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The Pre-Existence of our Lord Jesus Christ |
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continuation...
Christ had taught Moses to humble himself. He preferred to suffer affliction with the people of God than to be called the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter ... than to be an heir to the throne of Egypt.
Moses could have been the next Pharaoh because he was the prince of Egypt then. But he refused that honor, and he decided to flee from Egypt. The Pharaoh was furious when he left so that accused him of so many things.
Nevertheless, he opted to lead the people of God – the Israelites – out of Egypt. He chose to labor and suffer affliction instead of enjoying the pleasures in Egypt.
He regarded the reproaches of Christ greater than the treasures of Egypt. And how did Moses learn that spirit? It is because even before Mary gave birth to Christ, His Spirit was already teaching the prophets of old, like Moses.
Is that already a sufficient basis? Insofar as the Bible is concerned, the testimonies of two or three witnesses are enough. John had testified; Peter had testified; Paul had also testified.
And based on the testimonies of the Apostles, it is true that even during those times our Lord Jesus Christ already exists.
It was God who elected the Apostles to be witnesses. They will testify for Christ. This is what Acts 10:39-41 says--
“And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: …”
The Apostles said that they were witnesses to all the things that Christ did. They were able to see everything that He did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, even the way He was hanged on a tree.
“… Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly.
Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
Who were the witnesses that were chosen by God? The Apostles! Christ was shown to them openly when God raised him up on the third day. He was meant to be revealed, not to all the people but only to the witnesses chosen by God. In fact, they ate and drank with Him.
However, there are those who claim that they are the true witnesses when they did not even have a glimpse of, at least, the nails of Christ. And neither did they get the chance of dining with Him, even in their dreams.
The true witnesses are those who ate and drank with Christ, and they were the Apostles. They witnessed everything about Christ. That is why all the things that the Apostles reported are reliable. And they are testifying that, indeed, Christ already exists even before He was conceived by Mary. But do we have any other witness?
I Corinthians 10:3 says--
“And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: …”
While the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, they were being followed.By whom? In
In I Corinthians 10:1-4 it says--
“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant …”
What was it that Paul didn’t want his brethren to be ignorant of? St. Paul wanted the members of the first church to know...
“… how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
Therefore, when the Israelites were traveling, a “Rock” was following them. But it was not a literal rock but a spiritual rock. They saw it. It was big. That was the rock that furnished them water when Moses tapped it. That time, the Israelites were very thirsty, and there was no water available. So, they started cursing and blaming Moses.
And because of that, Moses got angry. And in his anger, he tapped the rock without him knowing it that, that rock was Christ.As mentioned,
“they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
Was Mary already alive that time? Not yet! Not even Mary’s grandparents were already alive during the time of Moses. Thousands of years before Mary was born, our Lord Jesus Christ already exists, and He was following the Israelites in their journey.
Those who claim that Christ is a mere man are just trying to make the truth vague. Despite the fact that the Bible’s pronouncement is already clear, they are trying to make it blurred.
Matthew 1:23 says--
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son …”
Who was the virgin being referred to? It was Mary. She shall be with a child; she shall bring forth a son.
“… and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
The son, that Mary would give birth to, will be called “Emmanuel”, which means “God with us.” What is He, man or God? He is a God. But those who misinterpreted it believe that Christ is a mere man. Matthew said, Emmanuel means, “God with us,” but for them, it means, “Man with us.”
They claim that Jesus Christ is a mere man, because His existence began only with Mary’s conception. But that is not true. We cited verses from the Bible that prove that Christ already exists while the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness.
As recounted in the Bible, Christ, in the beginning, was the Word. And He was already in existence even when God has not created anything yet. Christ is the wisdom of God. And according to St. John, that Word was already there even before the creation. Therefore, He had a pre-existence.
John 1:1-3 says--
“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.”
Since the beginning, He was already there. And all things would not be made without Him. God created everything to make His Son happy. Just like an ordinary father who is willing to buy anything just to make his son happy. In like manner, God made all things, including man, to make His Son, Christ, happy. That was the intent. But later on, the people turned their backs against God.
They disobeyed God. But because God is very merciful, instead of the people making Christ happy, He let Christ suffer for man’s happiness.
That was how great the love of God is for man. Although the original intent why was man was created was, for him, to give joy to Christ.What is our proof?
Colossians 1:15-16 says--
“Who was the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that there in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or of powers; all things were created by him, and for him.”
On the other hand,John 1:14 says--
“And the Word was made 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.”
From the start, the Word, which was made flesh, already exists. He dwelt among them, and they were able to behold his glory. That was because it was only when the Word was made flesh that they were able to behold Him. But while it had not assumed the form of a man, He was not seen yet, although He already exists.
They were able to see Him only when He took the form of a man. But only His physical body was flesh! But there are religious groups that made the Word a mere man. The Bible clearly stated that the Word simply took human form.
The body, or the flesh, simply served as a vessel that housed the Word. For example, if you will ask your child to give you water to drink, your child will give you water, which he poured in the glass. Which will you drink? Only the contents of the glass, and not the glass, right?
What we are studying is the existence of Jesus Christ before he was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of Mary. We are, thereby, belying the belief of others that Christ’s existence began only when He was conceived by Mary.
The Bible tells us that even before God created all things, He already exists. Christ was also said to be the image of the invisible God, and the firstborn of every creature. All things that are in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, were created by Him, and for Him.
That is why all of the creations are meant for Christ – for them to give joy to our Lord Jesus Christ. Even men are meant for Him. How will you say now that Christ existed only when Mary conceived Him?
When the Israelites journeyed, He was already the Rock that followed them and furnished them water to drink. And that time also, since He was still in spirit form, He had taught the prophets of old, and as testified by Peter, they, too, were taught by the Spirit of Christ. In fact, it was Christ who sent the first prophets like Moses and Jeremiah.
Luke 11:49 says--
“Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send the prophets, and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:”
It was the wisdom of God who would send prophets and apostles. And the wisdom of them said that some of those whom He shall send would be slain and persecuted. Now, who is the wisdom of God who would send prophets and apostles?
I Corinthians 24:1 says--
“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”
Therefore, Christ is the wisdom of God. He was the one who would send prophets and apostles. In other words, it was Christ who sent Moses. It was also Christ who sent the other prophets like Jeremiah, Malachi, Isaiah, Habakkuk, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, and all the other prophets of old. They were all taught and sent by the wisdom of God who was nobody else but our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Jesus Christ
The
Deity and Real Nature of
