II. Eternal Pre-existence of Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by him as his right. This was no robbery of God.—The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906, p. 8.7ABC 440.3

In speaking of His pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him.—The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1900.7ABC 440.4

Here Christ shows them that, although they might reckon His life to be less than fifty years, yet His divine life could not be reckoned by human computation. The existence of Christ before His incarnation is not measured by figures.—The Signs of the Times, May 3, 1899.7ABC 440.5

From all eternity Christ was united with the Father, and when He took upon Himself human nature, He was still one with God.—The Signs of the Times, August 2, 1905, p. 10.7ABC 440.6

When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity.—The Acts of the Apostles, 38, 39.7ABC 441.1

But while God's Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding his preexistence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with his Father. From everlasting he was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted him, were to be blessed. “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God.—The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906.7ABC 441.2

A human being lives, but his is a given life, a life that will be quenched. “What is your life? It is even vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” But Christ's life is not a vapor; it is never-ending, a life existing before the worlds were made.—The Signs of the Times, June 17, 1897, p. 5.7ABC 441.3

From the days of eternity the Lord Jesus Christ was one with the Father; He was “the image of God,” the image of His greatness and majesty, “the outshining of His glory.”—The Desire of Ages, 19.7ABC 441.4

He was one with the Father before the angels were created.—The Spirit of Prophecy 1:17.7ABC 441.5

Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore.—The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906, p. 8.7ABC 441.6

The name of God, given to Moses to express the idea of the eternal presence, had been claimed as His own by this Galilean Rabbi. He had announced Himself to be the self-existent One, He who had been promised to Israel, “whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2, margin.—The Desire of Ages, 469, 470.7ABC 441.7

In it [God's Word] we may learn what our redemption has cost Him who from the beginning was equal with the Father.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 13.7ABC 441.8