Who is Jesus?

A few weeks ago my son received an e-mail from one of his friends:

"... could you ask your dad these questions please. Is Jesus the human form of God or his son? Is the Holy Spirit and Jesus a part of God or are they their own self. please if you could write a convincing truth about this topic because all my friends are fighting about this and everyone has taken sides. thank you so much for this Mr. Thompson. it means lot. I hate seeing all my friends fight and take sides. thank you so much."

Here is my reply:

"...your e-mail was forwarded to me and I will try to answer your questions as best I can. I am sorry your friends are arguing and taking sides. You are a good friend. I will try to keep my answers short, but hose are BIG QUESTIONS you asked and hard to answer in just a few words.

Everyone has an opinion and everyone thinks they are right, so they probably won’t listen to what I have to say unless it agrees with what they already think. So, first of all, let’s set some ground rules.

Rule #1: if there is a God then he knows more than all of us—me, you, and all your friends. So we should find out how God would answer these questions. To get God’s opinion we go to the Bible. The Bible says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16) So first of all, will your friends agree to use the Bible as God’s word, and let that be “the Referee”, so to speak?

Now, how does the Bible answer your questions? Jesus is God in human form AND Jesus is the Son of God

Jesus is God in human form:

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image (form) of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV)

He (Jesus) is the image (form) of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17 (NIV)

The Bible is full of references to Jesus being the Son of God. Here are a few of them:

Jesus claimed to be the Son of God (see Matthew 27:43) In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, ⁴² "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. ⁴³ "HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.' "

Satan knew Jesus was the Son of God (see Matthew 4:1-4) Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit (notice they are two separate beings) into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. ³ And the tempter came and said to Him, "Since you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." ⁴ But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'

The demons that Jesus cast out of people knew Jesus was the Son of God (see Matthew 8:29) When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. ²⁹ And they cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"

The disciples (followers of Jesus) said they believed He was the Son of God (see Matthew 16:13-17 and Mark 1:1) Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" ¹⁴ And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah ; but still others, Jeremiah , or one of the prophets." ¹⁵ He said* to them, "But who do you say that I am?" ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." ¹⁷ And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jona , because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Notice that Jesus and God and two distinct beings)

The Gospel of Mark begins with these words: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

When Jesus was crucified the Centurion (Roman commander in charge of 100 soldiers) and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (Matthew 27:54)

So it is not either “Jesus is God in human form” OR “Jesus is the Son of God”—the Bible teaches that He is both!

“In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. ² He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him (Jesus) all things were made; without him (Jesus) nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of men… ¹⁴ The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his (Jesus’) glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-4, 14 (NIV)

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Next question: “Is the Holy Spirit and Jesus a part of God” or “Are they their own self”? Are they one, or are they separate?

Again the Bible teaches that both statements are true.

God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are One (called the Trinity), but they have separate “personalities” and functions.

This is referred to as “The Godhead”. In the Book of Genesis in the Bible God said, “Let US make human beings in OUR own image”. God reveals Himself as the Creator, through the Son (Jesus) as our Savior, and through the Holy Spirit as the Christian’s “Counselor” and “Comforter”. (see John 14:15-17) "If you love me, you will obey what I command. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. (John 14:15-17) (Notice they are referred to as three separate beings)

In the New Testament it says, “Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. ⁷ For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (1 John 5:5-7 (KJV)

I know that’s a lot, probably more than you expected. Those are BIG QUESTIONS you asked and hard to answer in just a few words. You will see also that this is not my opinion but what the Bible teaches, what God says about Himself, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I hope this helps.