What do you think? - by Ben Bonython

A US based research organisation ‘State of Theology’ reported in 2019 that 80% of those surveyed believed Jesus to be a created being. What do you believe?

This belief about Jesus relates to the nature of Jesus, and the nature of Jesus is an aspect of theology known as Christology.

The Early Christians worshipped Jesus as God, which has a deep consequence in Jewish law and culture, for worshiping angels patriarchs or created things was prohibited. They understood that worship is reserved for the eternal God, outside of time, never created, and always - the Great I AM!

A great start is to explore the Bible which records the language and context for how people viewed Jesus. Consider that the disciples worshipped Jesus in Luke 24:50-53 after His death: And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him…And consider the prayer recorded in 1 Cor 16:22 AMP ascribing Jesus with the deity title of Lord, saying: If anyone does not love the Lord [does not obey and respect and believe in Jesus Christ and His message], he is to be accursed. Maranatha (O our Lord, come)!

And note that Paul uses deity language of ‘Lord’ to speak of Jesus clearly where Paul refers to what Jesus instituted (Last Supper) as the Lord’s Supper in 1 Cor 11:20,23 and calls Jesus, Lord.

These terms and expressions are reserved for deity, not humanity. And these terms and expressions where used by the Early Church to speak of, worship and serve Jesus.

This simplified and brief overview offers the assertion the language of the New Testament clearly expresses the deity of Christ! So how can 80% of people believe that Jesus was created? Confusion because Jesus was born? A misunderstanding of the question?

Paul again says in 1 Cor 8:6 that: for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. For Paul, Jesus cannot be created – He must be eternal to have these titles!

So why does this matter? Does it make a difference if Jesus was created or not?

What do you think?