Did Christ Have a Preexistence?
Steve Marlowe, evangelist for YAHSHUA
“The preexistence of Christ is the assertion of the existence of the Messiah before His incarnation asYAHSHUA. One of the relevant Bible passages isJohn 1:1–18 where, we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John’s Witness: The True Light
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Becomes Flesh
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 bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ And of His fullness, we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through YAHSHUA the Messiah. No one has seen God (the Father) at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:1-18).
According to Trinitarian interpretation, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis (substance) called the Logos or Word. There are nontrinitarian views that question the aspect of personal preexistence or the aspect of divinity or both.
More particularly, John 1:15,18 says:
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”...No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (John 1:15,18).
This preexistence is supported in John 17:5 whenYAHSHUA clearly states: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” And John 17:24 alsospeaks of a preexistence for YAHSHUA "before the foundation of the world".
Nontrinitarians
Of the so-called Nontrinitarians some accept the preexistence of Christ without accepting his full divinity in the Trinitarian sense. For example, it is likely that Arius and most early advocates of Arianism accepted the preexistence of Christ. However, Thomas Aquinas says that Arius "pretended that the Person of the Son of God is a creature, and less than the Father, so he maintained that He began to be, saying 'there was a time when He was not.'"
John Locke, William Ellery Channing and Isaac Newton appear to have maintained belief in the preexistence of Christ despite their rejection of the Trinity.
Today, several nontrinitarian denominations also share belief in some form of the preexistence of Christ, including the Church of God (Seventh-Day) and the Jehovah's Witnesses, the latter group identifying Jesus as the archangel Michael, interpreting John 1:1 by translating with the phrase "a god," rather than "God".The LDS Church teaches Christ's preexistence as the first and greatest of the spirit sons of God the Father.
Among the many churches which separated from the Worldwide Church of God, also referred to as the "Sabbatarian Churches of God,” there is a shared belief in Binitarianism (similar to Trinitarianism but instead of three there is two), that YAHSHUA was the God of the Old Testament through whom God the Father created the world (based on Ephesians 3:9 and John 1:1–3), and that it was YAHSHUA the Messiah, whose name was given to Moses as YAH, the name which is above every name,Who personally interacted with Adam and Eve, Noah, the patriarchs, ancient Israel, and the kings and prophets of the Old Testament. It is held that in His incarnation, YAHSHUA was sent to reveal the Father who was previously unknown. This is based on John 5:37, Luke 10:22, and by the large number of references YAHSHUAmade about the Father in the New Testament compared to the very few, almost figurative references to God as Father in the Old Testament. This belief is also based on an interpretation of verses where Christ is believed to be discussing His personal presence in the Old Testament and interaction with ancient Israel, and on a Christological interpretation of Melchizedek.
In the Bible, Melchizedek ("king of righteousness") was the king of Salem (Later known as Jerusalem) and priest of El Elyon (often translated as "Most High God"). He is first mentioned in Genesis 14:18–20, where he brings out bread and wine and then blesses Abram. According to theEpistle to the Hebrews, YAHSHUA the Messiah is identified as "High priest forever in the order of Melchizedek", and so YAHSHUA is the High Priest once and for all.
Oneness Pentecostal Christians are nontrinitarian and nonbinitarian, and these Christians, who do not accept the preexistence of Christ as distinguished from God the Father, believing that, prior to the incarnation, only "the timeless Spirit of God (the Father)" existed, and therefore are Modalists. While God simultaneously dwelt in Heaven as a timeless Spirit, and being inside of the Son of Man on this earth. However, the United Pentecostal Church International, in the guise of true Modalism, in their statement of faith that "The one God existed Father, Word, and Spirit prior to the incarnation.” That is One God existed in three different modes at different times.
Although Oneness Pentecostals accept that "Christ is the same person as God," they also believe that "The 'Son' was 'born,' which means that he had a beginning." In other words, "Oneness adherents understand the term [Son] to be applicable to God only after the incarnation."They are not strictly Unitarian, doctrine of only one God, and which denies the preexistence of Christ.
Throughout history there have been various groups and individuals believing that Christ’s existence began when he was conceived. Those who consider themselves Christians while denying the preexistence of Christ can be broadly divided into two streams.
1) There are those who accept the virgin birth, includingSocinians and early Unitarians. Today the view is primarily held by Christadelphians. These groups typically consider that Christ is prophesied and foreshadowed in the Old Testament, but did not exist prior to his birth.
2) There are those who also deny the virgin birth, such as the later Unitarians, and notable people such as Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson. This view is often described as adoptionism, and in the 19th century was also called psilanthropism, which denies the Divinity of Christ.The etymology of "psilanthropism" comes from the Greekpsilo (merely or only) and anthropos (man, human being), in other words this view sees Christ as merely a man.Psilanthropist, believing Christ to be the "real son of Joseph, and therefore, rejected the preexistence of Christ, asserting that Christ was the "Son of God" only in the sense that God had revealed Himself in Christ and Christ, and accomplished a religious and ethical work in us which only God could have done.
When people rely on their own reasoning and not totally on the revelation of God, false Theology and doctrines will arise, which our Lord and Savior YAHSHUA was in strong opposition, as He answered those who sought to maintain their “man-made Traditions, for He Said, “He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men...”He said to them, ‘All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition’” (Mark 7:6-9).
Nazareans believe in the preexistence of YAHSHUA. We believe in the centrality of YAH throughout the whole Bible. The New Testament is clear when the traditions of men do not cloud its intent or doctrines.
"No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man... He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all” (John 3:13, 31).
"But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent Me has Himself borne witness about Me. His voice you have never heard, His form you have never seen, and you do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe the One whom He has sent" (John 5:36-38).
In John 6:46,62 "... not that anyone has seen the Father except He who is from God; He has seen the Father... Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?" YAHSHUA was in Heaven before His incarnation, as this is the teaching of the New Testament.
"You know Me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of My own accord. He who sent Me is true, and Him you do not know. I know Him, for I come from Him, and He sent me" (John 7:28-29).
"You are from below; I AM from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world" (John 8:23).
"Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). Here YAHSHUA claims to be YAH, the very God who revealed Himself to Moses, and He appeared to Moses, and Moses sees God face to face, however, no man has seen God the Father at anytime, but we have beheld the Son of God, who is our very YAH.
"Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given Me because you loved me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24).
Because of sin, there was a huge gulf between the Father and mankind. If Christ did not have a preexistence, we would have no access to the Father, the source of all life. The Father from the foundation of the world gave all things to the Son (John 17:2), so that He could give life eternal to us. To deny the Son of God’s preexistence is to deny all contact with God. The Son has always deferred to the Father in everything, for He said, “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” (John14:28).
Therefore: The Bible is all about the Son of God, as our only God. For He said, “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:37-40).
Throughout all the Holy Bible, it has been all about the Son of God, as our only YAH! This is what the prophets have been telling us, for only Christ is the God of our salvation:
“Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation’” (Isaiah 12:2 NKJV).
“Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Extol Him who rides on the clouds,
By His name Yah,
And rejoice before Him” (Psalm 68:4 NKJV).
Our Savior, who was given all things from His God and Father, is now our only God until all things are fulfilled and complete, at which time, He will return all things back to the Father: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 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. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 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” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).
The One who speaks to us is YAH, the very one we know as our only Savior, YAHSHUA.
There Is No Other God But YAH, Until all things are fulfilled!
“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one’” (Isaiah 44:6-8).
“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).
Christ is our God and our only Rock unto salvation and eternal life, to the glory of the Father!
This applies solely to YAHSHUA: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25).
