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According to the Bible, are God and Jesus Christ the same person?

Is Jesus Christ One with God? The question of whether God and Jesus Christ are one person strikes at the core of one of Christianity’s most fundamental doctrines. The concept of whether God and Jesus Christ are one person brings us to the heart of one of Christianity’s core teachings, the Trinity.

The Trinity states that there is only one God who exists in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. They are co-equal, co-existent, and co-eternal.

While the Bible confirms that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and part of the Trinity, how is this relationship between Jesus and God the Father interpreted? This brings us to the next question: Are God and Jesus the same person? The short answer to this question is no. But let me elaborate further so you can understand the reason behind this negative answer.

Read More : Who is Jesus Christ and what does the Bible say about him?

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Are God and Jesus Christ the Same Person? The View of Modalism

The idea that God and Jesus Christ are the same person aligns with a theological perspective called Modalism. According to this belief, there is indeed one God, but He does not eternally exist in three distinct persons as understood in the traditional doctrine of the Trinity.

Instead, Modalism claims that God reveals Himself in different ways or modes at different times. In the Old Testament, He acts as God the Father. In the New Testament, He incarnates as Jesus; and in the present, He operates as the Holy Spirit. However, upon closer examination of the Bible, this interpretation faces challenges with what is revealed in God’s Word.

The problem arises when we consider the numerous instances in the Bible and Jesus’ own teachings that emphasize the distinction between God and Jesus. This distinction is not about divinity but about role and identity. To insist that Jesus and God are the same person within Modalism, one would have to ignore these explicit references. We cannot reconcile Modalism with the biblical revelations that highlight the distinction between Jesus and God within the context of the Trinity.

Let’s consider a few verses that highlight this difference.

Verses Indicating God and Jesus Christ Are Not the Same Person

In various parts of the Bible, Jesus Christ consistently emphasizes His relationship with the Father. For instance, He speaks of doing the Father’s will and following His commands. These expressions of intimacy and relationship reinforce the idea that Jesus and the Father are not the same person. Here are four verses that highlight this:

God and Jesus Christ Were Present at the Beginning

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1:1-2)

In the opening verses of the Gospel of John, we learn something significant about Jesus—that He is the Word of God. These verses tell us three essential things about who Jesus Christ is. First, He is the Word. Second, He was with God. And third, He is God. Therefore, in the beginning, Jesus (the Word) was present with God (the Father). John wanted to make it clear that God and Jesus are not the same person but are distinct from each other.

If God and Jesus Christ were the same person, John’s writing wouldn’t make much sense, and he wouldn’t need to say all this. He could have simply said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God.” But he deliberately emphasizes that Jesus was with God, indicating they are distinct from one another, not one person. This truth is crucial for understanding the relationship between God the Father and Jesus. Additionally, it lays the foundation for understanding the Trinity.

Jesus Christ Prays Before Raising Lazarus

“So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’” (John 11:41-42)

The story in John 11 describes how Jesus Christ brought Lazarus back to life. Before performing this amazing miracle, Jesus prayed to God, whom He called Father. This wasn’t the only time Jesus prayed to the Father. Multiple instances in the Bible record Him doing so. Before raising Lazarus, Jesus says in prayer, “You have heard me. You always hear me, and you sent me.” If God and Jesus were the same person, this prayer might confuse the listener and reader.

It also wouldn’t make sense. Jesus would be praying to Himself and saying things like “You have heard me” and “You sent me,” which wouldn’t be logical. However, the fact that He prayed in this manner helps us understand that God and Jesus Christ are not the same person. By praying, Jesus does not deny who He is. These prayers of Jesus help us see that He recognizes the distinct roles between the Father and Himself.

Jesus Christ Returns to the Father

“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (John 16:28)

This verse further emphasizes the distinction between Jesus Christ and the Father. Jesus clearly states that He came from the Father and is returning to Him. For this statement to make sense, there must be a difference between Jesus and the Father. They cannot be the same person. Otherwise, it would mean that Jesus came from Himself and is returning to Himself, which would not be logical.

Verses Indicating Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit Are Not the Same Person

Addressing the question of whether Jesus Christ and God are the same also means considering whether the Bible shows that Jesus and the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, are distinct.

Jesus Christ Promises to Send the Holy Spirit

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)

The concluding verses not only show the distinction between God the Father and Jesus Christ but also highlight the difference between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There is a distinction between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Given everything written in the Gospels and the words of Jesus Himself, we must conclude that Jesus and God are related but not exactly the same person. Some may still have questions about the divinity of Christ. However, for those who follow the biblical view of Jesus, the conclusion is clear: Jesus is God, but in a mysterious way, God and Jesus are distinct individuals, not exactly the same person.

Conclusion

Various pieces of evidence from Bible verses, including the prayers and words of Jesus Christ, clearly show that God and Jesus are not the same person. The distinct roles and interactions between Jesus and the Father emphasize their separate identities within the Trinity. To suggest otherwise leads to illogical and contradictory interpretations where Jesus prays to Himself and speaks of returning to Himself. While the doctrine of the Trinity may not be fully comprehensible, it is clear from the Bible that God has revealed Himself as one God in three persons.

علی وحیدی

The persianchristianway website is a Persian-language online resource dedicated to promoting Christian teachings and providing resources for Persian-speaking Christians. The website is managed by Ali Vahidi and includes a wide range of audio and visual materials on Christian teachings. Ali Vahidi, the director of The Way of Christ website, is a committed Christian who has been active in the Persian-speaking Christian community for over 2 years. The Way of Christ is a valuable resource for Persian-speaking Christians seeking to deepen their faith and connect with other Christians. The website offers a wide range of materials and tools that can help Christians at all stages of their faith journey.

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