Understanding Your Religion
7 Major Doctrines that Define Christianity
What the Bible Says About Jesus
The Doctrine of the Divinity of Christ - Part 1
Teaching Strategy
The focus of this lesson is an overview of what the Bible says about Jesus. Of special note in this lesson is how the Bible establishes Jesus as the Divine Son of God. This identification is the basis of our faith and the hope for our salvation.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Know: Identify biblical statements regarding the divinity of Jesus.
- Feel: Trust in Jesus as our savior.
- Do: Seek opportunities to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Body of the Lesson
Discussion Questions
Below are suggested questions to use during the guided discussion portion of the lesson. There are also suggested responses to questions to help students grasp the various concepts. These are provided to assist the discussion and are not considered as “right or wrong” responses.
There are many examples that can be given. The first is from Genesis 3:15 where God promised a redeemer following the sin of Adam and Eve. As a follow-up question, ask how each book of the Old Testament points to Jesus. A specific example is the blood of the lamb over the door from the release of the Hebrew Nation in Exodus 12.
The gospels are eyewitness accounts of the life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven of Jesus.
We learn in Acts how to be added to the Church and begin our journey to Christ likeness. The epistles teach us how to live as citizens of God's Kingdom and maintain faithfulness. Revelation teaches us to remain faithful no matter the circumstances and that God has already won the battle for our souls if we will remain faithful.
The gospels provide us eyewitness accounts of His teachings, miracles and life. From these many examples we see how only the Son of God, someone divinely endowed could perform these. For example, although many did heal, only Jesus, as the Son of God could forgive sins. Further, only Jesus as the innocent lamb of God could die for our sins.
There are many examples. Here are those from the text.
- Matthew 16:16 – Peter's statement regarding Jesus as the Christ.
- Acts 3:14-15 – Peter's statement about how the Jews put Jesus, the "Prince of life" to death.
- John 20:24-28 – Thomas' statement regarding Jesus as his Lord and God.
- Acts 22:1-16 – Paul's statement regarding how Jesus was active in Paul's conversion.
- Colossians 1:15-18 – Paul's statements regarding the identity of Jesus.
- John 4:25-26 – The Samaritan woman.
- Matthew 16:15-17 – Jesus response to Peter's statement identifying Jesus as the Messiah.
- Matthew 28:18-20 – Jesus' charge to the disciples and His claim of all authority.
- John 20:30-31; John 21:25 – John's statement about the signs Jesus performed that were too many to mention.
Given the overwhelming evidence both from scripture and from secular history, we can trust who Jesus was and what He taught. We must trust Him, and Him alone for our salvation. As John recorded in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."