The word
"Deity" is from the Greek word theotes (used
only here in the New Testament). It comes from theos,
meaning "God." It means the essence of the divine
nature. The very essence of Deity--the totality of God
with all His powers and attributes--was completely present in
(lives in, is at home in) Jesus' human body. In Christ,
there was not just one or more aspects of the Godhead (again, the
very essence of God), not merely the quality of God.
All of God's powers and attributes are clearly seen,
understood from what was made, and Jesus was all of these powers
and attributes in human form:
Matthew 2:23: "'The virgin
will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call
Him Immanuel'-- which means, 'God with
us.'"
Romans 1:20: "For since the
creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal
power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being
understood from what has been made, so that men are without
excuse."
The
fullness of the Deity was in Christ while He was in bodily
form:
John 1:14, 18: "The Word became
flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the
glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace
and Truth ...No one has ever seen God, but God the One and
Only, Who is at the Father's side, has made Him
known."
1 John 1:1-3: "That Which was from
the beginning, Which we have heard, Which we have seen with our
eyes, Which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this
we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. The Life appeared;
we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the
Eternal Life, Which was with the Father and has appeared to
us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that
you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with
the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ."
It was the
Son of God, the totality of God, Who came in the likeness of men
(see Philippians 2:7-8 below) to offer Himself as an
atoning sacrifice (propitiation) to God for our sins (see 1
John 2:2 and 1 John 4:9-10 below), so that
men might be made sons of God, heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, the family of God and brothers of Christ (see Romans
8:12-17, Romans 9:25-26, Galatians
3:26-29, Galatians 4:6-7 and Hebrews
2:10-11 below), and that they might participate in the
divine nature of God (see 2 Peter 1:3-4
below):
Romans 8:12-17: "Therefore,
brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful
nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to
the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who
are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not
receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, 'Abba,
Father.' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit
that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we
are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we
share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His
glory."
Romans 9:25-26: "As He [God] says
in Hosea: 'I will call them "My people" who
are not My people; and I will call her "My loved one"
who is not My loved one,' and, 'It will happen that in
the very place where it was said to them, "You are not My
people," they will be called "sons of the living
God."'"
Galatians 3:26-29: "You are all
sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise."
Galatians 4:6-7: "Because you are
sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit
Who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no
longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made
you also an heir."
Philippians 2:7-8: "...but
made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a
servant, being made in human
likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled
Himself and became obedient to death--even death on a
cross!"
Hebrews 2:10-11: "In bringing many
sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for Whom and through Whom
everything exists, should make the Author of their salvation
perfect through suffering. Both the One Who makes men holy
and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not
ashamed to call them brothers."
2 Peter 1:3-4: "His divine power
has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our
knowledge of Him Who called us by His Own glory and goodness.
Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises,
so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and
escape the corruption in the world caused by evil
desires."
1 John 2:2: "He is the atoning
sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins
of the whole world."
1 John 4:9-10: "This is how God
showed His love among us: He sent His One and Only Son into the
world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that
we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning
sacrifice for our sins."
