United Church of God

Letter From Devin Schulz - December 27, 2019

Letter From Devin Schulz

December 27, 2019

Evening everyone!

Last week, we set forth the challenge to find verses that give proof that Christ was not created. If we dig through the Bible, we find no shortage of these. Here are a few to consider.

Micah 5:2 is a prophecy that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. It shows that the One who was to be the anointed leader of Israel's history is "from everlasting." Literally translated this means "from the days of Eternity." This fits with the description in Hebrews 7:1-5. Here Melchizedek [Christ] is described as "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God." Lacking parents and beginning of days is double emphasis for an existence apart from creation. The identification that this same Being was made like the Son of God solidifies that this was indeed Jesus Christ.

Then there is John 1:1-3, one of the most vital scriptures in understanding God's nature. Verse one reveals that the Word, the Logos (who became Christ--see verse 14), existed in the beginning. This clearly shows that at the time of creation, the Logos had already existed. We are also told that the Word was "with God," showing a distinction from and relationship between two beings. A clarification is made that they were associated together. The final phrase in the first verse states that the Word "was God," that the being that became Christ had the same essence of the other God being. Verse three makes it clear that this being was not part of the creation, but the instrument of all creation.

The book of Hebrews goes to great lengths to emphasize the superiority of Christ and the New Covenant to the physical elements of the Old Covenant. Chapter 1 explains the unique role of Christ within God's plan. Direct comparison is made between Christ and the angels. No angel at any time received the blessings and promises afforded to the Son of God (Hebrews 1:5-14). This conflicts specifically with the belief that Christ was created as an angel and then God used Him as the Messiah.

John 17:5 is another verse that shows Christ was not created. In Christ's final prayer before His crucifixion, He says that the Father will resurrect Him with the glory He had before "time began." The word for time is the Greek word kosmon, which can literally mean all that exists or the entirety of creation. As the Word, eternally existing and co-substantial with God, He would have been splendid in appearance (Revelation 1:13-17). Jesus' prayer then was a reference back to the relationship He shared with the Father prior to them bringing into existence all that was made. This exhibits, yet again, Christ's status of being outside of that which was made. All these things make it abundantly clear that Christ was not created but existed in eternity.

These verses, among others, make it abundantly clear that Christ was not created, but existed in eternity. Our next installment will finish this series. We will answer two other questions about this topic. The first "Were all things made "through" or "for" Christ?" and the second is "Does it make a difference?" Again, over the next week, let's ponder these questions and search for answers in God's Word.

May this be a wonderful Sabbath for you all!

Devin Schulz