7 Reasons to Believe– Why you can trust that Jesus Christ is God
Updated: Sep 10
Examines the biblical and historical evidence supporting the foundational Christian doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Details key apologetic arguments, including Christ's divine claims, fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, recorded miracles, and historical grounds for His resurrection.
Demonstrates how understanding these theological proofs provides believers with a firm rational foundation to articulate and defend their faith confidently.
Who is Jesus Christ? Have you ever asked yourself this question or been asked by someone else?
For over 2,000 years, people have been asking and answering this question. Every major world religion has its own answer. Buddhists and Hindus see Jesus as a great moral teacher, and Islam says that Jesus is a great prophet. Christians, on the other hand, believe that Jesus is God Himself.
History shows that Christ’s life and crucifixion are undeniable facts. But more importantly, Christians know that belief in Jesus' work on the cross is a matter of eternal life or death. As Christians, we know Jesus' divinity is not a matter of perspective or a feeling.
Ever since the first Easter, historians report that thousands of Christians have died for their faith in Christ. But how can we, as modern Christians, know that Jesus is God? Most importantly, how do we proclaim Christ’s divine identity to unbelievers, especially Muslims, who doubt it?
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible gives a multitude of reasons that Jesus is, in fact, God. But let’s hone in on seven major reasons.
God the Father exalts Jesus as God
“He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31)
One of the first things we learn about Jesus in the Christmas story is His divinity. God sends an angel to Jesus' mother and Joseph, her fiancé. Mary is told that Jesus will be called “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) and Joseph is told that Jesus will be Immanuel or “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
But God’s words about Jesus' divinity do not end here. As Jesus is being baptized, Scripture tells us that God the Father audibly spoke, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17, Mark 1: 9-11, Luke 3:21-22)
God the Father again declares His love for Jesus and His status as God during the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-9, Luke 9:28-36). God also warns the disciples to listen to Jesus. This includes Jesus' rightful claim to be God. Clearly, throughout Jesus' earthly life, God the Father confirms Jesus' divinity.
Jesus declares that He is God
As modern readers, Jesus' claims to equality with God may seem confusing. But, to those in Jesus' time, His claims were clear as day.
You see, Jesus doesn't simply say, “I am God” to declare His divinity. Instead, Jesus calls Himself the “I AM” (John 8:58), the very name that God uses for Himself in Exodus 3:14.
Similarly, when Jesus is on trial, He tells the high priest that He will be “sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:53-65) Using these words from Daniel 7:13-14, Jesus is making a direct claim to the throne of God.
Jesus also asserts His divine right through His relationship with the Father. He explains to His disciples that to see Him is to see the Father, because He and the Father are one (John 10:30, John 14:9-10).
If Jesus' claims to divinity were clear enough for the Pharisees and the Jews to want to kill Him, then shouldn't we take Jesus' claim to be God seriously (John 10:33, John 5:18)?
Jesus proves that He is God
Along with declaring Himself God, Jesus proved Himself to be God through miracles. Jesus regularly defied natural limitations, casting out demons, walking on water Matthew 14:25, feeding thousands (John 6:11), raising the dead (John 5:21, John 11:38-44, Luke 7:11-15), restoring the blind (John 9:7), the lame (Mark 2:11-12), and the sick (Matthew 9:35). Those were all in a day’s work for Jesus.
Of course, rising from the dead by His own power, in a full act of redemption of humanity, is a clear act of God Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
As if this was not enough proof, Jesus made a point to appear to His disciples multiple times before His ascension to heaven Mark 16:19. A few examples include His greeting to two women (Matthew 28:1-9) and His appearance to Peter (Luke 24:34). In Luke 24:36-43, Jesus addresses eleven disciples, shows them His hands and feet, and eats fish before their eyes.
The disciples testify Jesus is God
The main topic of the Gospels is Jesus' true identity. The Romans saw Him as a political obstacle, the Pharisees thought He was a heretic, but His followers knew that He was God.
In John 1, John refers to Jesus as the “Word” who became flesh and is God Himself. Another example is Thomas, who called Jesus, “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28)
Not only did the Apostles speak of Jesus as God, but they also wrote about Him as “God and Savior.” (2 Peter 1:1, Titus 2:13)
Think for a moment how sure you would have to be of something to die for it? The disciples (eyewitnesses of Jesus' life) insisted Christ was Lord, and sacrificed everything, including their lives, because they believed.
Jesus is worshiped as God
In Mosaic law, people who worshiped someone other than God were to be stoned. But the Gospels record multiple instances of people who were so convinced of Jesus' holiness that they risked death.
A few of the first people to bow to Jesus were the wise men (Matthew 2:11). Imagine, after months of travel, these noblemen laying their rare and costly gifts at the foot of the manger.
Mary (sister of Martha and Lazarus) later honored Jesus by anointing His feet and wiping them with her hair (John 12:3).
People went to great lengths to glorify Jesus. Consider the blind man in John 9:38, who was already an outcast but chose to praise Jesus anyway. Christ’s divine power was so evident that people couldn't deny Him worship (Matthew 14:33).
To the very end, Jesus' followers worshipped Him as God (Matthew 28:9, Luke 24:52). By not stopping people from worshipping Him, Jesus confirmed His divinity.
Jesus holds the titles of God
The Bible is filled with names of God that each reflect His glory and character. Countless names that God gives Himself in the Old Testament are also assigned to Jesus in the New Testament. Here are a few instances that we encourage you to look up:
The Alpha and Omega (Isaiah 44:6, Revelation 22:13)
Redeemer (Hosea 13:14, Revelation 5:9)
The Pierced One (Zechariah 12:10, Revelation 1:7)
The Shepherd (Psalms 23:1, John 10:11)
Jesus retains the authority of God
Without a question, the Bible delegates Jesus the authority of God. Here are just a few passages you can explore, discuss, or share with others:
Jesus is the Creator (Colossians 1:16-17, John 1:3)
Jesus is sovereign (Philippians 2:10-11)
Jesus forgives sins (Mark 2:10)
Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit (John 1:33)
Jesus is the judge of humanity (Matthew 25:31-46, 2 Timothy 4:1)
Jesus has complete dominion and sovereignty (Matthew 28:18)
In Scripture, we are told that we are to “walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) We invite you to trust the Author of life. You can trust that Jesus is Lord over all. He created life and defeated death, so that through faith in Him we are redeemed from our sin and restored to the right relationship with God.
How do you answer the question when someone asks, “How do you know that Jesus is God”?
You can start with: “I believe Jesus is God because Jesus claimed God’s name, exercised God’s authority, forgave sins, accepted worship, created and sustains all things, gives eternal life, and will judge the world. His disciples called Him God and worshiped Him, and He rose from the dead exactly as He said He would. The biblical evidence is the consistent testimony of the entire New Testament.” and then go from there depending on their more specific questions. Always point back to the Bible and also share that there are many non-biblical historical sources that back the Bible and the life of Jesus.
If you are questioning whether Jesus is God, we encourage you to read the New Testament. Start in the book of Matthew. Read it with an open heart and mind, with the desire to know the truth. Ask the true God to reveal Himself to you!
