Deity"

Steven J. Wallace

"in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 1:2-4, emp. added, SJW).

In the gospels Jesus is presented as Immanuel, "God with us" (Matt. 1:23). Mathew and Luke show us His humble birth and briefly touch on His childhood. These books also present to us the impeccable ways of Jesus. We find Him teaching through example and precepts the way a man should live. The ways of God are modeled before us in the Christ we worship. We discover in the life of Christ the way man ought to live. In the steps of Jesus, we learn how we must walk (1 Jn. 2:6).

Through His intercessory death, the gospels bring into view our immense debt of sin. He bore our iniquities in His flesh (Is. 53:4-8). The gospels portray the sobering truth, "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (2 Cor. 5:14, 15). It is evident that all men and women (including Mary), need His shed blood to take away our sins. All have sinned (Rom. 3:23).

Some might think the existence of Jesus began with His conception and physical birth. This is not true! In fact, Jesus never began to exist. He has always existed. Long before His mother Mary lived, Isaiah, spoke of His virgin birth and His nature as "mighty God" (Is. 7:14; 9:6). Micah mentions that His "…goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (Mic. 5:2). Paul wrote that Jesus is the Creator of everything, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible…" (Col. 1:16). Make no mistake, Mary's labor pains would bring Jesus into our world to initiate the fulfillment of God's scheme of redemption but the One she brought forth had no beginning. Jesus is the image-giver. Mary, and all humans, are image-bearers (Gen. 1:26).

The apostle Paul penned to Titus, "in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began" (1:2). Eternal life is the oldest promise ever given to man. It is older than time itself! Who promised it? God did. When was it promised? Before time began. To make a promise before time is to exist before time. In the next stroke of the apostle's pen, we see, "but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior" (Titus 1:3, emp. mine). At a set time God chose to reveal these things. Of Whom does this commandment come forth? Of God our Savior.

If it can be proven that Jesus is "God and Savior," then two things must be true. One, He must have existed before time began. Two, He must be eternal to promise "eternal life."

The inspired Scriptures affirm that the very Christ we worship is our great God and Savior. Remember the designation: "God our Savior" (Titus 1:3). But also remember that grace comes from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 1:4).

1. GOD IS OUR SAVIOR.
2. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS OUR SAVIOR.
3. THEREFORE, JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR IS GOD.

Is this correct? If there is any doubt, we read these words explicitly in Titus 2:13, "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (emp. added, SJW). Therefore it stands:

1. SINCE JESUS IS GOD, AND SINCE GOD PROMISED ETERNAL LIFE BEFORE TIME BEGAN, THEN JESUS EXISTED BEFORE TIME BEGAN.
2. SINCE JESUS IS GOD, AND SINCE GOD PROMISED ETERNAL LIFE, JESUS MUST BE ETERNAL.

It is self-evident that for God to promise "eternal life" is to assert that the promise maker must Himself be greater than the gift He promises! See similar reasoning in Hebrews 3:3.