◄ The Pre-Existent Christ ►

Before Abraham was – I AM.
John 8:58

Christ’s Pre-Existence

The foundation and superstructure of Scripture rests on Christ as both God and Man. Though His birth at Bethlehem confirms the historicity of His human status, the biblical truths permeating Scripture identifies Him as the pre-existent Christ of God. In the beginning, was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, The same was in the beginning with God – all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life and light.

God and Man

If Christ was not God, there could be no salvation, for God alone is good enough to pay the price of sin. But unless Christ is also Man – unless Jesus is our kinsman-redeemer, there would be no salvation – for the price of sin must be made by a perfect MAN. The teachings of His incarnation and atonement for sin is impregnated in Scripture. His birth in Bethlehem’s stable was not His origin, for He was the pre-existent Christ. The body prepared for Him in the virgin's womb – was the mystic incarnation of God.

Christ’s Incarnation

The incarnation of Christ in human flesh demands His pre-existence, for the bodily manifestation of the eternally existent God is founded on His becoming truly man. What a mystery – what majesty – what a mighty God we have, that He should make Himself of no reputation and choose to take upon Himself the form of a servant – the nature of a bond-slave, and to be fashioned in the likeness of human flesh.

Words and Wisdom

His words and wisdom authenticated His pre-existent reality for He was there before the world was created and could boldly say, I and the Father are One, for His Person and Presence was together with the Father and the Holy Spirit – very God of very God, not made – of One substance with the Father, through Whom all things were made.

Christ’s Humanity

Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit, Who overshadowed the virgin Mary, and was made perfect Man. Christ was accused of being born out of wedlock. He was despised as being a bastard, and He was accused of casting out demons by the power of Satan – rather than the Spirit of God.

God-Man

He could have called down twelve legions of angels to silence them, but this God-man confounded them with His staggering proclamation, 'Before Abraham was – I AM'. The significance of His pre-existence is not mere embroidery or a nice embellishment. The foundation and superstructure of Scripture, rests on Christ as both God and Man.

Kinsman-Redeemer

Christianity would be void of authority if it were not founded on the truth of this great, non-negotiable Scriptural fact, for if Christ were not pre-existent He would not be God, – and were He not God He could never have become our Saviour and Redeemer.

Unique Son

Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God and Son of Man – the chief among 10 thousand. He is the incomparable Christ – the unparalleled Person – the singular, unique Man. His supernatural birth did not mark His origin for He is the eternal Creator-God. He alone is Christ, for He alone could pronounce those earth-shattering words: before Abraham was I AM.