The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ

[Guest]

Before Jesus was born in a lowly stable in Bethlehem to a virgin, Mary, He existed.

I. HIS PRE-EXISTENCE IS A MATTER OF PROPHECY.

(Micah 5:2)

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler of Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.


II. JESUS ATTESTED TO HIS PRE-EXISTENCE.

A. John 8:58
Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

B. John 17:5
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

C. John 17:24

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

D. Rev. 22:13

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

III. THE APOSTLES DECLARE HIS PRE-EXISTENCE.

A. I Cor. 10:1-4

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

B. II Cor. 8:9

For ye know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

C. Phil. 2:6-8

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

D. Heb. 11:26

Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

E. John 1:1-4

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

F. Col. 1:17

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

G. I John 2:14

I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.


IV. CREATION DEMONSTRATES HIS PRE-EXISTENCE.

A. John 1:3, John 1:10

John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

B. I Cor. 8:6

But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

C. Eph. 3:9

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

D. Col. 1:16

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

E. Heb. 1:2, Heb. 1:10

Heb. 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Heb. 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands.

V. HIS DIVINITY PROVES HIS PRE-EXISTENCE.

A. Heb. 1:8-10

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands.

B. John 1:1-3

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

C. Please note Jesus is identified as God, thus possessing all the attributes of
God including His eternality.

1. Deut. 32:40

For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.

2. Psa. 135:13

Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations.

3. Psa. 145:13

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

4. II Pet. 3:8

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

5. Rev. 1:8

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.


D. If God is eternal and If Jesus is God, then Jesus is God.


E. Other attributes:

1. Love
2. Patience
3. Kindness, etc.

CONCLUSION:

A. Now we can clearly see that it was God in the flesh that lived the life of Christ.

B. By tracing the life of Christ we can clearly see the life we are to adopt.

GOD'S ACTIVITIES PRIOR TO MAN'S CREATION:

God was having fellowship with His Son - Prov. 8:22-30; Jn. 17:5,24

God was creating angels and stars - Job 38:4,7

God was choosing the elect - Eph. 1:4; 2Tim. 1:9

God was planning for a church - Eph. 3:8-9

God was planning for a kingdom - Matt. 25:34

God was planning for a Savior - 1Peter 1:18-20; Rev 13:8

[Guest]

Hi Allyn,

I'm not sure I understand what the phrases "His Oneness as God" or "not His Oneness as God" mean. Would you please explain the concept for me?

[Guest]

Sure Michelle,

Is Jesus Christ the one and only God?

[Guest]

Like...as opposed to a member of the trinity?

[Guest]

No, not opposed to the trinity but as three in one. I am fully aware that there has been debate here concerning the Trinity. I believe the Bible speaks clearly of the Trinity but I wanted to frame the question so as to not get into a Trinity debate but I still must have fallen short

[Guest]

Oh... sorry. I just wanted to be sure before I voted

[_Paidion]

I, too, had difficulty with the phrase "His Oneness as God". To me this suggests modalism ---- considered to be a heresy in the early centuries of Christianity ---- a view held in our day by the United Pentecostal Church and various "Apostolic" churches.

I believe in the pre-existence of Christ, but rather than "His Oneness as God", I believe (as He Himself indicated) in "His Oneness with God."

He prayed to the Father that His disciples might become one as He and his Father are one. [John 17:11,22]

Because the Father generated Him (or "begat" Him, if you prefer) before
all ages, He is Another just like the Father (the exact expression of His essence [Heb 1:3]) --- so that He was able to say to Philip, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."

But that our Lord was not the Father is clear in His prayer to the Father:

This is aeonion life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. --- John 17:3

If Jesus, in talking to His Father, called Him "the only TRUE GOD", that settles the matter for me.

Jesus also made clear that He and the Father are two Individuals, not one.

He said to the Pharisees:

In your law it is written that the testimony of two people is true; I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me. John 8:17-18

Jesus indicates that there are two people who bear witness to Him --- He Himself, and His Father. Two people --- not a single divine Person expressing Himself in two modes: Father and Son.

And so, I voted "Something Else".

I could also have voted "only in the pre-existence of Christ the Son but not His Oneness as God" if "His Oneness as God" means that He is the only divine Individual there is.

[Guest]

No need to be sorry because I am the one who didn't make things clear. Thanks for the questions for clarification. OK?

[Guest]

I, too, had difficulty with the phrase "His Oneness as God". To me this suggests modalism ---- considered to be a heresy in the early centuries of Christianity ---- a view held in our day by the United Pentecostal Church and various "Apostolic" churches.

I believe in the pre-existence of Christ, but rather than "His Oneness as God", I believe (as He Himself indicated) in "His Oneness with God."

He prayed to the Father that His disciples might become one as He and his Father are one. [John 17:11,22]

Because the Father generated Him (or "begat" Him, if you prefer) before
all ages, He is Another just like the Father (the exact expression of His essence [Heb 1:3]) --- so that He was able to say to Philip, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."

But that our Lord was not the Father is clear in His prayer to the Father:

This is aeonion life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. --- John 17:3

If Jesus, in talking to His Father, called Him "the only TRUE GOD", that settles the matter for me.

Jesus also made clear that He and the Father are two Individuals, not one.

He said to the Pharisees:

In your law it is written that the testimony of two people is true; I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me. John 8:17-18

Jesus indicates that there are two people who bear witness to Him --- He Himself, and His Father. Two people --- not a single divine Person expressing Himself in two modes: Father and Son.

And so, I voted "Something Else".

I could also have voted "only in the pre-existence of Christ the Son but not His Oneness as God" if "His Oneness as God" means that He is the only divine Individual there is.

For some, Paidion, it is hard to understand, and I guess it takes the Spirit to reveal it, but I am confident in the Spirit that Christ is God and Creator over all and the only One God but yet Three seperate characters in purpose.

Consider:

Rev. 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Notice it does not say the Halfmighty, or the Thirdmighty but rather the Almighty.

Rev. 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

I guess I will never be persuaded otherwise - God is One

[Guest]

I almost chose the first option.

I believe that Christ is God, and that He has always been in existence. I don't think His "oneness" with the Father precludes Him being a separate person, so I'm cool with that part. However, I voted "something else" since I think that His being "The Son" is a reference to His incarnation. I don't believe that Jesus has always been "the Son".

I think that this verse brings that out.

Luk 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Here it is said that the reason Jesus was to be called the Son of God, was because the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary, and she convieved. This is the sense in which God was Jesus' Father.

To say otherwise, to my mind, would imply a creative act of some kind by the Father, (which I do not think the scriptures teach). After all, that's how sons come into existence right? They are, in a sense, "made by" their fathers (and mothers).

God bless,