Proving for Muslims That Jesus is God (and Lord)

If God did in fact reveal Himself, either through the preserved teachings of Jesus, or the preserved teachings of Mohammed, which was true? Let us consider Jesus from the evidence of the Bible, the Word of God.

Jesus Himself said He was God in John 8:58. Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" On several occasions the scribes and Pharisees wanted to stone Jesus because He claimed to be God.

On other occasions the scribes and Pharisees wanted to stone Jesus because He claimed to be God. From a leper Jesus accepted worship (Matthew 8:2), the women at the tomb worshipped Jesus, clasping his feet, in Matthew 28:9, God sent the wise men to worship Jesus (Matthew 2:2), and we should worship too.

Jesus made Himself equal with God. He said we are to honor the Son just as we honor the Father (John 5:23)

Jesus had authority, for he said, "You have heard it said, … but I say to you" (Matthew 5:21-22, 78-78)

Jesus can meet our needs in a way that only God can. "If any man is thirsty, let Him come to Me and drink" in John 7:37.

Only God can forgive sins, and Jesus forgave sins against God, then Jesus was showing that He was God in Matthew 9:2-6; Mark 2:5-12, and Luke 5:20-23.

The Old Testament also had many names for God, and this section proves the New Testament applied these names to Jesus. Both the Father and the Son are called:

Creator
Bridegroom
First and Last
Every knee will bow to…
Forgiver of sins
Giver of bread
Giver of life
Gives living water
God
Healer
Holy One
Husband
Judge the living and the dead
Judgment seat
King
Life
Light
Lord
Lord of Lords
Mighty God
Must believe in
Our hope
Purifies us
Raise the dead
Ransoms us
Redeemer
Righteous One
Rock, Stone
Ruler with a scepter/rod
Savior
Shepherd
Sovereign and Lord
Sword-holder
Worthy of praise & honor

Even the enemies of Christianity bear witness that Christians worshipped Jesus as God. Pliny the Younger (governor and persecutor of Christians in 112 A.D.) "They [Christians] were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to do any wicked deeds…"

Conclusion. Early Bible manuscripts show, and the writings of followers and even foes of Christ confirm, that Jesus taught that He was God, demonstrated He was God, and accepted worship. The evidence stretches from c.112 A.D., up through Mohammed’s time, when ‘Aisha reports that Mohammed was taught the Gospels in Arabic (Bukhari vol.4:605; Sahih Muslim 1:301 p.98). Jesus was taught the Gospel according to Sura 3:48, and Christians are the people of the Gospel in Sura 5:46.


(excerpted from Proving for Muslims That Jesus is God (and Lord))

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