Because Christ most clearly showed he was not God
The Jews who were seeking a charge against him said, "he made himself God"; Christ immediately refuted the falsehood,—"Jesus answered them is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods; if he called them gods unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God".—Jn. x. 34,36. He whom Christ addressed in prayer, he addressed as "The Only True God".—Jn. xvii. 3. "He came from God, and went to God ". —Jn. xiii. 3. "I came out from God ".—Jn. xvi. 27. "And "Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God".—Mark x. 18. "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me"?—Matt. xxvii. 46. "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God".—Jn. xx. 17.
Because the New Testament in numerous passages declares that God is the God and Father of Jesus Christ
"The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not".—2 Cor. xi. 31. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blest us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ".—Eph. i. 3. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, "may give unto you the spirit of wisdom ".—Eph. i. 17. "That ye may with one mind, and one mouth, glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ".—Rom. xv. 6. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead".— 1 Pet. i. 3.
Because the Scriptures teach us there is but One God, and in the same sentence affirm that Christ is not that God
"To us there is but one God, the Father of whom are all things, and we "in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ".—I Cor. viii. 6. "For "there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus".—1 Tim. 2, 5. "One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all".—Eph. iv. 5, 6.
Because the Scriptures testify that Jesus grew and increased in favour with God. How could he then be God?
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man".—Luke ii. 52. "And the child (Jesus) grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him ". —Luke ii. 40.
Because the high names, and offices, and greatness of Christ, are said to be given to him by God
"Wherefore God also hath "highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name".—Philippians ii. 9. "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell".—Col. i. 19. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye hath crucified, both Lord and Christ".— Acts ii. 36. "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; the God of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus".— Acts iii. 13. "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour".—Acts v. 31.
Because the New Testament teaches that all power and authority possessed by Christ were given to him by God
"Then answered "Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do".—Jn. v. 19. "I can of mine own self do nothing".— Jn. v. 30. "And (God) hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church".— Eph. i. 22. "For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God".—2 Cor. xiii. 4. "I have "power to lay it (his life) down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father".— John x. 18.
Because Jesus Christ says he is inferior and subordinate to the Father
"My Father is greater than I".—Jn. xiv. 28. "To sit on my right hand and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them, for whom it is prepared of my Father". Matt. xx. 23. "But of that day and that hour (of judgment) knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father".—Mark xiii. 32. "My Father is greater than all".—Jn. x. 29.
Because Christ worshipped and prayed to God
"Jesus went "out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God".—Luke vi. 12. "At that time Jesuss answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth".— Matt. xi. 25. "Jesus prayed, saying, Father if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done".—Luke xxii. 42. "Christ in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto Him that was able to save".— Heb. v. 7.
Because Christ has taught us not to pray to him, but to God
"In that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, in my name, he will "give it you".—Jn. xvi. 23. "The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth".—Jn. iv. 23. "As he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, our Father which art in Heaven".—Luke xi. 1, 2. "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ".—Eph. iii. 14.
Because the very name Christ shows he is not God, but anointed of God
"Thou (Christ) hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows".—Heb. i. 9. "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost "and with power: who went about doing good ... for God was with him '.—Acts x. 38. "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed ".—Acts iv. 27.
Because Jesus Christ is represented by himself as distinct from God as one witness in a court is from another
"It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am one who bears witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me".—Jn. viii. 17, 18.
Because in numerous passages of Scripture Christ is represented as appointed Judge of all by God
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son". —Jn. v. 22. "And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead ".—Acts x. 42. "Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised Him from the dead".—Acts xvii. 31.
Because the name Son OF GOD shows he is not God
"But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God".— Matt. xvi. 15, 16. "For he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased".—2 Peter i. 17. "Of a truth thou art the Son of God".—Matt. xiv. 33.
Because Christ was taught of God the doctrines he taught to Men
"I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things".—Jn. viii 28. "Jesus answered "them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me". Jn. vii. 16. "For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak".—Jn. xii. 49.
Because numerous passages show a clear distinction between God and Christ
"Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ".—1 Cor. i. 3. "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ".—Rom. i. 7. "Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord".—I Tim. i. 2. "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in "God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ".—1 Thess. i. I
Because Christ always declared he was only the sent of God
"For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him".—Jn. iii. 34. "And he that sent me is with me".—Jn. viii. 29. "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you".—Jn. xx. 21. "I am not come of myself but he that sent me is true".—Jn. vii. 28. "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent". -Jn. vi. 29.
Because the Apostles always speak of Christ as less than God
"But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God".— I Cor. xi. 3. "And ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's".—I Cor. iii. 23. "For he (God) hath put all things under his (Christ's) feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him ".—1 Cor. xv. 27.
Because Christ is called the Image of God; and an image cannot be that of which it is the likeness
"Who (Christ) is the image of the invisible God".—Col. i. 15. "Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them ".—2 Cor. iv. 4. "Who (Christ) being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person". —Heb. i. 3.
Because the uniform teaching of the Scripture is that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead
"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses".—Acts ii. 32. "And (ye) killed the Prince of Life, whom God hath raised from the dead". —Acts iii. 15. "Unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities".—Acts iii. 26. "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree".— Acts v. 30. "And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power".—1 Cor. vi. 14.
Because the Apostles often speak of Christ as a Man, and in the same sentence show he is not God
"Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him".—Acts ii. 22. "But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God".—Heb. x. 12.
Because Jesus Christ never taught he was God, but most distinctly taught he was a Man, and the Son of Man
"But now "ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God".—Jn. viii. 40. "Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath".—Mark ii. 28.
Because Christ was a Prophet as Moses was a Prophet
"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me....I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words into his mouth".—Deut. xviii 15,18. Stephen testifies that Christ is that prophet. "This is that Moses which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise unto you of your brethren, like unto me".—Acts vii. 37.
Because the Sacred Scriptures represent Christ as coming not to do his own will, but the will of God
"Jesus saith unto them, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me".—Jn. iv. 34. "For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me".—Jn. vi. 38. "I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me".—Jn. v. 30. "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God".—Heb. x. 7.
Because the Scriptures uniformly represent Christ as being at the right hand of God. How then can he be God?
"So then "after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into "heaven, and sat on the right hand of God".—Mark xvi. 19. "Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the right hand of the power of God".—Luke xxii. 69. "Therefore being by the right hand of God ".—Acts. ii. 33.
Because the reign of Christ shall come to an end
"Then "cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power".—"And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all".—1 Cor. xv. 24, 28.
Because the whole of the passages adduced for the deity of Christ are capable of an easy explanation, so that every text supposed to support the doctrine of the Godhead of Christ has been explained by Trinitarian theologians in a different sense from that which supports this doctrine. And because we find it conceded in the commentaries of Trinitarians that our proof texts cause them insuperable difficulties, so that they retire from their own explanations, expressing dissatisfaction at them and conceding that these texts are not capable of an easy explanation on their hypothesis; while their proof texts are explained away by expositors of their own school.
Because Christ is represented as a Priest. The office of a priest is to minister to God.—Because he is represented as an Apostle appointed of God.—Because he is represented as an Intercessor with God.—Because he is represented as not the primary, but intermediate, cause of the benefits he bestows.— Because he denies that he is possessed of independent existence, omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. — Because it is expressly stated, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ God gave to him".—Because he is represented as the servant of God.—Because he is represented as receiving honour from God in consequence of doing what pleased God.— Because Christ is represented as having learned obedience by the things which he suffered.—Because St. Paul affirms that Christ now lives unto God and by the power of God. —Because when charged by the Jews with making himself equal with God, he replied, "The Son can do nothing of himself".—Because if the salvation of man depends on believing Christ is God, it is curious that Christ never taught those who surrounded him that he was God; but when they professed to understand he was making himself God, or equal with God, he immediately denied these charges, so that they might not regard him in that light.—Because no man hath seen God at any time. This cannot be affirmed of Jesus Christ.—Because had the disciples believed him to be Almighty God, they could not have been so familiar with him, argued with him, betrayed him or denied him, and fled from him, and at first disbelieved in his resurrection from the dead. If this is an essential doctrine of Christianity, we cannot understand how the disciples knew nothing of it.—Because we never find the Jews charging the first Apostles with teaching that Christ is God, which every Jew now charges on the head of Christian teachers.
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