The Pre-Incarnate Jesus Christ –
This may be a shocking thought, depending on what you have been told in past.
A foundational teaching of Scripture is that Jesus Christ did not begin His existence at His human birth in Bethlehem. Rather, He existed eternally with God the Father and actively interacted with humanity long before His incarnation. The Bible reveals that the One who later became Jesus Christ is the same divine Being who spoke, led, delivered, created, and taught from the very beginning.
Understanding this truth deepens our appreciation of Christ’s role, the unity of the Bible, and the consistency of God’s plan from Genesis to Revelation.
Christ Existed Before His Human Birth
The New Testament plainly states that Jesus existed before creation:
- John 1:1–3, 14 — “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made through Him… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
- Colossians 1:16–17 — “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth… All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
- John 17:5 — Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
These passages identify Jesus Christ as “the Word” (Logos)—a divine Person who existed with the Father and later became flesh. He did not come into existence at conception; He entered a new phase of existence as a human being.
The Creator in the Genesis Creation Account
The opening words of the Bible state:
- Genesis 1:1 — “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
When this verse is compared with the New Testament, Scripture reveals how creation took place:
- John 1:3 — “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
- Hebrews 1:1–2 — God “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son… through whom also He made the worlds.”
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 — “For us there is one God, the Father… and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.”
These verses show that God the Father is the ultimate Source, and the Word—who became Jesus Christ—was the active Agent of creation. Therefore, the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ was the Creator in the Genesis creation account, carrying out the Father’s will.
This also helps explain why God says:
- Genesis 1:26 — “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.”
The Father and the Word were working together from the very beginning.
The “God” Who Spoke in the Old Testament
The Old Testament frequently refers to a divine Being who speaks, appears, and interacts personally with human beings. The New Testament identifies this Being as the One who became Jesus Christ.
The God Who Spoke to Moses
- Exodus 3:2–6 — The Angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in the burning bush and said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
- Exodus 3:14 — And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
- John 8:58 — Jesus declared, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
Jesus was identifying Himself with the divine name revealed in Exodus 3:14, showing He was the same “I AM” who spoke to Moses.
Israel’s Spiritual Rock
- 1 Corinthians 10:1–4 — Ancient Israel “drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”
Christ was actively involved with Israel—guiding, protecting, and sustaining them in the wilderness.
No One Has Ever Seen the Father
Scripture repeatedly teaches that human beings have never seen God the Father—yet many people in the Old Testament clearly saw and spoke with “God.”
- John 1:18 — “No one has seen God at any time.”
- 1 Timothy 6:16 — God the Father “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.”
- John 6:46 — “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God.”
Therefore, every visible appearance of God in the Old Testament must have been the pre-incarnate Word—Jesus Christ.
The Angel of the LORD
Many Old Testament passages describe “the Angel of the LORD” speaking as God, exercising divine authority, and accepting worship.
- Genesis 16:7–13 — Hagar calls the Angel of the LORD “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees.”
- Judges 13:21–22 — Manoah said, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God!”
- Exodus 23:20–21 — God says His Angel has authority to pardon or not pardon sins.
These descriptions align with Christ’s identity and authority, strongly indicating that the Angel of the LORD was the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ.
Christ as Lawgiver
Since Jesus Christ was the One who interacted with Israel, He is also the divine Lawgiver of the Old Testament.
- John 1:17 — “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
- Hebrews 13:8 — “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
- Matthew 5:17–19 — Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill (magnify and bring to its full meaning).
Christ did not abolish the law He originally gave. Instead, He taught its spiritual intent and showed how to live it.
The God of the Old Testament Became the Savior of the New Testament
The same Being who created the world and delivered Israel from Egypt later came in the flesh to save humanity from sin and death.
- Isaiah 43:11 — “Besides Me there is no savior.”
- Luke 2:11 — “A Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
- Titus 2:13 — “Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
The Creator, Lawgiver, and Deliverer of the Old Testament is the Savior revealed in the New Testament.
Two Divine Beings, One Unified Purpose
The Bible reveals a divine Family presently consisting of God the Father and the Word (who became Jesus Christ):
- Genesis 1:26 — “Let Us make man in Our image.”
- John 10:30 — “I and My Father are one.”
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 — One God, the Father… and one Lord Jesus Christ.
They are distinct Persons, yet perfectly united in will, purpose, and character.
Why This Truth Matters
Understanding that Jesus Christ is:
- The Creator in Genesis
- The God who spoke in the Old Testament
- The Lawgiver of Israel
- And the Savior of the New Testament
shows the complete unity of Scripture and the unchanging nature of God’s plan. It reveals that Christianity is rooted in the same God who worked with Abraham, Moses, and the prophets.
Conclusion
The Bible consistently teaches that the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ was the God of the Old Testament and the active Creator in the Genesis account. The same divine Being who said, “Let there be light,” later walked among humanity as Jesus of Nazareth and gave His life for our salvation. From creation to redemption, Jesus Christ has always been central to God’s plan—leading humanity toward the ultimate purpose of becoming sons and daughters in the Family of God .
Hebrews 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
These passages establish that believers become children or sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Core Verses on Becoming Sons/Children of God
- John 1:12: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
- Romans 8:14: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
- Galatians 3:26: “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”
- Galatians 4:4–7: “…God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
- 1 John 3:1–2: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are… Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared…”
- 2 Corinthians 6:18: “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
Contextual Understanding
In correct biblical interpretation, this “sonship” or “childhood” of God is characterized by:
- Adoption: It is a legal and relational standing granted by God through Christ, not something earned.
- Inheritance: As sons, believers are considered heirs of God’s promises.
- Relationship: It grants believers the privilege of approaching God intimately, as “Abba” (Father).
- Transformation: It is evidenced by being led by the Holy Spirit and a life turned away from sin.
I hope this article has lead you to a better understanding of what the Bible actually teaches.