Quite simply Christ is God. Being divine and being deity are really just two more ways of saying that Christ is from God, like God and that he is God. 2 Peter 1:2-4 records, “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.  3  His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,  4  by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” Notice that in verse three his power is divine. It is a power from God, and yet it says this godly power is his. Not only is it his, but he makes it possible for us to take part in his godly or divine nature.

In Colossians 2:8-9 Paul writes, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.  9  For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,” Paul makes it clear that deity, God completely and fully lived in the body of Christ. This may be impossible for us to fully comprehend or explain, but the fact that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh is an essential foundation of our faith. Paul proposes that if we are not living according to the one who had deity filling his body then we are following after something that is empty, deceitful, human tradition, from this world, and something that will take us captive. 

There are many who don’t want Christ to be deity or divine. There are some who don’t even want to admit he ever lived at all, but if we want to receive the precious and great promises, escape the corruption of the world, take part in his divine nature and be filled in him (Col. 2:10) then we must hold fast to the truth of his divinity and deity.

Are you holding on to Christ as the one deity that came bodily to Earth? Don’t let go!

jp

Christ is referred to in Luke 1:78 and 2 Peter 1:19 by two related terms that both indicate the light he brought into the world. These 2 concepts are translated several different ways in different English versions, probably because the phrases are not being used literally and figurative speech is difficult to translate.

The KJV and ASV are similar. Luke 1:78, “Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,” the ESV says, “because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high”. The Greek word that is translated as dayspring and sunrise is used 9 other times in the New Testament and literally translated ‘east’, but east obviously wouldn’t fit in this verse. The idea of a new day dawning is probably what is aimed for. Jesus is the source of a new day, a new light shining in a world full of darkness.

The King James in 2 Peter 1:19 says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:” Others translate ‘day star’ as ‘morning star’. This is the only place this Greek word appears and it is different from the word for the Sun. In this case again the idea of a new day and enlightenment is presented. Peter specifically tells us the day star is going to rise not in the sky, but in our hearts. We can have the light of Christ, the understanding of the prophecies about him enlighten us so that we recognize him for who he is, the true light of the world.

Have you allowed the Day Star to bring light to the darkness of your world? Is he shining in your heart? Satan wants to darken our understanding, but Christ strives to illuminate our hearts and minds. Don’t let Satan win.

​jp