Here's my own 12 reasons I believe Jesus is God:1. A mere creation cannot have eternally co-existed with God.
2. A mere creation cannot have co-created the world.
3. A mere creation cannot be enough to atone for an infinite crime against holiness.
4. A mere creation cannot contain the principle of life itself inside it.
5. A mere creation cannot destroy the power of death in itself.
6. A mere creation cannot receive worship from every created thing.
7. A mere creation cannot hold all authority in heaven and earth.
8. A mere creation would have admonitions not to idolize or worship it.
9. A mere creation cannot potentially live inside of all human beings.
10. A mere creation would not even be directly associated with anything divine.
11. A mere creation cannot demand that nothing be loved more than it as it would be commanding idolatry.
12. A mere creation cannot call itself the only absolute way and truth.
Now, at the point you are willing to accept all 12 things, it is virtually indistinguishable for me from God anyway, and Jesus is God to you whether you use the term "God" or not. The Father is just an order of rank above Jesus with the same attributes and this corresponds to Trinitarian theology.
I believe we can find ample Scriptural evidence to support the above 12 points in both Paul and the rest of Scripture. Also when certain verses began to make me feel unsure of this, I have prayed about this directly to God for many years and received personal confirmation that this is the truth.
So the question may well then be asked, "Why isn't it stated more clearly?" That's a good questions and I give a couple of reasons.
1. It is not a doctrine essential to salvation. It is very clear the 12 disciples during Christ's earthly minister did not at all fully realize who he was, and simply had a bare faith that he was a Savior, yet Jesus clearly says they were currently saved with their names written in heaven.
2. It is the "glory of kings to search out a matter" and all doctrine doesn't come by intellectually parsing the words of Scripture, but by direct revelation from God, as Jesus said "flesh and blood did not reveal this to you Peter."
In light of this, I invite anyone to continue on their journey with a sincere heart towards God and fervent prayer, and am confident that in the end, if we continue and do not quit with a true humble and teachable heart, the Spirit of God will always eventually get us to true beliefs.
