Pre-existence of Christ

thumb|God resting after creation – Christ depicted as the creator of the world, Byzantine mosaic in Monreale, Sicily. Depictions of God the Father became prevalent only by the 15th century, and Jesus was often shown as a substitute before then. The pre-existence of Christ asserts the existence of Christ prior to his incarnation as Jesus. One of the relevant Bible passages is John 1 (John 1:1–18) where, in the Trinitarian interpretation, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis (substantive reality) called the Logos (Koine Greek for "word" or "reason"). Quotes about Old Testament The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. Proverbs 8,22-23 (NKJV). By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together [b]as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Psalms 3,6-7 (NKJV). For when peaceful stillness encompassed everything / and the night in its swift course was half spent, /Your all-powerful word from heaven’s royal throne / leapt into the doomed land, Wisdom 18,14-15 (NKJV). Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. The Coming Messiah “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Book of Micah 5:1-2 NKJV (read as a Marian prophecy). New Testament 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 Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Gospel of John 1:15-18 NKJV. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Gospel of John 17:5 NKJV. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Gospel of John 17:24 NKJV. Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,... Luke 1,1-2 (NKJV). who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Epistle to the Philippians 2:6-11 NKJV. ...and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. First Epistle to the Corinthians 10:4;9 NKJV. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. Second Epistle to the Corinthians 8:9 NKJV. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born[a] of a woman, born under the law,... Epistle to the Galatians 4:4 NKJV. ...yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. First Epistle to the Corinthians 8:6 NKJV. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Epistle to the Colossians 1:15-20 NKJV. ...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,... Epistle to the Ephesians 1:4-5 NKJV. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Epistle to the Hebrews 13:8 NKJV. See also Alpha and Omega (Christianity) Logos External links Category:Jesus Category:Systematic theology Category:Unitarianism