False Teachings

The False Teaching of Arianism (Denial of the Deity of Christ)

This article examines the false teaching of Arianism, which denies the full deity of Jesus Christ. Arianism teaches that Jesus Christ is a created being, the first and highest creation of God, but not eternal God. Arians claim that there was a time when the Son did not exist, and that He is not of the same substance as the Father. This teaching contradicts the clear witness of Scripture, which declares that Jesus is the eternal Son of God, that He is one with the Father, that He existed in the beginning with God, and that He is God. Arianism is a Christological heresy that undermines the deity of Christ and the efficacy of His atonement.

1. What Arianism Teaches

Arianism is named after Arius, a fourth-century presbyter who taught that Jesus Christ is not fully divine. According to Arianism, the Son is the first and greatest created being, but He is a creature nonetheless. Arius famously said, "There was a time when He was not." The Son, in this view, is not of the same substance (homoousios) as the Father but of a similar or different substance. He is not eternal; He had a beginning. He is not God in the full sense but a demigod or an exalted angel. Arians claim to honor the Son but deny His true deity. This teaching was condemned as heresy by the Council of Nicaea in AD 325.

2. Why Arianism Is False: Scripture Declares That the Word Was God

John opens his Gospel with the clearest possible statement of Christ's deity: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Word (Logos) is identified as Jesus Christ in verse 14. John says three things: the Word existed in the beginning (eternality), the Word was with God (distinct person), and the Word was God (full deity). The Greek construction places "God" in the predicate position, emphasizing the nature of the Word. He is not "a god" as some cults translate; He is God. Arianism directly contradicts this inspired declaration.

3. Scripture Declares That Jesus Is the Eternal Son Without Beginning

Hebrews declares, "But to the Son He says: 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.'" The Father addresses the Son as "God." The same chapter says of the Son, "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands." The Son is the Creator. Only God creates. Micah prophesied of the Messiah, "Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM," using the divine name from Exodus 3:14. The Jews understood this as a claim to deity and sought to stone Him. Jesus is not a created being; He is the eternal Son who has always existed.

4. Scripture Declares That Jesus Created All Things

Paul writes, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." John writes, "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." If Jesus created all things, He cannot be a created thing. He must be the Creator. Arianism claims Jesus is the first creation, but the Bible says everything that was made was made through Him. The Son is not among the "all things" that were made; He is the agent of creation.

5. Scripture Declares That Jesus Possesses the Fullness of Deity

Paul declares, "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." The Greek word theotes means deity, the divine nature. Not just some divine attributes, but the fullness of deity dwells in Christ. Colossians also says, "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell." Arianism teaches that the Son has a derived, lesser deity. The Bible teaches that He possesses the full, unshared divine nature. To have the fullness of deity is to be fully God.

6. Scripture Declares That Jesus Receives Worship as God

When Thomas saw the risen Christ, he declared, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus did not correct him. He accepted worship as God. The angels refuse worship (Revelation 22:8-9). Peter refused worship (Acts 10:25-26). Paul refused worship (Acts 14:13-15). But Jesus receives worship repeatedly. The wise men worshipped Him (Matthew 2:11). His disciples worshipped Him (Matthew 14:33). The early church worshipped Him. The writer of Hebrews commands, "Let all the angels of God worship Him." Only God is to be worshipped. Jesus receives worship because He is God.

7. Scripture Declares That Jesus Has the Divine Attributes of God

Jesus is eternal (John 1:1; 8:58). Jesus is omnipresent (Matthew 28:20; Ephesians 1:23). Jesus is omniscient (John 16:30; 21:17). Jesus is omnipotent (Matthew 28:18; Hebrews 1:3). He forgives sins (Mark 2:5-7). He raises the dead (John 5:21; 11:25-26). He will judge the world (John 5:22; 2 Timothy 4:1). These are divine attributes. No creature possesses these attributes. Arianism cannot explain how a created being could have the attributes that belong to God alone.

8. How to Correct One Who Believes Arianism

First, take the person to John 1:1. Ask: What does "the Word was God" mean? Second, read John 20:28. Ask: Why did Thomas call Jesus "my God" and why did Jesus not correct him? Third, read Colossians 2:9. Ask: What does "all the fullness of the Godhead" mean? Fourth, read Hebrews 1:8. Ask: Why does the Father call the Son "God"? Fifth, read Isaiah 44:24. Ask: Who created all things alone? Then read John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16. Ask: If Jesus created all things, can He be a created thing? Sixth, ask: If Jesus is not fully God, how can His death pay for the sins of the world? Finally, pray that they would see Jesus as He is revealed in Scripture: the eternal Son of God, very God of very God, worthy of all worship and praise.

9. The Danger of Arianism for the Believer's Heart

Arianism strikes at the heart of the gospel. If Jesus is not fully God, He cannot save. Only God can atone for sin. A finite creature cannot bear infinite wrath. Only the infinite God-Man can be the sufficient sacrifice. Arianism also undermines worship. If Jesus is not God, worshipping Him is idolatry. But the church has always worshipped Jesus because He is God. Arianism also destroys the Trinity. If the Son is a creature, He is not equal to the Father, and the Spirit is likewise demoted. Arianism is not a minor difference; it is a denial of the Christian faith. John warns, "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also."

10. The Biblical Teaching: Jesus Christ Is Fully God and Fully Man

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, one in essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He is not a created being; He is the Creator. He is not a lesser god; He is the one true God. He is not a demiurge; He is the Word who was God. He is fully divine, possessing all the attributes of deity. He is also fully human, born of the virgin Mary. This is the mystery of the incarnation: God became flesh. Arianism denies the deity of Christ and is therefore a false teaching. Let every believer confess with Thomas, "My Lord and my God!" and worship the Son as the eternal God.

Conclusion
Arianism is a false teaching that denies the full deity of Jesus Christ. It claims that the Son is a created being, the first of God's creatures, but not eternal God. Scripture contradicts this at every point. Jesus is the Word who was God. He is the eternal Son without beginning. He created all things. He possesses the fullness of deity. He receives worship as God. He has the divine attributes. Correct this error with the Word of God. Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Worship the Son as the eternal God, for He is worthy.

Scripture References 255
John 1:1–3 John 1:14 John 1:18 John 5:17–18 John 5:22–23 John 8:24 John 8:58 John 10:30–33 John 14:9 John 20:28 Acts 20:28 Romans 9:5 Philippians 2:5–7 Colossians 1:15–17 Colossians 2:9 1 Timothy 3:16 Titus 2:13 Hebrews 1:1–3 Hebrews 1:8–12 Hebrews 13:8 2 Peter 1:1 1 John 5:20 Revelation 1:8 Revelation 1:17–18 Revelation 22:13 Isaiah 9:6 Isaiah 44:24 Micah 5:2 Zechariah 12:10 Malachi 3:1 Matthew 1:23 Matthew 28:18–20 Mark 2:5–12 Luke 1:35 Luke 2:11 John 3:13 John 3:31–36 John 6:38–40 John 6:46 John 6:62 John 8:23 John 8:42 John 13:3 John 16:28 John 17:5 John 17:24 Acts 3:13–15 Acts 7:59–60 Romans 1:3–4 Romans 8:32 1 Corinthians 8:6 1 Corinthians 15:47 2 Corinthians 8:9 Galatians 4:4 Ephesians 1:20–23 Philippians 2:9–11 Colossians 2:3 Colossians 2:10 1 Timothy 2:5 1 Timothy 6:13–16 Hebrews 2:9–18 Hebrews 4:14–16 Hebrews 5:5–10 Hebrews 7:3 Hebrews 7:24–28 Hebrews 9:14 Hebrews 10:5–10 1 Peter 1:18–21 1 Peter 3:18 1 John 1:1–3 1 John 4:2–3 1 John 4:9–10 1 John 4:14–15 2 John 1:7 Jude 1:4 Revelation 5:12–14 Revelation 7:9–12 Revelation 19:10 Revelation 22:8–9 Exodus 3:14 Deuteronomy 6:4 Psalm 2:7 Psalm 45:6–7 Psalm 102:25–27 Psalm 110:1 Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah 40:3 Isaiah 45:21–23 Daniel 7:13–14 Joel 2:32 Zechariah 14:9 Malachi 3:6 Mark 12:29 Luke 24:19 John 2:19–22 John 4:25–26 John 6:68–69 John 11:25–27 John 12:41 John 14:6 Acts 2:36 Acts 3:6 Acts 4:12 Acts 9:20 Acts 10:36 Romans 10:9–13 Romans 14:11 1 Corinthians 1:2 1 Corinthians 12:3 2 Corinthians 5:16 Ephesians 1:3 Ephesians 1:20–21 Philippians 2:10–11 Colossians 3:11 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 1 Timothy 1:1 1 Timothy 2:5 1 Timothy 6:14–15 2 Timothy 1:10 2 Timothy 2:8 Titus 1:4 Titus 2:13 Hebrews 1:6 Hebrews 2:9 Hebrews 12:2 1 Peter 2:21–25 2 Peter 2:1 1 John 2:2 1 John 4:10 Revelation 1:5–6 Revelation 3:14 Revelation 19:11–16 Revelation 22:16 John 1:1 John 1:2 John 1:3 John 1:10 John 1:14 John 8:58 John 10:30 John 10:33 John 14:9 John 20:28 Acts 7:59 Romans 9:5 Philippians 2:6 Colossians 1:19 Colossians 2:9 1 Timothy 3:16 Titus 2:13 Hebrews 1:8 2 Peter 1:1 1 John 5:20 Revelation 1:8 Revelation 1:11 Revelation 22:13 Isaiah 44:6 Isaiah 48:12 Isaiah 44:24 John 1:3 Colossians 1:16 Hebrews 1:2 Hebrews 1:10–12 Revelation 4:11 Genesis 1:1 Psalm 33:6 Psalm 33:9 Proverbs 8:22–31 John 5:19 John 5:26 John 6:57 John 14:10 John 14:11 John 17:5 John 17:24 Romans 11:36 1 Corinthians 8:6 2 Corinthians 5:18 Ephesians 3:9 Hebrews 1:2 Hebrews 11:3 Revelation 3:14 Revelation 21:6 John 5:18 John 5:23 John 10:33 John 19:7 Mark 14:61–64 Luke 22:70–71 Matthew 26:63–66 John 8:59 John 10:31 John 10:39 Acts 5:30 Acts 10:39–40 Acts 13:28–30 Romans 4:24–25 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 Galatians 1:1 Ephesians 1:20 Colossians 2:12 1 Thessalonians 1:10 1 Peter 1:21 1 John 4:14 Revelation 1:18 Matthew 28:6 Mark 16:6 Luke 24:6–7 John 2:19–22 John 10:17–18 John 11:25–26 Acts 2:24 Acts 2:31–32 Acts 3:15 Acts 4:10 Acts 13:30–37 Romans 6:4 Romans 6:9 Romans 8:11 Romans 14:9 1 Corinthians 15:20–22 1 Corinthians 15:55–57 2 Corinthians 4:14 Colossians 2:12 2 Timothy 2:8 Hebrews 13:20 1 Peter 1:3 1 Peter 3:18 Revelation 1:5 Revelation 1:18 Matthew 28:18 John 3:35 John 5:22 John 5:27 John 12:31 John 16:11 John 16:33 Acts 2:33 Acts 5:31 Acts 10:42 Romans 14:9 Romans 14:11 Ephesians 1:21–22 Philippians 2:9–11 Colossians 2:10 Hebrews 1:2 Hebrews 1:4 Hebrews 2:7–9 Hebrews 2:14 1 Peter 3:22 Revelation 1:18 Revelation 3:7 Revelation 17:14 Revelation 19:16 Revelation 21:22–23
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