There are some people who dont fully understand basic notions of Christianity, and they believe that God and Jesus Christ are the same person; however, Jesus and God are not the same person. Both are part of the Holy Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — three expressions of one God.
The relationship between God and Jesus Christ has been a topic of theological debate for centuries.
Some believe they are one and the same, while others argue they are distinct entities.
It’s a question that has implications for Christian doctrine, practice, and personal faith.
So, are God and Jesus Christ the same Person?
This question can be confusing because God and Jesus Christ are not the same persons but are both part of the Holy Trinity.
The Trinity is the belief that one God exists in three distinct Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.
The concept of the Holy Trinity does mean that there are three gods.
Instead, it suggests that there is one God with three expressions.
Jesus Christ is God, and the Father is God, possessing power and authority, but they are two separate Persons, operating in different dimensions but from one source and purpose.
The Holy Trinity
The Trinity is one of the most complex parts of the Christian faith.
It shows God’s mysterious nature that still beats human understanding.
It requires faith to accept this concept because viewing it from a human perspective will only lead to confusion.
The idea of the Holy Trinity is that the Sovereign God exists but in three different forms – The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This was evident in the beginning, during creation. The Bible records in Genesis 1:1-2 that God created the heavens and the earth, and His Spirit was hovering across the face of the waters.
These verses prove that God and the Holy Spirit were both present at creation.
Then John 1:1 also confirms the presence of Jesus during creation. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Jesus is the Word, and this verse affirms that He was God.
In John 1:3, the Bible says, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Confirming the Jesus was a co-creator with God.
This does not in any way mean that there were three gods. Instead, it shows the three dimensions or the Persons of God with different expressions but one.
Let’s explore the distinct Persons of God and Jesus according to the scriptures.
Who is God?
No word, sentence, or book about God will be sufficient to capture God’s essence and personality. God is many things and everything.
He is the creator of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
He is also the ruler of the entire universe, greater than any king that was, that is, and that will be (Isaiah 40:21-23)
1 Timothy 1:17 calls Him “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, He told Him that He is “I am that I am.” (Exodus 3:13-14)
God is called the Father in the Bible. Jesus especially referred to Him as His Father in various verses of the Bible, solidifying His Person in the Holy Trinity as the Father (John 1:14, John 17:5).
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is God in the flesh. He was born into this world through the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. God sent Jesus into this world to pay the price of the sins of the world by dying on the cross.
Jesus calls Himself the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He also calls Himself the Bread of Life. “And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger.” (John 6:35)
Jesus also refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
Jesus is the Son of God. After Jesus; baptism, God called Him His Son. “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the third Person in the Trinity.
He is the Spirit from God that dwells in those who believe in God.
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Corinthians 3:16)
The Holy Spirit is our advocate and helper (John 14:16). He is also our teacher.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26)
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to do God’s work.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be [awitnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”(Acts 1:8)
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Is God and Jesus Christ the same Person?
Jesus talks about being one and the same with His Father in the Bible.
Firstly, Jesus’ name, Immanuel, means God with us (Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:14). It represents God’s physical manifestation among men (Colossians 2:9).
Jesus further states in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” Jesus further states in John 14:9 that “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”
So, yes, God and Jesus Christ are the same because they are part of the Holy Trinity. However, they are separate Persons.
Note that as a believer, there’s only one God, whether you are praying to the Father or Jesus Christ.
Your prayers are going to the same place. Your prayers have the same authority whether you address them to God or Jesus.
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God is unchanging.
There’s no point in time that He underwent evolution or transformation.
God remains the same forever and ever.
God did not leave heaven to come into this world as Jesus to die for the salvation of humanity; neither did He also transform into the Holy Spirit to live within Christians today.
He is God in three Persons, eternal and everlasting.
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David Akeju is a Christian writer who believes in the transformational power of God’s Word. His articles and books have been published on global platforms, and thousands of lives have been touched. He works with pastors and ministers, churches and ministries, and brands.