Ted's Response:

After reading your email, I cannot tell which one of the following is the case:

• You believe that Jesus is God, but you do not understand how God could have died on the cross.
• You cannot believe that Jesus is God because, in your mind, it is not possible for God to die.
• You are conflicted as to whether or not Jesus is God because of His death on the cross.

Had Jesus not been God, it would have been impossible for Him to have lived a completely sinless, perfect life. Every other mortal human being has sinned, but Jesus did not. He had to be perfect (which only God is) for His death and blood to have atoned for the sins of humanity.

We are triune beings ourselves, composed of a spirit, a soul and a body. In this sense, we were made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26), who also is a triune being. When our bodies die, it does not mean that our spirits and souls die. Rather, they continue on.

Similarly, just because life departed from the body of Jesus, who is the physical manifestation of God, it did not mean that all of God died or ceased to have life. That could not have happened, nor would it have made any sense if Jesus had died but never returned to life. This He did so that all who believe in Him and in His atonement for their sins also can be resurrected from death and have eternal life.

It is not possible for us, as mortal humans, to grasp entirely the concept that Jesus/God could die. As for myself, I do not contemplate how this could happen because I believe that once we are changed into our immortal and imperishable forms, God will give us supernatural understanding that we do not and cannot yet have.

One of the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit is faith (1 Corinthians 12:1,4,9). With that gift, we do not have as much of a need to understand the deepest aspects of God—for instance, how Jesus could be God and yet could die. We can be content that what we read in His Word is sufficient for us now, knowing that Jesus will reveal countless mysteries to us when He returns.

You obviously have a good amount of faith, since you believe that Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for your sins. But I would suggest that you ask God to extend you a fuller degree of that faith so that you will be content to accept what Jesus did on the cross without needing to understand completely how He, as God, could have done it.

People have told me that they have gained a better understanding of Jesus' deity and similar issues by reading some of my email responses and commentaries here, in case you have the interest and time to look through them:

• Was Jesus God? Questions & Responses | Was Jesus God? Commentary
• Who Is God? Questions & Responses | Who Is God? Commentary