The Deity of the Son

The deity of the Son was denied in the early Church by the Ebionites and the Alogi, and also by the dynamic Monarchians and the Arians. In the days of the Reformation the Socinians followed their example, and spoke of Jesus as a mere man. The same position is taken by Schleiermacher and Ritschl, by a host of liberal scholars, particularly in Germany, by the Unitarians, and by the Modernists and Humanists of the present day. This denial is possible only for those who disregard the teachings of Scripture, for the Bible contains an abundance of evidence for the deity of Christ. We find that Scripture (1) explicitly asserts the deity of the Son in such passages as John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:6; Titus 2:13; John 5:20; (2) applies divine names to Him, Isaiah 9:6; 40:3; Jeremiah 23:5, 6; Joel 2:32 (Acts 2:21); 1 Timothy 3:16; (3) ascribes to Him divine attributes, such as eternal existence, Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1, 2; Revelation 1:8; 22:13, omnipresence, Matthew 18:20; 28:20; John 3:13, omniscience, John 2:24, 25; 21:17; Revelation 2:23, omnipotence. Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 3:21; Revelation 1:8, immutability, Hebrews 1:10-12; 13:8, and in general every attribute belonging to the Father, Colossians 2:9; (4) speaks of Him as doing divine works, as creation, John 1:3, 10; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2, 10, providence, Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 17:2; Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3, the forgiveness of sins, Matthew 9:2-7; Mark 2:7-10; Colossians 3:13, resurrection and judgment, Matthew 25:31, 32; John 5:19-29; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Philippians 3:21; 2 Timothy 4:1, the final dissolution and renewal of all things, Hebrews 1:10-12; Philippians 3:21; Revelation 21:5, and (5) accords Him divine honour, John 5:22, 23; 14:1; 1 Corinthians 15:19; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Hebrews 1:6; Matthew 28:19.

Adapted from Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology