"But was He God, Doctor?”
This startling and deeply important question came from the lips of an elderly lady whom some years ago I was attending in Edinburgh. She was professedly a Unitarian, but was not too sure of the solidity of her creed which denies the deity of the Lord Jesus. Her home was in one of the best sections of Edinburgh; but desiring change of air to the south side of town, she had rented a furnished house belonging to some warm-hearted Christians. .
The large, sunny bedroom which she occupied had on its walls twelve texts which compose Isa. 53. Called to attend her in her new domicile, my eye was attracted and my heart touched by these silent witnesses to the Savior's suffering and love. As she lay in her bed she could not but see and read some of the twelve.
The medical part of my visit concluded, I was about to leave when the fifth verse arrested me. I read aloud: "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." This brought from her lips at once the query, "But was He God, Doctor?”
Turning to look fully into her face—a face which bespoke unrest and uncertainty I rejoined, "Oh, yes, Mrs. Burk, from the bottom of my soul I believe that He was God. That He was a holy, good, blessed Man is equally certain; but had he not been God He could not have revealed God's nature to man; and had He not been a perfect Man He could not have met the claims of God on man. That fifth verse which I have just read gives us the very kernel of the gospel, and the essence of the atonement. None but a sinless man who was also divine in His Person could have been 'wounded for our transgressions,' or 'bruised for our iniquities.' How blessed to know that 'the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed!'”
"But I have never believed that He was God; I have always regarded Him as a very good Man," was her reply.
"On the other hand," I rejoined, "I have never doubted that He was God. I rejoice to confess Him as such, while owning with delight His spotless humanity.”
A lengthy conversation ensued, and I have great hope that the result was the entrance of divine light into her soul as regards the Person of the Lord Jesus, and the recognition of His divinity.
Do you, my dear reader, believe that Jesus is God? Yes, Jesus is God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... And the Word was made, flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:1,141In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14). As the Word He is the intelligent and intelligible expression of God. That Word became flesh, that is to say, was incarnate, assumed manhood. In manhood He revealed to man all the blessedness of God's being—love, light, grace, tenderness, mercy, kindness, compassion, purity, holiness, righteousness, yea, every attribute of God; while at the same time He presented to the eye and heart of God, in His life as a man, everything God looked for or could desire to see in man here on earth.
Friend, have you yet really believed on Him, and confessed His name? If not, let me urge you, as the year of grace 1956 begins, so to do. You have just ended a year in your unbelief, and consequently in your sins. Beware lest you die in them. Let not another day leave you still in them.
The Lord Jesus said: "I go My way, and ye shall seek Me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come... ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." John 8:21, 23, 2421Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. (John 8:21)
23And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:23‑24).
Do you see who He is—the I AM, the everlasting God—and believe in Him? "Ye shall die in your sins," with all the eternal consequences of such a calamity. Oh, the blessedness of believing in Him! "Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life... I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:47, 5147Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47)
51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51).
Jesus is God: more, He is a Savior God. Let me beseech you to believe in Him, and boldly confess His worth and chant His name.
"Precious name! the name of Jesus,
Son of God most high,
Who in love to guilty sinners,
Came to die.”