I cannot help but be blown away by the words of "doubting" Thomas in his confession of faith found in John 20:28 - “My Lord and my God!” Thomas didn't just express Jesus' position above him ("Lord" - κύριος - literally "supreme authority"), but he also called Jesus God (θεός - Deity/Supreme Divinity).
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossian church a description of Jesus that doesn't mince words: "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" -Colossians 2:9. Paul made qualms that he saw Jesus as, quite literally - God.
Further, in answering questions about Jesus - and the highly irregular claims that Jesus was God - Paul wrote to the Philippians:
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Equality with God? But there is only one God, correct?
The writer of Hebrews recorded something extremely interesting:
Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom." (A direct quote from Psalm 45:6)
If we were to ignore the first phrase, this verse would not be controversial - yet the writer specifically wrote "But of the Son (that's Jesus), he says..." OF Jesus. The writer directly calls the Son... God.
To label anyone, other than God Almighty, as "God" would be blasphemy. So our conclusion must bend to what the inspired biblical writers penned.
Installment #4 will come tomorrow - "Who is to be worshiped but God alone?"
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