| Jesus lived in heaven as a spirit person before he came to earth. He was God’s first creation, and so he is called the "firstborn" Son of God. (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14) Jesus is the only Son that God created by himself. Jehovah used the prehuman Jesus as his "master worker" in creating all other things in heaven and on earth. (Proverbs 8:22-31; Colossians 1:16-17) God also used him as His chief spokesman. That is why Jesus is called "the Word." (John 1:1-3; Revelation 19:13) |
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Revelation 3:14 To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. Proverbs 8:22-31 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world. I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. Colossians 1:16-17 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. Revelation 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. |
Jesus lived in heaven as a spirit person before he came to earth. ... the prehuman Jesus ... This assumes a temporal binding of God. Jesus is full man and full God. In God’s terminology, there is no "Jesus was" or "Jesus will be" when it comes to the nature of Jesus or the role of Jesus. Although we have seen Jesus differently over time, it is only because we are bound to a temporal existence that can only experience Him when and how He interacts with time. God is unchanging. So, Jesus, being full God, is also unchanging. (See Colossians 1:19-20 for a statement of God having His fullness dwell in His Son). This is apparent in the scripture references, as well: I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. Before time, outside of time, God’s existence is.* The nature of Jesus was set from the beginning and has not changed - He didn’t go from one form (spirit person) to another (human) and back again. Some passages about the unchanging nature of God include: Hebrews 6:17, Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Jeremiah 2:11; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17 *(If we could apply John 1:1 appropriately here, it would be fitting to the discussion: The Word was with God and the Word was God. The reason I do not apply this verse is because of the controversy over the translation of the verse in the New World Translation which reads, "The Word was with God and the Word was a god." There is a great deal of study and debate that has gone into this topic, so I will not try to deal with it here. Suffice to say that a vaste majority of linguists, scholars and theologians side with the NIV translation.) |
| God sent His Son to the earth by transferring his life to the womb of Mary. So Jesus did not have a human father. That is why he did not inherit any sin or imperfection. God sent Jesus to earth for three reasons: (1) To teach us the truth about God (John 18:37), (2) to maintain perfect integrity, providing a model for us to follow (1 Peter 2:21), and (3) to sacrifice his life to set us free from sin and death. Why was this needed? (Matthew 20:28) |
John 18:37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." 1 Peter 2:21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. Matthew 20:28 Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. |
To teach us the truth about God. Jesus is a living, breathing version of God. Instead of a list of attributes or a simple prophecy, He walked among us and showed us who God is, what God cares about and how God relates to individual people. ...to maintain perfect integrity, providing a model for us to follow. Christ’s perfection was not only for an example, but the only means by which He could be a suitable sacrifice for us. ...to sacrifice his life to set us free from sin and death. This is the first reason for the existence and earthly life of Jesus. This pivotal act is the key to our salvation. The ministry and His model of perfection were fortunate by-products of His existence. |
| By disobeying God’s command, the first man, Adam, committed what the Bible calls "sin". So God sentenced him to death. (Genesis 3:17-19) He no longer measured up to God’s standards, so he was not perfect anymore. Slowly he grew old and died. Adam passed on sin to all his children. That is why we also grow old, get sick, and die. How could mankind be saved? (Romans 3:23; 5:12) |
Genesis 3:17-19 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Romans 3:23 ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned... |
So God sentenced him to death. Cursed is the ground because of you. Adam’s sin changed the nature of Nature. God’s pronouncement is perhaps a prediction rather than a punishment. Nature could not go on existing the way it had before. |
| Jesus was a perfect human just like Adam. Unlike Adam, though, Jesus was perfectly obedient to God under even the greatest test. He could therefore sacrifice his perfect human life to pay for Adam’s sin. This is what the Bible refers to as the "ransom." Adam’s children could thus be released from condemnation to death. All who put their faith in Jesus can have their sins forgiven and receive everlasting life. (1 Timothy 2:5-6; John 3:16; Romans 5:18-19) |
1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in its proper time. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Romans 5:18-19 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. |
Jesus was a perfect human ... He could therefore sacrifice his perfect human life to pay for Adam’s sin. Jesus could not have been a perfect person, nor could His sacrifice have had the ability to redeem all of mankind if He was not God. Nothing less than God can repay the debt that is owed to God. All who put their faith in Jesus can have their sins forgiven and receive everlasting life. So, here, we are told that faith in Jesus is the key to salvation. This leaves me with 2 questions: 1) If Jesus is not God, why is it that we have to put our faith in Jesus? If we are to worship only God and Jesus is not God, how can faith in something else be pleasing to God? 2) How do "good works" fit into this model? This point in the tract implies that everlasting life can be obtained by faith alone, while the title and vast majority of the tract imply that works are the road to salvation. |
| When on earth Jesus cured the sick, fed the hungry, and calmed storms. He even raised the dead. Why did he perform miracles? (1) He felt pity for people who were suffering, and he wanted to help them. (2) His miracles proved that he was God’s Son. (3) They showed what he will do for obedient mankind when he rules as King over the earth. (Matthew 14:14; Mark 2:10-12; John 5:28-29) |
Matthew 14:14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Mark 2:10-12 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" John 5:28-29 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." |
His miracles proved that he was God’s Son. His miracles proved that He had the power that God has - might this not imply that He is God? They showed what he will do... They showed what God is capable of doing at any point in time. After the resurrection and judgement, none of these things will be required, because all things will have been made perfect. |
| Jesus died and was resurrected by God as a spirit creature, and he returned to heaven. (1 Peter 3:18) Since then, God has made him a King. Soon Jesus will remove all wickedness and suffering from this earth. (Psalm 37:9-11; Proverbs 2:21-22) |
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit... Psalm 37:9-11 For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. Proverbs 2:21-22 For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it. |
Jesus ... was resurrected ... as a spirit creature... Compare this to the NIV: made alive by the Spirit. Since then, God has made him a King. Compare this to the Bible passages Matthew 28:18, Mark 16:19, Ephesians 1:20-23, Colossians 1:18, John 5:22-23. All of these are statements that Jesus already was the king. As pointed out earlier, the nature of Jesus does not change - He is full man and full God, He is king over all of creation. For our temporal minds to grasp this, we have to say that He is, always has been and always will be these things. ...this earth. The statement that "this earth," as "the universe in which we are currently existing", is covered in more depth in future studies. In brief, however, I will point out the passages Isaiah 65:17, 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 3:12, 21:1-2. |
