Something Brief, Something True: Jesus, the Preexistent One

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.” Micah 5:2

Happy New Year, dear reader!

The Christmas season is behind us for another year. A time to reflect on the birth of a baby born in Bethlehem to a poor young couple. The world mostly acknowledges there was something special about this baby Jesus. Most everyone, in North America at least, would acknowledge this little baby then grew to be the man Jesus Christ, who was kind and wise, a good teacher, and who then died on a cross. Many would even say they ‘believe’ in Jesus so they pause, not only at Christmas, but Easter also, to pay homage to him a couple times a year with a walk through the sacred doors of a neighborhood church. For many, this semi-annual consideration is enough.

But who is Jesus Christ? The Scripture noted above (John 8:58, Micah 5:2) tell us one of the foundational truths of Jesus Christ. When we understand this truth, it will change everything we may have thought about this baby born in a manger. In fact, believing it will change everything about our lives.

Jesus is preexistent.

This means that Jesus Christ’s life (origin) did not begin when he was born, for he has always, forever and ever existed with God. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and second in the Trinity, has eternally existed in perfect fellowship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

But God had an eternal plan to save sinners (you and me). Jesus was a willing partner in God’s plan and so he stooped down into our world to be born as a baby—fully God and fully man—to dwell with us.

Can you imagine the glories he had in heaven: the perfect fellowship and love within the trinity, the worship of angels forever crying “Holy, Holy, Holy”, the infinite beauty and splendor that would have surrounded him? No, we can’t. Such things are impossible to comprehend for finite creatures like ourselves. Yet Jesus left this eternal bliss, to dwell amongst sinful, fallen men; to live in a world ruled by greed and hindered by sickness and oppression of all kinds.

Why would he do this?

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9

We cannot fathom the depth of the love displayed and humility required by Christ to clothe himself in flesh and live upon this earth. Yet he did it for the sake of sinners like you and I. He did it so that we could be rich, not materially, but spiritually. He did it to restore his people so we could one day know the glories of heaven, see him face to face, and worship and enjoy him as we were created to. If he’s not preexistent, then he can do none of this for us.

J. Oswald Sanders puts it this way:

“His birth in Bethlehem was not His origin, only His incarnation……If [Christ] was not preexistent, He cannot be God, and if He is not God, He cannot be Creator and Redeemer.” ¹

Is this the Jesus you know?

That glorious form, that light insufferable,
And that far-beaming blaze of majesty,
Wherewith He wont at heaven’s high council table,
To sit the midst of Trinal Unity,
He laid aside; and here with us to be,
Forsook the courts of everlasting day,
And chose with us a darksome house of mortal clay.
– John Milton

1 Sanders, J. Oswald, The Incomparable Christ, pg. 27-28

Take Up and Read

John 1:1-3
John 17:5
John 3:13
John 16:28
Philippians 2:6-7

Today I’m participating in Aliens & Pilgrims Something Brief, Something True where participants write short thoughts on a verse of Scripture. Drop on over and join in with your own thoughts on a favorite verse!