What was the nature of the being that became Jesus? Also, why is this important?
Today’s message goes hand in hand with the following messages:
The God of the Old Testament
The Two Gods of the Old Testament (The Father and the Son)
No Divinity in the Trinity
God is ONE…and it’s NOT what you think!
He Has ALWAYS Existed
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Revelation 19:13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
“When the beginning began the Word was.”
John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
John says ALL things…not some or the majority
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 5:21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.
John 5:26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify you me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was.
At the very end of His earthly life Jesus is confirming His eternal existence with the Father.
There are those that believe the pre-incarnate Christ was a created being – or they have doctrines that are leading to this teaching. We must be aware of this!
Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible [In both realms], whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Jesus Christ existed before the angels and created the angels so He could not be one of them. He is before all created things! Do we understand the scope of this statement! He therefore cannot be a creation – He cannot be one of the created things.
Paul further clarifies:
Colossians 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. [remember the Son has life inherent in Himself]
He precedes all that is created. He is not a creature or creation. So therefore He is uncreated! He cannot be the creator of all things and be a created being at the same time.
Notice how He is described in Micah
Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah [prophesied place of Jesus’ birth], Though you are little among the thousands of Judah [prophesied to be of the lineage of Judah], Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel [prophesied to be the ruler of Israel], Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
He is also described in many other places in this way, but here we see that it is specifically talking about the One that would be Christ. Jesus was not created, He existed from eternity along with God the Father.
Melchizedek
Hebrews 7:3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
Both Beings—the Father and the Son—inhabit eternity. They had no beginning of days nor end of life.
I AM
John 8:53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
John 8:54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.
John 8:55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
John 8:57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
John 8:59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
They became so incensed because they knew exactly what Jesus was saying here.
John 18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”
John 18:5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.“ And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them.
John 18:6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,“ they drew back and fell to the ground.
A reference to these Old Testament verses:
Exodus 3:13 Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”
Exodus 3:14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ “
Son from the Beginning
We have analogies to help us understand the concepts that are very difficult for us to wrap our heads around. Such is the case with the relationship of the Father and Son – which even now is like looking through a dark glass, it is not quite clear to us.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Romans 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
The one that became Christ, the God Being, has ALWAYS been the Son
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
Hebrews 1:2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Hebrews 1:3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
He made the worlds and all that there is by His Son!
Examples of this in the New Testament
Some say that Jesus Christ became the Son of God at His resurrection from the dead, yet we see that He is referred to many times as the Son BEFORE His resurrection.
Paul Knew It
Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Hebrews 5:8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
Many more places: Matthew 3:17; John 1:49; Matthew 4:3, 6; Matthew 8:29; Matthew 14:33
Satan knew it
Matthew 4:3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
Matthew 4:6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU,’ and, IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU DASH YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’ “
Demons Knew It
Matthew 8:28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
Matthew 8:29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
John the Baptist knew it
John 1:34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
The Jews KNEW that Christ claimed that He WAS the Son of God
Matthew 27:40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
Matthew 27:41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,
Matthew 27:42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.
Matthew 27:43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ “
see also: Luke 22:70; John 9:35-37; John 10:33-36; John 11:4; John 19:7
Examples of this in the Old Testament
We are not going to find it a lot in the Old Testament because pre-incarnate Christ was revealing the Father since He was the main go between The Father and mankind.
The Word was speaking on behalf of the Father
Matthew 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
Luke 10:22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Luke 10:23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see;
Luke 10:24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.“
Also see: John 8:54; 17:25-26 1 John 5:20
Proverbs 30:4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
As a Son (see comments in regard to Romans 1 above) we see and understand that He was:
Always in Subjection to the Father
Past
John 14:28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.
Future
1 Corinthians 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
1 Corinthians 15:25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:27 For “HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He [Father] who put all things under Him [Christ] is excepted.
1 Corinthians 15:28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
Not only is it a Father Son relationship now, but it always has been and always will be AND it is a FAMILY in the most basic of terms
Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 3:15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Ephesians 3:9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
There are many other scriptures in the Old Testament that once you know who did the creating, you know who the scriptures refer to and you more readily see Him as the God of the Old Testament that interacted with mankind on Earth
So what about:
Firstborn – Means He Had a Beginning Right?
Some will say this is when He became the Son. There was a start, but just not the beginning you might think – it was not a beginning of days
Firstborn of Mary
Matthew 1:25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.
prōtotokos Same word as used in Colossians, Romans, Revelation and Hebrews
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
Jesus was the firstborn human to be resurrected to spiritual life (everyone else has only been resurrected to temporary life and have since died)
Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Are Satan and Christ Brothers?
Some even think that He was the twin brother of the Lucifer
Ezekiel 28:12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
Ezekiel 28:13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created.
Ezekiel 28:14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
Ezekiel 28:15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.
Ezekiel is speaking of the being that became Satan the devil and we see here that he was created and he sinned – two attributes that cannot possibly describe the Word!
Also, along this same line:
Are Michael and Jesus Christ one and the same?
Jude 1:8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. doxa=glories ie angels, as we can see by context in the next verse.
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer/Satan are archangels – chief angels. Here we see that Michael did not have the authority over Satan, but notice who did:
Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY YOU SHALL SERVE.’ “
…and the devil obeyed.
Revelation 3:14
One of the main keys to understanding a difficult scripture is to look at all the straightforward ones first. Now having done that…
Revelation 3:14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
As a prefix, arch- can also mean “chief, leader, ruler,”
Some of the Bible translations use beginning but no one translates this in a manner that implies that Christ was the creation of God. This is not the meaning of the Greek though some would have you believe that it is the meaning of the English. Other translations are more accurate and give a better understanding of the intent of the phrase:
(CEV) This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: I am the one called Amen! I am the faithful and true witness and the source of God’s creation. Listen to what I say.
(ISV) “To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: ‘The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator [origin] of God’s creation, says this:
(LITV) And to the angel of the assembly of Laodicea, write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Head of the creation of God:
(YLT) ‘And to the messenger of the assembly of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the witness—the faithful and true—the chief of the creation of God;
All these examples show that Christ is the one that did the creating just like the many other scriptures we have gone over today.
He has always existed and always will:
Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning [archē] and the End, the First and the Last.”
If this implies time then it also implies that He has an end – which we know not to be true (Hebrews 7:3)
Psalms 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
Revelation 1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
Revelation 1:18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
Conclusion
Now knowing this – How incalculable is His value?
That is Why is this subject important?
If the Word / Jesus was not God, then there would not be redemption in His sacrifice. His worth then would be that of any other created being and we know that Jesus was just a little lower than the angels while on Earth. But as God who divested Himself, He would be beyond measure in human terms.
As we approach the Passover let’s make sure that we are not a denier of Christ, that is not only to deny that there was a Christ, but to deny who He has been as well. This would be to deny the word of God and the magnitude of His sacrifice and the incomparable price He paid for us so that we could have the opportunity to be with Him as our Elder brother and Sons together with the Father. We cannot diminish that!