ATHANASIUS: Deity of Christ

In 367 A.D., a Bishop from the church in Alexandria, Egypt was forced to live in exile for defending his belief that Jesus of Nazareth was not only fully man, but also, fully God.

His firm stance against the pervasive Arian heresy, that taught that Jesus Christ was merely a created being, would earn him the title of Athanasius contra mundum, Athanasius ‘against the world.’

Colossians 1:15 states that Jesus Christ. ‘is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation for by Him all things were created,’ and verse 19 says that ‘God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.’

This union of two perfect and distinct natures, Godhead and manhood, joined together in the one person of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith and the pinnacle of God's redemptive purposes; opening up the gates of heaven to all who would place their faith and trust in Him.

As Christians, we are called to continue to declare this wonderful truth amid the postmodern skepticism of today; shining forth what is an ultimate mystery to the intellect, but joy to the believing heart.

As Athanasius stated, ‘the more He is mocked among the unbelieving the more witness does He give to His own Godhead, and what men, in their conceit of wisdom, laugh at as merely human , He by His own power demonstrates to be divine.’