How Do We Know Jesus is the Son of God?

The author C S Lewis made a radio broadcast in the 1940s about people who said that they accepted Jesus as a great moral teacher but didn't accept his claim to be God. How could someone who mistakenly claimed to be God be a great moral teacher? The two don't go together. If Jesus believes he is God and he isn't, he is insane, like a man who thinks he is a poached egg. If Jesus knew he wasn't God and was lying, he would be the devil of Hell. Jesus' claims about himself must either be accepted or rejected. We can not say that he is simply a great moral teacher. He did not leave that option open to us.

Over the last few decades since the 1940s, a significant number of people have claimed to be the Son of God. How do we know whether any of these people are genuine, after all, Jesus said he was coming back, and how do we know if Jesus was actually the Son of God? There are people who think they are the Son of God because they are insane. The man who thinks he is a poached egg is not unknown in psychiatry. While doing evangelism in the city centre, an Indian man approached me and informed me that he was Jesus. Instead of a turban, he had an upside down plastic pudding basin bandaged to the top of his head. A man in London was admitted to hospital after believing he was Jesus so strongly he nearly drowned himself trying to walk on water in the local swimming pool. On another occasion, he was admitted to hospital after trying to turn the water in a water cooler into wine. If Jesus was insane, in the clinical sense of the word, it's unlikely he would be taken seriously.

What does the Bible say about false prophets and false Christs? It describes them as being of poor moral character. "A bad tree can not bear good fruit. By their fruits you shall know them." Matthew 7:15-21. "In the last time there shall be mockers, following their own ungodly lusts." Jude v.18. Jesus never mocked the Jewish law or the Jewish Scriptures. "Do not think I have come to abolish the law and the prophets, I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Until Heaven and Earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a pen should pass away until everything is accomplished." Matthew 5:17,18. The Chinese cult, Eastern Lightning, follow a woman who claims to be the second incarnation of Christ. They constantly attack Christian Scripture and have no respect for the Bible. The one who is the Messiah comes to fulfil the Bible and the promises that are made in it. The false teachers mock things they don't understand, are full of adultery and greed, and never cease from sin. 2Peter 2. A false Christ would be of poor moral character.

The pharisees and holy people of the day analysed everything Jesus said and everything he did. He was accused of being a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Matthew 11:16-19. They were offended when he said that they would destroy this temple (his body) and it would be raised up after three days. John 2:13-22. The chief priests and the sanhedrin tried to find a good enough reason to condemn him as he was led away to be crucified. Many people accused him of things but they could not make their testimony agree. Mark 14:53-59.The twelve disciples lived and worked closely with Jesus for three years. This did not destroy their belief that he was the Son of God.

If Jesus knew he was lying, he could have used his position to acquire lots of money. This is one of the main criticisms of the Californian messianic figures of the 1970s. As one BBC journalist said, "When you see the creator of the universe on a Honda motorbike, it doesn't make much sense." People who are pretending to be God typically exploit their followers in this way. Jesus told the rich young man, "Sell all you have and give the money to the poor." He didn't say, "Sell all you have and give the money to me." Matthew 19:16-25.

According to C S Lewis, Christ must either be a liar, a lunatic, the devil of Hell, or God. If I have eliminated all the other possibilities, he must be God. Those who falsely claim to be the Son of God may be recognised by their insanity or their wickedness. Jesus warns us that many will come in his name but we should not believe any of them. "As the lightning flashes from east to west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." Matthew 24:23-27. Jesus will appear in the sky. Strange that the cult Eastern Lighting named itself after this prophecy but believe that their Christ is a Chinese woman who is now living in New York.