When I glance at my dog and cat, I can easily distinguish the difference. How
can I do this so easily? After all, they both have ears, mouths, tongues, eyes,
tails, legs and feet, teeth, and fur. I suppose the obvious giveaway is that one
meows while the other barks. But suppose I was deaf. Then how would I know.
Somewhere in my distance past, my parents, grandparents, nursery workers, and
other significant people taught me the difference. They either showed me a
picture or the real thing and said "Dog" or "Cat." Why even my fifteen-month-old
grandson knows the difference. If I ask him where the kitty is, he looks at the
cat and points. When he sees the dog, he says "Dog." How does he know? Because
I've done the same with him as others did with me. I show him the real thing as
well as point them out in books we read. I know…he knows, because someone told
us so and because I see others naming them the same thing.
A more important question is how I can know the historical Jesus was God. He
claimed to be, but is his word enough? "Anyone who has seen me has seen the
Father!" (John 14:9 NLT)
The debate is ancient. Arius, a popular pastor of the fourth century, said Jesus
was half-god-a proclamation that divided the early church. Roman emperor
Constantine finally called the bishops together in Nicea. They produced the
Nicene Creed which stated emphatically that Jesus was God. But does the work of
councils answer the question with certainty?
For almost 2,000 years, the church has testified that Jesus was God. If it has
been wrong, surely evidence would have surfaced by now. Many witnessed his
resurrection. In addition to Jesus' twelve apostles, more than 500 others
witnessed it as well (I Corinthians 15:6). During his earthly ministry, Jesus
manifested his ability to raise the dead, heal those with physical maladies, and
perform a host of miracles. All testimonies that he was more than human.
In the final analysis, however, none of the above actually proves Jesus was God
if I don't care to believe. Faith is the only answer. Like so many other
spiritual matters, I must simply choose to believe even when there's an absence
of tangible proof. Have you?
Prayer: Father God, we believe that Jesus was Your only begotten Son sent to pay
for our sins so that we might have forgiveness and eternal life with You.
Martin Wiles
Hodges,
South Carolina, USA
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