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It is the purpose of this study to declare Christ in the total realm of His eternal existence. We should begin with the fact that Christ
has always existed. He did not have His beginning in Bethlehem w11en He was born of a virgin. In fact, Christ is divine and therefore Lad
no beginning at all. The Bible declares plainly that Jesus existed even before the world was created 00hn 17:5, Eph. 1:4). Let us therefore
acknowledge His presence before anything existed and then move through the process of time to consider His continued existence.
(1) Christ in the Old Testament. Since Christ existed before this world or the Bible existed, we can safely conclude that He did exist
during the dispensation of time which is covered by Old Testament Scripture. On one occasion Jesus said, "...Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Before Abraham was, I am..." 00hn 8:58), and the fact that He was active in creation certainly verifies His words. Both John and
Paul call our attention to the presence of Christ at the creation of this world 00hn 1:3, 1 Cor. 8:6).
In addition to those references, the presence of Christ was seen in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan. 3:25).
Christ did exist throughout the ages which lapsed during the Old Testament, but He had no physical body.
(2)The life and ministry of Christ. It was by a miraculous virgin birth that Jesus took a body and dwelt among men 00hn 1:14), During
His years of physical growth and throughout His public ministry, "...God was manifest in the flesh..." (1 Tim. 3:16). The few years that
Jesus lived among mortals were only a drop of water compared to the ocean of His eternal existence, yet it was during this brief time
that He saved His people from their sins. Thus the Scriptures focus our attention upon His sufferings which culminated with His death.
(3) Christ and the grave. During the awful sufferings of Christ on the cross, God covered the earth with a veil of darkness (Mt.
27:45-50). While darkness concealed the Son of God, He "yielded up the Ghost" and died (Mt. 27:50). Roman soldiers did not take the
life of Jesus with their cross and nails, nor even their spear. Jesus simply gave up His life and died John 10:18). At the moment of His death,
His spirit (life) left the bleeding body and ascended to the Father in heaven (Luke 23:46). Viewing the death of Jesus should help us better
understand our own death experience.
After the death of Jesus, His body was taken from the cross and laid to rest in a borrowed tomb (Mt. 27:57-60). He used a borrowed
tomb for He did not need one of His own. He would not be there long John 2: 19). The body of our Lord remained in the tomb for
three days, but it was not subject to decay (Acts 2:23-27). His body was in the earth, but the person of Jesus was in heaven with His Father.
What took place in glory during those days we have no way of knowing; however, at the end of those days, Jesus returned to His
body in the tomb and it lived again, having been resurrected. He said, " .. .1 am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen ... " (Rev. 1:18).
(4) The resurrected Christ. As the women came to the tomb early in the morning, Jesus had already taken residence in His body
again (Mt. 28: 1-7).Resurrection had occurred, for the tomb was empty except for the grave clothes John 20: 1-10). The resurrected Christ
is the assurance of our resurrection and the foundation hope of the Christian faith (l Cor. 15:17-20). In His resurrected body, Jesus lived
on this earth for forty days (Acts 1:3).
During those days, Jesus appeared to some of the disciples as they journeyed on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-35). Then later He
appeared to the disciples while they were gathered together. This He did twice, once when Thomas was absent and days later when he
was present John 20: 19-29). After that He appeared in Galilee (Mt. 28: 16-20).Then Jesus appeared to seven of the disciples while they
fished, and for the second time He performed the miracle of the great catch of fishes (first, in Luke 5: 1-11 and second in John 21: 1-6).
Somewhere, at some time during these forty days, Jesus appeared to as many as five hundred brethren at once (l Cor. 15:6). During those
special days, Jesus gave us a glimpse of our resurrected body, a spiritual body which can be seen, heard, and touched. These were "infallible
proof" (Acts 1:3) of His continued existence after death.
(5)His ascension and present existence. The final appearance of our Lord to the disciples was at His ascension. He led them out
toward Bethany, then lifting His hands He blessed them and was taken up into heaven and out of their sight (Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:9-11).
Since the ascension Jesus has dwelt in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19).For almost two thousand years now, Jesus
has occupied that hallowed place and His work has blessed the lives of saints everywhere.
He now makes intercession for us (Heb. 7:25, Heb. 9:24). As we pray to the Father, Jesus meets with us and intercedes with the Father
in our behalf. He also serves as an advocate with the Father (l John 2: 1).As we stand before God guilty of the crimes of sin, Jesus stands
with us as our Advocate and pleads our case for us.
In addition to the above, Jesus is also our Helper (Heb. 2:18).Jesus promised to be with us in all acts of service (Mt. 28:20). He does more
than simply accompany us; He helps us do the job. Therefore, we can do all things with the help of Jesus who strengthens (Phil. 4: 13).
Let us be thankful for His present existence.
(6) The return of Christ. Even though we feel the presence of Jesus with us each day, yet there is going to come a time when Jesus
will bodily come again. He will come in a way quite unlike the first, when He came as a babe and later died for our sins (Heb. 9:28). In
the second advent of Jesus, He will come in all His glory (Luke 21:27, Mt. 25:31). He ascended up into heaven; He will descend again as
He comes to gather His elect together (Acts 1:11, Mt. 4:30-31). Somehow, though we do not understand it, every eye shall see Him
when He comes again (Rev. 1:7). He will come at a time when He is least expected (Mt. 24:42-44). Signs are now being fulfilled and
scriptural prophecies are presently taking place. However, there is no one on earth who has the ability to predict when our Lord will come
again. This information God will never give to men or angels (Mt. 24:36). Some have wearied with waiting and scoffed at His promised
return (2 Peter 3:3-4), yet the Scriptures are true in their declaration of His second advent. Not if, but when He comes, the resurrections
will take place. He will be accompanied by the archangel and with the trumpet of God (l Thes. 4:16-17). The trumpet will sound
and the dead will be raised (l Cor. 15:51-52);then we shall be changed
(Phil. 3:21) and carried home to heaven.
(7) Christ in eternity. After we are taken from the earth, we shall dwell with Christ forever. We do not know much about Christ then,
except that He will be the same then as now. The difference will affect us, not Christ. We shall become like Him and shall be with Him,
for we shall see Him as He is (l Cor. 13:12). As He is now, so He will be then, only we shall be with Him, whereas now He is with us
(Heb. 13:5). He will remain unchanged in all eternity (Heb. 13:8).
We only know that which faith has made real to us (Heb. 11:1). Believing as we do, we understand that in eternity neither we nor
Jesus will ever age, for time will no longer have an effect upon us. The mysteries of life will be solved and we shall enjoy perfect
knowledge. Truly we can join with Moses to say, "...0 Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty
hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?" (Deut. 3:24).What
we have begun to see is the eternal existence of Jesus Christ. Being fully persuaded of His eternal Sonship, let us also be persuaded to
serve Him. May the swiftly passing years of our earthly existence give evidence to all who know us that we love and are the devoted servants
of the Eternal Christ.
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