Busenitz Nathan - The Deity of Christ A John MacArthur Study Series

2017 by
JOHN MACARTHUR

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Edited by: Jim Vincent
Interior design: Ragont Design
Cover design: Erik M. Peterson
Cover image: Cover image of crown copyright 2016 by Pearl / Lightstock (251520)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: MacArthur, John, 1939- author.

Title: The deity of Christ / John MacArthur.

Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, 2017. | Series: The John MacArthur study series

Identifiers: LCCN 2016045245 (print) | LCCN 2016047111 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802415110 | ISBN 9780802495273

Subjects: LCSH: Jesus Christ--Divinity--Biblical teaching.

Classification: LCC BT216.3 .M33 2017 (print) | LCC BT216.3 (ebook) | DDC 232/.8--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016045245

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This volume is part of The John MacArthur Study Series. It is comprised of chapters adapted from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, which have been arranged thematically for the purpose of topical study. Accordingly, each chapter is designed to take the reader down deep into the text of Scripture, while the volume as a whole addresses a specific biblical theme.

This approach is ideal for anyone wanting to engage in an in-depth study of what the Bible says about a given subject. It also serves as a valuable tool for pastors or Bible study leaders looking to teach a series on this important topic.

Friend,

Thank you for choosing to read this Moody Publishers title. It is our hope and prayer that this book will help you to know Jesus Christ more personally and love Him more deeply.

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N o question is more important than Who is Jesus Christ? It is of ultimate significance because how people respond to the Lord Jesus determines their eternal destiny (John 3:36; cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Those who wrongly answer that question will face divine judgment (cf. John 3:18; 1 Cor. 16:22; 1 John 4:3).

Throughout church history, many different answers have been offered in response to that critical question. False teachers (like the fourth-century heretic Arius and modern Jehovahs Witnesses) have suggested that Christ was merely a creature; while the ancient Gnostics taught that He was one of many divine entities. In the nineteenth-century, liberal theologians insisted Jesus was nothing more than a moral teacher and social activist who was misunderstood by the religious leaders. But those views, and others like them, fall woefully short of biblical truth.

The Word of God reveals that Jesus Christ was far more than a benevolent prophet or inspirational leader. In fact, He is infinitely more than any created being. As the author of Hebrews explains, the Lord Jesus is the radiance of [the Fathers] glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3). He is God incarnate, in whom all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Col. 2:9) and of whom the apostle John declared:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:13, 14)

Those passages are just the tip of the iceberg. The New Testament clearly and repeatedly emphasizes that Jesus Christ was no mere man. He is the eternal second member of the Trinity, the glorious Son of God who is worthy of our worship and obedience (Phil. 2:911).

There is great value in tracing a doctrine like the deity of Christ through the pages of Scripture. Because His deity is often attacked by cultic groups and skeptics, believers need to know what Gods Word teaches about who Jesus truly is. Moreover, as their knowledge of the Savior deepens, their love for Him will only grow stronger.

My prayer for you, as you read this volume, is that the truth about our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus (Titus 2:13) will inform your mind, encourage your heart, fortify your will, ignite your worship, and motivate your obedience to Him.

JOHN 1:15

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (1:15)

T he opening section of Johns gospel expresses the most profound truth in the universe in the clearest terms. Though the vocabulary is simple enough to be understood by a child, Johns Spirit-inspired words convey a truth beyond the ability of the greatest minds in human history to fathom: the eternal, infinite God became a man in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The glorious, incontrovertible truth that in Jesus the divine Word became flesh (1:14) is the theme of Johns gospel.