A Theological Journey with Kenton Cheek
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
–John 1:1-3 NIV
John opens his telling of the Gospel in a way that is familiar to Bible readers. It reminds me of the opening of Genesis and in this manner affirms that Jesus is God. If you’ll remember, Genesis 1:1 says that, “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The Word John is speaking of is Jesus and therefore, if John says that, “through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made,” then Jesus is God. He is all the promises of the Father made throughout the Old Covenant come true in the flesh. This is one reason I choose to follow Him. He has fulfilled all the messianic prophecies made concerning His first advent and He will yet fulfill them concerning His second.
Jesus claimed to be God and so we must answer for ourselves His question put to Peter in Matthew 16:13-20, “who do you say that I am?” He was either a liar, a lunatic, or He is Lord. The entire Church is built on the foundational confession of faith that Peter put into words. “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”[1] I answer with all my brothers and sisters gathered through all of time and space with a resounding, “Jesus is God.” His divinity matters because only God is perfect and therefore only He could be the perfect sacrifice to make the atonement for the sins of all mankind. He was fully man and is fully God. The Son of Man, the Son of God.
Later in the book of John He responded to the religious leaders, “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” Not only does this indicate that Jesus existed before the ancient Patriarch, but He identifies Himself with the way that Yahweh revealed His Name to Moses. Jesus is the Great I AM. He says in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” The Lord invites us to experience this unity with Him, “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”[2] Jesus is God, the Spirit is God and the Father is God; three distinct persons in one Supreme Being.[3] The Trinity is not a problem, it is a theological solution and reality.
“Lord Jesus, I affirm that I know You to be God. Thank You for revealing Yourself in Your magnificent creation and marvelous Word. Your goal for my life is for me to experience perfect harmony with You. Guide me with Your Spirit into that unity. Show me what it means to live as You would if You were me. Make me more like You, along with my brothers and sisters until we are all perfected and in tune with You as Your eternal family. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God I pray these things. Amen.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
—John 20:28
[1] Matthew 16:16 NIV
[2] John 17:21 NLT
[3] Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 45:5, I Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 4:6
Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God 
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