Did Jesus Pre-ExistHis Birth?

By Z. B. Duncan

Wo is Jesus of Nazareth / When He walked uponthis earth over nineteen hundred years ago He asked Hisdisciples; "Whom do men say that I, the Son of manam /" They answered that some declared Him to be Johnthe Baptist, while others claimed that He was Elias, andothers Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Friends, have youever looked up the meaning of the words "Jeremiah" or"Elijah"? "Elijah" means God Himself, and the word"Jeremiah" means the High God. So, in the days ofChrist, we find that some declared that Jesus was GodHimself, or, The High God.

Many people today still contend and claim that Jesusis the High God Himself. Yea, even whole bodies of so-called Christians are organized and advocating this sameteaching. But was Jesus satisfied with the answer the peo-ple gave? He definitely was not then, and He is not yettoday. He said to His disciples, "But whom say ye that Iam?" (Matt. 16:15). Here we find the correct answer asto whom Jesus is. The man who knows and believes thisand can give this answer from the depth of his heart inspirit and in truth is blessed. He has had revelation fromheaven through the Word of truth. Hear the answer oftruth! "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"(Matt. 16:16). Unless we come without any strings at-tached, without any wresting or twisting of these words,and believe them just as they are stated, we cannot know

the living God. Neither do we understand His plan ofsalvation.

"Thou art the Christ" means, "Thou art the AnointedOne." Now those who contend that Jesus was God Him-self or the High God can never believe that Jesus was theAnointed One. Why? Those who advocate that Jesus isGod Himself claim there is a triune God and that Jesusis part of this triune God and therefore is equal to and co-existent with God the Father.

In Acts 10:38 we find these words: "God anointed Je-sus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power."Let us think honestly and clearly before God. If Jesuswere God Himself or part of a trinity Godhead, equaland co-existent with two other parts in a Godhead ofthree, it would be impossible for Him to be anointed byanyone of the other two. That would make one of themgreater than He. The Bible clearly states that "Godanointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost "andwith power." If God had not anointed Jesus with theHoly Ghost and with power, could He ever have accom-plished anything worthy of mention? How many sinscould He have forgiven? How many sick could He havehealed? Could He have raised the dead? You see, Jesuswas not God, but was the Son of God and was dependentupon His Father. (John 5: 19-21.)

Now hear the Word of the Lord. It may change yourtheology; it may destroy what you have believed foryears; but His truth can save you from eternal death andwill hide (cover) your multitude of sins if you will be-lieve. John 5:19 states, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, TheSon can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Fa-ther do." Look closely at this for a moment. If Jesus wereGod Himself, or even equal with God, then Jesus coulddo nothing of Himself and neither could God. Someonewill say that He can do what He sees the Father do. Thatis true. Jesus can do what He sees His Father do, but ifthey are equal, God must also see His father act before

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He is able to do His wonderful acts. God has no father.Even a child prejudiced to the teachings of men can seethe error in this line of thought.

John 5:20 states, "The Father loveth the Son, and shew-eth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shewhim greater works than these, that ye may marvel." Nowif Jesus were God Himself, or equal with God, and hadbeen with God from all eternity, would God have toshow Him the works that He did? Friends, the doctrinesof the trinity and of the pre-existence are doctrines of thedevils that are to destroy men's faith in the true God andin Jesus His Son.

In John 5:26 and 27, we read, "As the Father hath lifein himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life inhimself; and hath given him authority to execute judg-ment also, because he is the Son of man." Now you eitherbelieve this or you deny it. To deny it is to be damnedand lost. To believe it may bring you salvation, if youare likewise obedient in all things. Notice, the Father haslife in Himself. God only has immortality, but how didJesus get life? The Father gave it to Him, both naturallife through birth, and immortality through a resurrec-tion. If Jesus were God Himself or equal with God, Godcould not give Him life, for He would already have iteven as the Father has it. Then again, how did Jesus getHis authority to execute judgment? Hear again the Wordof God. God gave it to Him. Could Jesus be as great asthe Father, if the Father is the one who anointed Himwith power and gave Him life and gave Him His author-ity? The only reason Jesus has the authority He now hasis because God gave it to Him.

In John 5:30 Jesus repeats again, "I can of mine ownself do nothing." Could Jesus do anything of Himselfalone? He said He could of His own self do nothing.Did God ever do anything by Himself? In Isaiah 44:24it is said of God, "I am the Lord that maketh all things;that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth

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abroad the earth by myself." Many say that Jesus helpedto create the earth or that He was the Creator, but herethe speaker said, "I stretched forth the heavens alone andspread abroad the earth by myself." Jesus said, "I can ofmine own self do nothing." The disciples of Christ knewfull well that Jesus was not God, neither any part of atrinity Godhead, but was the Son of God, begotten bythe Spirit and power of God according to the Word ofGod born of the virgin Mary. Born-really born-not in-carnated, but born!

1 would like to say here that the words "pre-existent,""trinity," and "incarnate" are nowhere found in the Bi-ble. They are terms put to use by the satanic host to de-ceive ministers and churchgoers and to rob them of everknowing the real Son of God. This is what Peter had ref-erence to in 2 Peter 2:1 when he said, "There shall befalse teachers among you, who privily shall bring in dam-nable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

Friends, do you deny the Lord that bought you? Doyou know which Lord bought you? It could not be GodHimself, for God cannot die. It cannot be a trinity Christ,for He would be equal with God. Since God cannot die,neither could a trinity Christ. The Scriptures declare thatChrist died for our sins. (1 Cor. 15:3.) According to theScriptures, the Son of God, born of a virgin, brought in-to existence by the power of God, being anointed withlife from God, power and authority from God, died forour sins, thus giving His entire life for us. But, thanks beto(God, He raised Him up from the dead.

The world, by accepting the pre-existent theory and thedoctrine of the trinity, deny the flesh and bones that Godcaused to be born to be our Saviour. Dear friends, if youdeny the flesh and bones that God caused to come forthto life from Mary's womb, you deny the Lord that boughtyou. This is what Jesus had reference to when He saidthat many false Christs would arise and deceive, not a

few, but many. Today rnoi e people believe and pay trib-ute to and glorify and pray to a false Christ, who neverdid die for them, than they that accept a flesh-and-bonesSaviour who died on Calvary. The false Christ is the pre-existent Christ, the trinity Christ, the Christ that is saidto be God Himself. The true Christ is the Son of the liv-ing God and the anointed of Him.

In John 6:57 we find, "As the living Father hath sentme, and I live by the Father." Notice that the living Fa-ther sent the Son. Could one God be equal with anotherwhen one was sent of the other? Notice also Jesus said,"I live by [and through] the Father." Without the Fa-ther, Jesus never would have existed and had life.

In John 7:16 Jesus said, "My doctrine is not mine, buthis that sent me." If Jesus were God Himself or a partof a trinity God, how could He say, "My doctrine is notmine"? If Jesus were equal to the Father and the doctrineHe was giving was not His, does Jesus have a doctrinejust as equal and powerful and strong as the doctrine ofHis Father? And does the Holy Spirit also have anotherdoctrine? Would their doctrines be the same or different?

Jesus gave us to know that He had nothing to do withthe origin of the doctrines which He spoke. They origi-nated with the Father, and the Son merely spoke the doc-trines of the Father. In John 7:28 Jesus said, "Ye bothknow me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not comeof myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye knownot." If Jesus were God Himself, would He not have hadto send Himself? He said, "I am not come of myself."Friend, did you or I come of ourself? We had nothing todo with it. We did not come into existence by our will,for we had no will, no life. no intellect, until we wereborn. The same is true of Christ. Jesus did not come ofHimself, but God sent Him. If there were three equalGods, why would one God send another one of the othertwo to die? If one could send one of the other two to die,would not the one that had power to send be greater?

few, but many. Today moi e people believe and pay trib-ute to and glorify and pray to a false Christ, who neverdid die for them, than they that accept a flesh-and-bonesSaviour who died on Calvary. The false Christ is the pre-existent Christ, the trinity Christ, the Christ that is saidto be God Himself. The true Christ is the Son of the liv-ing God and the anointed of Him.

In John 6:57 we find, "As the living Father hath sentme, and I live by the Father." Notice that the living Fa-ther sent the Son. Could one God be equal with anotherwhen one was sent of the other? Notice also Jesus said,"I live by [and through] the Father." Without the Fa-ther, Jesus never would have existed and had life.

In John 7:16 Jesus said, "My doctrine is not mine, buthis that sent me." If Jesus were God Himself or a partof a trinity God, how could He say, "My doctrine is notmine"? If Jesus were equal to the Father and the doctrineHe was giving was not His, does Jesus have a doctrinejust as equal and powerful and strong as the doctrine ofHis Father? And does the Holy Spirit also have anotherdoctrine? Would their doctrines be the same or different?

Jesus gave us to know that He had nothing to do withthe origin of the doctrines which He spoke. They origi-nated with the Father, and the Son merely spoke the doc-trines of the Father. In John 7:28 Jesus said, "Ye bothknow me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not comeof myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye knownot." If Jesus were God Himself, would He not have hadto send Himself? He said, "I am not come of myself."Friend, did you or I come of ourself? We had nothing todo with it. We did not come into existence by our will,for we had no will, no life. no intellect, until we wereborn. The same is true of Christ. Jesus did not come ofHimself, but God sent Him. If there were three equalGods, why would one God send another one of the othertwo to die? If one could send one of the other two to die,would not the one that had power to send be greater?

In John 8:28 Jesus said, "I do nothing of myself; but asmy Father hath taught me, I speak these things." Whenone God has to be taught of another God, the God thatdoes the teaching would be the greater. If Jesus were co-equal with God and co-existent with Him, He wouldnot have to be taught from the Father.

Again, Jesus said in John 8:42, "I proceeded forth andcame from God; neither came I of myself, but he sentme." Jesus told us in John 10:18, "I have power to lay it[my life 1 down, and I have power to take it again."Where did He get this power? He said, "This command-ment have I received of my Father." When one persongives another person commandments, one is supreme tothe other. Jesus said in John 10:29, "My Father ... isgreater than all."

Friends, do you not understand that Jesus is the anoint-ed flesh and bones which God brought forth to life byHis Holy Spirit, His own power, and that there is noother Saviour of truth who could die for us? First John2:22 says, "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus isthe Anointed One?" Friend, if you contend that Jesus isGod Himself, or a part of a trinity God, or a pre-existentJesus, with power to create before He was born, then Hecould never be anointed by the Father.

Understand this, "He is antichrist that denieth the Fa-ther and the Son." The Father is God and Jesus Christis His Son, born of the virgin by the power of God. Theyare two separate and different beings. Anyone who deniesthis is antichrist. Which side are you on?

May God help you to believe in His Son, even as theEthiopian eunuch, who said, "I believe that Jesus Christis the Son of God."

Atlanta Bible CollegeChurch of God General Conference

PO Box 2950McDonough, GA 30253atlantabiblecollege.com

678-833- I839

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