Notes of Faith December 11, 2024
The Eternal Son
Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
John 8:58
When Christ was born, eternity invaded time. Jesus Christ is the eternal God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, who entered the lineage of humanity for the purpose of redeeming the world. When He arrived in Bethlehem, it didn’t mark the beginning of His life. He had always been, just as He will always be. He was alive before Abraham!
Douglas McCready in He Came Down From Heaven wrote, “The doctrine of Christ’s preexistence did not result from theological curiosity or speculation. As early as the first decade of the church, Christians saw preexistence as necessary for understanding Christ’s person and significance of human salvation.”1
This means God the Son loves you so much He temporarily vacated the throne in heaven, took upon Himself humanity, accepted death on the cross, and rose to give you eternal life. That’s worth a lifetime of hallelujahs!
The doctrine of preexistence reminds us forcefully that God himself has entered into our circumstance in order to redeem and restore his human creatures along with the rest of his creation. This is the truth that gives meaning and power to Jesus’ affirmation that God so loved the world that he sent his Son to save it.
Douglas McCready
1. Douglas McCready, He Came Down From Heaven (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 11.
John 8:48-59
48 The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" 49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 "But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death." 52 The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.' 53 "Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?" 54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." 57 So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
NASU
Truth is truth. There are those that do not believe that Jesus was and is the eternal God. That does not make it so. Jesus created all that is and will rule over all of that creation forever. We must praise the eternal God-Father/Son/Holy Spirit for knowing all things from beginning to end, for in love creating us in His image, for giving faith to believe in Him that brings salvation, redemption, and eternal life with our glorious Savior and God! Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!
Pastor Dale