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Who — What — was Jesus before his human birth?

This question has puzzled theologians for centuries:
Was He God — was He angel — was He spiritual essence — did He
exist only in the plan, thought, and purpose of God?

 

WHY SHOULD there be such confusion concerning the existence of Jesus Christ? In our Western world of professing Christianity, we see nothing but religious confusion — differences and debates — over the one great focal point of all Christianity — Christ Himself!

Even learned theologians, it seems, cannot agree on who, or what Christ was before His birth. Yet your own Bible is very plain on this subject.

Are YOU one who is willing to ask GOD and not men, for the truth?

 

Jesus Had a Father

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ revealed a Father-Son relationship existing between Him and His heavenly Father. Throughout the Bible, God stresses the family relationship. First, between God the Father and the Son, and then between each begotten Christian and the Father. The Church is revealed as the mother of us all (Gal. 4:26). Individuals within the Church refer to each other as "brothers" and "sisters." Throughout God's revelation He shows us that there is a FAMILY known as God.

Let's understand it.

The logical place to begin is in the very beginning, so get your Bible, and turn to Genesis, the first chapter. "In the beginning GOD . . ." These are the very FIRST words that meet our eyes when we begin to find out WHO or WHAT is God. In studying through the inspired account of the creation of all things, it becomes clear the creation was accomplished not by just one person, but by MORE than one. "And God said, let us make man in OUR image, after our likeness . . ." (Gen. 1:26). God was not like the absent-minded professor, who was speaking to Himself — but was revealing a PLURALITY of persons, MORE than one, in the word appearing in your Bible as "God."

 

The Hebrew Proves It

The Hebrew word used for "God" in Genesis 1:1 and throughout the account of the creation is "ELOHIM."

ELOHIM is a uniplural word (collective noun) showing more than one person — just as the words "group," or "church," or "family" mean more than one person. (The actual form of the Hebrew word is plural)

What's more — all other scriptures uphold and support this vital truth! Listen to the words of the inspired Apostle Paul, who said, "For by him {Christ} 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." Paul went on to say, "And he is BEFORE all things, and BY HIM all things consist" (Col. 1:16-17). Was Paul just flattering Christ — was he simply adding spiritual-sounding phrases to make Christ seem more magnified to the Christians in his care? Certainly not. For "ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Tim. 3:16).

If all things were CREATED by Christ, then He must have been ONE of the persons included in the Hebrew word Elohim we read in Genesis 1:1.

 

Christ Before Adam

Strange though it may seem, there are TWO accounts of the "beginning" of all things given in your Bible! In the Gospel of John, chapter 1, a most vital passage gives us the clear, simple TRUTH of Christ's office prior to His human birth. "In the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1). Notice, "In the beginning . . ." There cannot be Two beginnings — only one, so it is speaking of exactly the same time as Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS GOD."

There is the vital truth still unseen by so many — and yet so PLAINLY revealed in your Bible.

The Greek word which is translated into the English as "Word" in John 1:1 is logos which also means spokesman, or one who speaks. To continue: "The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:2-3). Yes, EVERYTHING WAS MADE BY HIM, by the spokesman, or the Loops, who became CHRIST, as we read in Colossians 1:16-17.

The Person in the God Family who later became Jesus Christ was the One who SAID [spoke}, "Let us make man in our image," thus executing His awesome office as the very EXECUTIVE of the God FAMILY.

Notice how clearly John's Gospel states this truth — "And the Word [Logos] was MADE 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 1:14). WHO was full of grace and truth? ". . . Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (verse 17).

 

Jesus Is Also God

Remember, the Bible does not say there is only ONE member in the God Family, but expresses a PLURALITY of persons — more than one. Otherwise Jesus would be a liar, for He prayed constantly to His Father who was in heaven.

Further light is shed on this commonly misunderstood subject in the wonderful book of Hebrews. Paul tells us, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by a Son [Ivan Panin New Testament], whom he hath appointed HEIR of all things, by whom also he made the worlds" (Heb. 1:1, 2). It becomes self-evident, then, that Jesus Christ is the very CREATOR. And yet millions do not know, nor even faintly comprehend this amazing truth. Paul called Him "God our Savior" (Titus 1:3). And so — in the person of Jesus Christ, our very CREATOR became our Savior. Christ is at once our Maker, and a member of the Godhead. Therefore, His life which He gave for us is of far greater value than the sum total of every living, breathing human being.

In order to pay the PENALTY for your sins and mine, which penalty is death — death for all eternity — unless it is pardoned and washed away (Rom. 6:23), it was necessary that Christ be Divine — that His life be worth more than all our human lives put together! When Christ took our sins He paid the penalty we have incurred — not eternal life in hell-fire, but the cessation of life — DEATH. "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures" (I Cor. 15:3). Jesus was MADE FLESH (John 1:14) and became a human being for this very purpose, that He might be put to death for all mankind! And yet, if Christ were ONLY human, His life would have paid only the death penalty incurred by one other human. The penalty for every individual's sin had to be paid.

But remember, the penalty for sin is DEATH and God cannot die! Therefore, the penalty is HUMAN life — and God of Himself could not have paid such a penalty. It was absolutely necessary, then, that Christ be BOTH human and Divine.

The awe-inspiring mystery of God is not grasped in its overwhelming significance but by those who will hunger and thirst for God's truth (Matt. 5:6). The Logos, the One who spoke and CREATED by His very WORD, "emptied himself and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:7-8, margin).

The divine Being who was instrumental in CREATING all things was changed into human flesh. Was Jesus human? YES, He was! Your very salvation depends on it!

 

Jesus Was Human

God came in the flesh as Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life, totally without sin, and thus was able to die and pay the full penalty of sin in our place! Jesus was God made into mortal flesh "for the suffering of death" (Heb. 2:9).

Jesus Christ was HUMAN; He DIED and was absolutely DEAD during the three days and three nights He was in the grave. "He also himself likewise [as the children are partakers of flesh and blood] took part of the same" — became flesh and blood — "that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14).

Jesus constantly had to CRY OUT to God day and night to keep Himself from falling! MILLIONS of people, not understanding the tremendous battle, the life-long struggle Christ had with Himself in overcoming the natural pulls of the flesh, do not fully realize the extent of the sacrifice their Savior made, and in many cases are trusting in a FALSE SAVIOR!

"for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in ALL POINTS tempted like as we are, yet without sin"! (Heb. 4:15) "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared" (Heb.5:7). Your very Savior had to CRY ALOUD TO GOD, in strong crying and TEARS, to overcome Himself, to withstand the temptations of SIN to finally die on the stake with the record of a PERFECT life. Are you WORTHY of this tremendous sacrifice?