Jesus is God
The debate about the identity of the Lord Jesus Christ in this thread has engendered many strong emotions. There have been many questions/challenges issued against the deity of Christ. There are many things about God that we are not able (in our present state) to comprehend, for instance: that God has no beginning, that God has total control-yet we have free will, that God is everywhere simultaneously, etc. etc.
When it comes to discerning Who Jesus is, we cannot determine it by using logic and reasoning ONLY. We must primarily appeal and yield to the scriptures.
There are hundreds of verses which reveal that Jesus is 'God revealed in the flesh'. When you encounter plain and irrefutable verses which reveal that He is God, if you disagree, then you must either: reject God's word, OR yield to the truth of God's word even though you may not understand it. No one truly understands something even as basic and simple like GRAVITY, yet we all accept it and live by it everyday.
For those who are still harboring doubts about the fact that God visited this earth to die for our sins and to bring us salvation, please consider the following:
1. Genesis 1:26 "Then God said, "Let US make man in OUR image..."
The Hebrew word for God here is plural ELOHIM (literally Gods) BUT the verb tense is SINGULAR, which means that the God is more than one, yet still one. God reveals here at the beginning of His scripture that His nature is a progound mystery...a plural unity. Notice God says US and OUR. God is speaking with and to Himself.
Now move on to the New Testament, we read something very similar:
2. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Interesting. The Word was WITH God (more than one) yet the Word WAS God (still one). Now, we read further:
"And the Word BECAME FLESH and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. " (verse 14)
The Word (greek LOGOS) was with God, and was God, and became flesh (became a man). This is Jesus Christ.
3. Did Jesus exist BEFORE He was conceived in Mary's womb? Yes.
John 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him.
Now, many people TODAY do not accept that Jesus claimed to be God, but the Jews in His day KNEW EXACTLY Who He was claiming to be. First He claimed that He existed BEFORE Abraham, and then He claimed to be the great I AM.
For some background on that title ("I AM")
Exodus 3:13 "Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”
And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
They were going to stone Jesus for blasphemy. If He wanted to clarify that He was NOT claiming to be God, then He could easily have said "You have misunderstood me...I'm really just a regular man. "
4. The Father calls the Son God...Jesus is NOT an angel.
Hebews 1:6 "But when He again brings the firstborn(Jesus) into the world, He(God the Father) says: “ Let all the angels of God worship Him. And(But) of the angels He says:“ Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire." BUT to the Son He(God the Father) says: “ Your throne, O GOD, is forever and ever;"
The Father calls the angels servants, He calls the Son God.
5. Finally, an apostle calls Jesus both Lord and God.
John 20:28 "And Thomas answered and said to (Jesus), “My Lord and my God!”
These are just a few of the many hundreds of passages we could look at.
Does this end the mystery of the trinity? Absolutely not. Are there still enigmatic questions about how Jesus can be God and man at the same time? Absolutely. The INCARNATION (God becoming man) will remain a mystery, perhaps one that even in eternity we will not be granted the capacity to comprehend.
Let us accept what God has revealed about Himself, and not sit as judge and jury about Who/What He is. He is Who He has revealed Himself to be. Just because we have problems understanding how Jesus could 'PRAY to Himself', or other deep questions in no way dimish what He has revealed in His word.
In conclusion, the angels announced exactly Who Jesus is:
Matthew 1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “GOD WITH US.”
Jesus is GOD WITH US.
That is the wonder, the mystery, and the unfathomable truth of the ages.
BlueButterfly 
RedFox -- 
