Today the YouVersion Bible app shared its Verse of the Year, by an infographic. If you have a smartphone or a tablet, this app is a very useful way of carrying the Bible around with you electronically. It can collect information about which chapters and verses its users are reading, and users can also highlight verses and share them with friends at the click of a button. Today it published a summary of some of this information. It found that the most popular verse amongst its millions of users was Philippians 4v13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. See the full infographic below:
We often ask our Sunday School scholars to learn a ‘proof’ verse. Of course it’s very important to put a verse in its proper context, and make sure we understand what the verses surrounding it mean. Do you have a favourite verse in the Bible which helps you? And what do you find helps you to remember it?
Burton Christadelphians 
Questions for Christadelphians
By Matt Slick
1. According to Christadelphian theology, Jesus had a sinful, fallen nature.
A. Deut. 17:1 says, “You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep which has a blemish or any defect, for that is a detestable thing to the Lord your God,” (NASB, See alsoEzekiel 43:22-23, 25; 45:18, 23). Of course, Jesus is not an animal. The point is that the sacrifice to a holy God must have no blemish or defect.
i. “defect” in Hebrew is ra. In this verse, it is translated as “evilfavourdness” in the KJV, as “defect” in the RSV and NKJV, and as “flaw” in the NIV.
B. Question: If Jesus had a sinful, fallen nature, then isn’t that a defect?
C. Question: If Jesus’ sinful nature is not a defect, then what would you call it?
D. Question: If Jesus sinful nature is a defect, then doesn’t that mean His sacrifice is insufficient?
E. Question: If you state that being obedient is what makes a person “unblemished,” then why are we damned by nature (Eph. 2:3) if it is only our sinful deeds that condemn us?
2. According to Christadelphian theology, Jesus had to die in order to save himself. Yet the Christadelphians also maintain that Jesus was without blemish or defect.
A. Question: If this is so, why would Jesus need to save Himself if He had no sin?
B. Question: If Jesus needed to save Himself, then that means He was not without defect. If that is the case, then how can he be a pure and unblemished sacrifice?
3. Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God,” (John 20:28). He was not sinning by using God’s name in vain.
A. Question: Can you, like Thomas, say to Jesus, “My Lord and my God.”?
B. Question: If you do call Jesus your Lord and your God, since you believe Jesus is a creation, isn’t that idolatry?
C. Question: If you do call Jesus your Lord and your God, is Jesus the true God or not?
D. Question: If you do not call Jesus you Lord and your God, why not? It is biblical.
4. Jude 4 says, “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
A. Question: Can you call Jesus your only Master and Lord?
B. Question: If you do call Jesus your only Master and Lord, then what about God the Father? Is He not also your Lord and Master?
C. Question: If you call Jesus your “only” Lord and Master, aren’t you committing idolatry?
D. Question: If you do not call Jesus your only Lord and Master, then aren’t you disobeying the truth of God’s word?
5. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,”
A. Question: Have you received Jesus?
6. In Matt.11:28 Jesus says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” The rest He is referring to is rest from the law, from trying to please God by your deeds.
A. Question: Have you gone to Jesus and rested are or you still trying to please God enough to be saved?
B. Question: If you have gone to Jesus, how did you do this? In prayer to Jesus?
7. When we sin, we sin against God because it is His law we are breaking. He is the one who must forgive us because we have offended Him. The one offended is the one who forgives. Someone or something else doesn’t forgive us for our sins against God, only God can do that.
A. Question: How is it that Jesus is the one who forgives sins (Luke 5:20) if Jesus is not God, the one who is offended?
B. Question: If you state that it is because Jesus was given authority by God to forgive sins (Matt. 28:19), then have you gone to Jesus and asked Him to forgive you of your sins? Remember, to do that, you must pray to Jesus. Is it right to pray to a creature?
Hi, Quess. Unfortunately Mr Slick has many mistaken views about what Christadelphians believe, and many of his questions are false dichotomies and reading things into the Bible text which are not there. You have only quoted a few of his questions which have been circulated on the internet. There is a full list, together with answers, available at this page: https://sites.google.com/site/christadelphianinfo/articles/apologetics/critics/carm/carm1 . Interestingly, Mr Slick has never counter-rebutted these answers. Thanks for your comment.
Jesus the “Almighty God”
If you look at Psalm 100:3 it says: “Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his.”
Many times Jesus referred to His own deity, both directly and indirectly, Jesus used the terms “Son of Man” and “Son of God” often. Both referred to His divine nature (Daniel 7:13,14; Matthew 26:63,64). Jesus also used the specific words I am (Ego eimi in Greek, Ani bu in Hebrew) on several occasions (e.g., John 8:56-58). God used these same words to describe Himself to Moses. Jesus also states specifically that He and God (Father) are “one” (John 10:30), meaning, the same substance, nature and essence.
We also find in Isaiah 9:6, that Jesus is referred to as a “Mighty God”
Did you know that “Mighty God” is translated from Hebrew word Elohim, a very common name for God in the Old Testament; used 2,570 times. Means: “strong one” plural ending (im in Hebrew) indicates fullness of power. “God of all the earth” “God of heaven”.
Jesus is called “Everlasting Father” in Isaiah 9:6, is better translated “Father of eternity” in this context carry the meaning “possessor of eternity.”
In Isaiah 40:3, we find that Jesus is called both Yahweh (Jehovah) and Elohim in the same verse. This verse was written in reference to future ministry of Jesus (see John 1:23) and represents one of the strongest affirmations of Christ’s deity in the O.T.
We all know that we only pray directly to God, refer to John 14:13, John 15:16 you will find that we direct our prayers to Jesus.
We also know that we only worship God, Jesus always accepted such worship as appropriate:
From Peter (Luke 5:8)
From Thomas (John 20:28)
From Angels (Heb 1:6)
From Old Testament saints (Joshua 5-13-15)
From Demons (Mark 5:6)
We see all of heaven worshiping Jesus (Rev 5:11)
What the Bible says about Jesus
Revelation 1:7-8 says: Jesus is the Almighty
Genesis 17:1 says: The Almighty is God
John 18:51 says: Jesus is the I Am
Exodus 3:14 says: The I Am is God
John 8:24 says: Jesus is I Am He
Isaiah 43:10 says: I Am He is God
Hebrews 1:6 says: Angels worship Jesus
Psalm 148:2 says: Angels worship God
Acts 4:12 says: Jesus is the One Savior
Isaiah 45:21 says: The One Savior is God
Luke 1:68 says: Jesus is the One Redeemer
Isaiah 41:14 says: The One Redeemer is God
Philippians 2:10 says: Every knee must bow to Jesus
Isaiah 45:23 says: Every knee must bow to God
Did you know that there are about 3,856 verses directly or indirectly concerned with prophecy in Scripture, about one verse in six tells of future events? God’s challenge to the world is “Prove Me now, I am the Lord … I will speak, and the word that I speak shall come to pass.” (See Jeremiah 28:9; Ezekiel 12:25) Buddhists, Confucianists, and Muslims have their own sacred writings, but in them the element of prophecy is obviously absent.
In the brief life of Jesus alone we see over 300 fulfilled prophecies! Only Jesus as an all-knowing God could make and fulfill.
Here are few other biblical passages proving that Jesus is God:
Isaiah 44:6
“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of
host: “I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.’”
Isaiah 43:10
“You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, “And My servant whom I have
chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall be after ME.”
Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the
Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 21:6
“And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
Beginning and the End.’”
1 John 5:20
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an
understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is
true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
1 Timothy 3:16
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was
manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached
among he Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up in glory.”
Titus 2:13
“…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God
and Savior Jesus Christ…”
John 8:58
Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was,
I AM.’”
Isaiah 7:14
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
(Immanuel translated: “God among us.”)
Philippians 2:10-11
“…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and
of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
(There will come a day that all angels, all prophets, all religious leaders, including Buddha, Confucius, Muhammad bowing down to Jesus)
We also find in Scripture that Jesus is described as:
• OMINIPRESENT Matt. 28:20
• OMNISCIENT John 2:24
• OMNIPOTENT Heb.1:3
• CREATOR John 1:1-3
• ETERNAL Micah 5:2, Heb 1:8
• GOD Heb. 1:8; Titus 2:13; John 1:1; John 20:28
Conclusion: We clearly see that Jesus Christ claims to be God in human flesh and clearly identified as God. He is to be prayed to, worshiped to, and possess the many attributes of God.
Can you see now, that Jesus is God?
Thanks for your comment. I’m afraid i can’t help thinking this has been copied and pasted from somewhere, since it doesn’t appear to address this post. But I’ll give it some attention.
Unfortunately a lot of your arguments contain massive leaps. For example, the classic “I and my Father are one” is the same expression as John 17v11 “that my disciples may be one – why can it not simply indicate Jesus and God being of the same purpose? (As in: me and Tony are one on that subject).
The phrase “son of man” indicates that Jesus had a human, as well as a divine origin. No problem with that. He was a man born of the holy spirit and Mary. (See 1 Tim 2v5) I’m not sure why this phrase alone proves divinity.
This point about worshipping Jesus. Yes he is worshipped as a king. But God gives him this position, and he is king over all the earth except God himself. 1 Cor 15v27 makes no sense if Jesus and God are the same – how could a co-equal system have knew part subject to another part? And while we’re on that subject, how could a co-eternal system have one part experiencing birth and death?
Mighty God (Isa 6v9) is a title of Jesus. Even men were called gods in Psa 82v6, so this doesn’t prove he is God. As you know, the Word El simply means powerful one.
Likewise just because God’s name is revealed to be ‘I am’, that doesn’t mean that every time Jesus says “I am” – a pretty common, everyday expression, that it has to mean he has this same covenant name.
I’ll address this one since you’re making out it’s a big proof – you say:
“In Isaiah 40:3, we find that Jesus is called both Yahweh (Jehovah) and Elohim in the same verse. This verse was written in reference to future ministry of Jesus (see John 1:23) and represents one of the strongest affirmations of Christ’s deity in the O.T.”
You’re half right. Yes the words Yahweh and Elohim both appear in this verse. Yes there is a strong link to Jesus’s future ministry. But where do you draw your conclusion from? I fear you’re mixing up the two. Both Hebrew words refer to the Lord God, who is in charge of all things especially the future kingdom of God on earth which this verse refers to. Jesus will be king of that kingdom and hence he will fulfil this verse. But why does he have to be the same as God in order to do this? And why wouldn’t John have pointed the trinity out at this point if he believed it would help people understand?
I’ll leave the rest of your points for now to avoid this becoming too long. But I’ll finish with a list of challenges for you to consider which present significant problems if you believe that Jesus is God:
– Jesus needed God’s intervention to save him from death. Yet if he were God, wouldn’t this be unnecessary? Heb 5v7
– God cannot be tempted, yet how come Jesus was tempted? Jas 1v13
– Jesus had a separate will that needed to be subordinated to God’s will. If they were the same person, this would be unnecessary. Luke 25v42
– Paul and other NT writers declare that Jesus’s relationship with God was as a Son to a father. If they are the same, how does this parallel work? John 14v21
– Luke’s Gospel was designed to give an orderly account of the exact truth about Jesus. Yet the doctrine of the trinity is completely absent from it. The word Trinity appears nowhere in the Bible, and there is no attempt at clearly explaining it either. Luke1v3-4
Thanks again for your time.