Pre-Existence of Christ
Martin Luther, the great Reformer, said, “There is nothing more beautiful than the book of Genesis, nothing more useful.” He regarded the opening verses as “certainly the foundation of the whole of Scripture.” The theological themes introduced in the early chapters of Genesis and their later connections to the rest of Scripture seem endless, weaving throughout God’s Word like a multi-colored tapestry and bringing a miraculous cohesion to the whole. The revelation of God begins by proclaiming the pre-existence of God (”In the beginning God created…”), a notion soaring beyond human comprehension, due in part to our fixed concept of linear time, not to mention the deeper reality that God’s ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are infinitely greater as well (Isaiah 55:8-9). How can it be that finite creatures could ever plummet the depths of God existing prior to ”the beginning?”
Yet this is exactly what the Bible teaches–God has always existed. He is not the coincidental product of cosmic chemical reactions; nor has God been fabricated in the minds of weak, anti-intellectuals; nor is He the result of flimsy, fanciful wishes and manufactured optimism. God is, always has been, and always will be. God knows no self-beginning; rather, He defines the beginning and the end for all creatures. He is the Sovereign who not only creates life, but also holds all life together by his power.
John, the Gospel writer, picks up the theme of God’s pre-existence in the opening verses of his gospel:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3)
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Colossae, also emphasizes the importance of Christ’s pre-existence:
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together. (Col. 1:16-17)
So what can we say is the significance of this heavy theological truth of Christ’s pre-existence? How does God’s eternal nature impact humans who are working hard on the job, raising families, and paying bills? Here are some implications to the truth of Genesis 1:1 and the connecting New Testament passages:
1) Christ’s pre-existence infuses our lives with vast significance. Because an eternal God outside of time has chosen to create life and use His freedom to establish relationship with creation, we are blessed to be predestined by God to walk with Him. Our lives matter because they are meant to reflect the glory and image of God. Those who struggle with their personal identities and are tempted to believe the lie that human life is simply not worth the effort are able to draw reservoirs of hope from the truth that God has created life out of passionate love for the creature. Life in Christ is hopeful because Christ is life–eternal life.
2) The pre-existent Christ is superior over all, thus providing hope in the storms of life, healing in times of sickness, and help in seasons of travail. There is no thing and no event outside the scope of God’s encompassing power and presence. God’s goodness, along with His being, has always existed, thus serving to reassure Christ followers that no matter what disappointing life events may occur, God is still good and faithful and His purposes prevail.