Is Jesus Christ A Deist?

Did God create everything then leave them on their own autonomous human reasoning independent of His divine revelation? Is God intervening with His creatures even at this very moment?

The Christian Worldview Project’s host Bro. Jordan Ravanes had another debate on a very important topic. You can watch the entire debate entitled “Is Jesus Christ A Deist?” here. It was hosted by Sir Mickey of KaM-Atis Analysis Unit – Kamatist Atheists in the Philippines and the affirmative side is Francis Sustento.

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The topic of tonight’s debate is “Is Jesus Christ a deist?” But before anything else let’s clarify things first.

The debate is not about…

The language God used to communicate with Adam and Eve, and the tone of that voice. Because whether we know it or not , the question is, did Adam and Eve have interaction with God, and did they understand it? If these things were true regardless of the language used and the tone of God’s voice then to raise such issues like these are meaningless to tonight’s debate.

The alleged corruption of the Scripture. Rather the Scripture is presupposed to be true this evening and must be the standard to have an accurate knowledge of who Jesus Christ is.

And before we proceed to the real issue, let us define first what is deism. Deism is a belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe. The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind.

Etymologically, in Latin (Dei = Deus [GOD] + ism = belief) meaning – God belief. As simple as that. But what kind of God does deism describe? A God who does not intervene nor interact with humankind. A God who didn’t bother introducing himself to his creature. Basically, a God that cannot be known since this God didn’t reveal himself to us.

Here is the definition from nationalhumanitiescenter.org,

"Deists (people who adhere to deism) insisted that religious truth should be subject to the authority of human reason rather than divine revelation. Consequently, they denied that the Bible was the revealed word of God and rejected the Scripture as a source of religious doctrine. As devotees of natural religion, they rejected all the supernatural elements of Christianity. Miracles, prophecies, and divine warnings were all proscribed as residues of superstition, as was the providential view of human history. The doctrines of original sin, the account of creation found in Genesis, and the divinity and resurrection of Christ were similarly castigated as irrational beliefs unworthy of an enlightened age. For Deists God was a benevolent, if distant, creator whose revelation was nature and human reason. Applying reason to nature taught most deists that God organized the world to promote human happiness and our greatest religious duty was to further that end by the practice of morality."

THE REAL ISSUE

According to this definition, deists are people who:

1. Insist that religious truth should be subject to the authority of human reason rather than divine revelation;
2. Deny the Scriptures as the revealed Word of God and authoritative;
3. Deny miracles, prophecies, and divine warnings;
4. Believe that the creator of the universe (GOD) does not intervene nor interact with his creature.

Now in order for Jesus Christ to be a deist, he must:

1. Insist that religious truth should be subject to the authority of human rather than divine revelation;
2. Deny the Scriptures as the revealed word of God and authoritative;
3. Deny miracles, prophecies, and divine warnings;
4. Believe that the creator of the universe (GOD) does not intervene nor interact with his creature.

If I can demonstrate this evening that these things cannot be found based on how I know things to be true in the Christian Worldview then the debate is concluded in favor of me. On the other hand, If my opponent can demonstrate that these things can be found in the light of my epistemological basis namely “the Scripture” then the debate is concluded in his favor.

Although, I submit to you this evening that my opponent doesn’t, cannot, and will not have in any way, shape, or form an epistemological basis upon which he will establish his position that Jesus is a deist.

Jesus Christ is not a deist

How do I know that? I know that from God’s Himself who revealed in His Word. My opponent must understand that to argue against my position is to do an internal critique.

When I say internal critique, we must answer the question “What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?” In my worldview, Jesus Christ can only be known in the Scriptures. My opponent may try to appeal to historical events but if those events don’t cohere with what the Scripture teaches then that appeal in order to have an objection is invalid and will not be considered an internal critique.

Therefore my opponent must first and foremost draw a positive argument from the Scriptures and prove it from the Scriptures that Jesus is a deist unless otherwise, he’s not yet in the debate this evening.

Here’s how I demonstrate that Jesus Christ is not a deist. Let me answer the question – What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?

A. Jesus Christ is God. Check here for more details.

1. Romans 9:5 Christ, who is God over all.
2. 2 Peter 1:1 God and Savior Jesus Christ.
3. Titus 2:13 God and Savior Jesus Christ. John 20:28 Thomas answered Christ “My Lord and My God”.
4. Hebrews 1:8 God the Father is speaking: “But of the Son, he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,”.
5. John 1:1 the Word was God who became flesh John 1:14 and dwelt among us.

B. Jesus affirms and has a high view of Scriptures and views it as authoritative.

1. He even cited Exodus 3:6 in Matthew 22:31-32 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”
2. We have the same instance in Matthew 12:3, 5; and Matthew 19:4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female.
3. Since Jesus affirms the scripture as authoritative, it then follows that He rejects autonomous human reasoning independent of the wisdom of the Scriptures.

Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool.

Proverbs 28:26

C. Jesus performed miracles

1. Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1-11 – “;
2. Healing the royal official’s son in Capernaum in John 4:46-54;
3. Healing the paralytic at Bethesda in John 5:1-15; Feeding the 5000 in John 6:5-14;
4. Jesus walking on water in John 6:16-24;
5. Healing the man blind from birth in John 9:1-7;
6. The raising of Lazarus in John 11:1-45.

D. Jesus affirms prophecies and even prophesied his own resurrection in John 2:18-22.

E. Jesus affirms divine warnings in Matthew 24:36-51. There will be a coming judgment.

F. Since Jesus Christ is God, as one of the Persons of the Trinity, He is the Creator of the world. When He created Adam and Eve, he spoke with them, gave them warnings, and after Adam fell He provided clothing of Grace. Genesis 3:21 And the LORD God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins and clothed them. These things are God’s intervention.

So if Jesus Christ is God, affirms the Scripture as authoritative, rejects autonomous human reasoning independent of divine revelation, performed miracles, affirms prophecies, divine warnings, personally involve in His Creation and does intervene with His creature, therefore, Jesus Christ is not a deist.

Thank you.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!