God the Son, Mentor's Guide, MG10

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G O D T H E S O N

c. Basic view: Arians believed in the absolute transcendence of God.

(1) Only God is eternal; all other things, (including the Word) is created. (2) The Word is the first and highest of God’s creation, but is not God nor self-existing.

d. Jehovah’s Witnesses are modern Arians.

e. Arians mishandle the biblical testimony regarding the divinity of the Word made flesh.

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E. Modern response to argument for Christ’s deity: Functional Christology

1. Places emphasis in Christology on what Jesus did and not on who Jesus is and was

2. Under-emphasizes the Bible’s testimony of the person of Jesus as well as his work

III. Implications of the Deity of Jesus Christ for Our Faith and Discipleship

He who has the Almighty God, the Word, is in want of nothing. ~ Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.493. Ibid. p. 95 .

A. Jesus reveals to us the person of God, John 1.18; 14.9.

B. God has visited planet earth for the purpose of revelation and redemption, Phil. 2.5-11.