The Eternal Sonship Of Jesus Christ

John 17:5 "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."

As Octavius Winslow said, in reference to this passage, it is commonly accepted "that the personal and official glory of the Redeemer stand or fall together." Then continuing, if we may summarize a little of Winslow's writings on this subject (from "The Glory of The Redeemer," first published 1844, then in 1865, now recently reprinted by Soli Deo Gloria), he says they are so united and interwoven in the grand scheme of mercy, and so necessary to the perfection of our salvation, that the one can not be exalted or depressed without seriously affecting the other. All the true saints of God must be unanimous in maintaining the Godhead of our Lord as the basis of the Atonement, and the atonement itself as the one and only medium of reconciliation with a holy God.

Winslow then gives a wonderful discussion and exposition of the idea that the personal glory of the Lord Jesus Christ is to the Bible what the sun is to our planet.

Although the Word of God, the Bible, in and of itself is of inestimable value and worth, revealing doctrines, teaching valuable precepts, illustrating with marvelous types and parables, recording facts both historical and scientific, and unveiling the glorious promises of God to His people, in a beautiful and magnificent display of grace, wisdom, love and omniscience, yet still until it is seen in its relationship to Christ, our Glorious Redeemer, it is largely hidden from the human heart and mind.

But when the Word of God is studied by a sincere and born-again believer, the doctrine of the incarnate God makes radiance and light to shine upon every difficulty and truth of the inspired Word. Though the doctrine of the incarnation is deeply mysterious of itself, yet, when accepted and absorbed as truth, it explains every other mystery in the Book.

John Gill (one of the greatest of our old time Baptist writers and preachers, in spite of the fact that he is far too Heavy On Calvinism for my taste, wrote many wonderful things in his "Expositions," and said some really well spoken things, including the following about John 17:5, and the whole of the subject here considered. "(Slightly edited by JHD) "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self," &c. Not with his perfections, these he had, they dwelt bodily in him; or with his nature, in which he was one with him; but as Mediator, with his glorious presence in heaven, by setting him at his right hand, and crowning him with glory and honour. The Jews have a notion that God will give to the King Messiah, "of the supreme glory" {g}: the glory Christ prays for is, as he says, "the glory which I had with thee before the world was;" the same phrase (which was) used by the Jews {h}.

"This is not to be understood of the glory of the human nature of Christ, abstractly considered; for that is no person of itself, but what is taken up into personal union with the Son of God; and therefore cannot be intended by this personal character I; nor did it exist from eternity; it was indeed written in God's book of predestination, even all its members, when as yet there were none of them in actual being; it was set up in God's thoughts and counsel, as the pattern and exemplar of human nature; it had a federal union with the Son of God, or a covenant subsistence with him; and in the Old Testament Christ was often spoken of as man, because of his frequent appearances in an human form, and because of the certainty of his incarnation; but he did not really and actually exist as man, until he took flesh of the virgin.

"For Christ, as man, is the seed of the woman, the son of David, Abraham, and Adam; he is called the last and second Adam, and was not as man before the first: the Old Testament speaks of his incarnation as future, nor is it possible that a creature can exist before time; for as soon as a creature exists, time begins, which is nothing else than the measure of a creature's duration; nor was the human nature of Christ with the Father from eternity; nor had it a glory before the world began, neither in whole, nor in part: nor is the glory of the divine nature abstractly considered here meant; this glory indeed Christ had from everlasting; he had it with his Father, in common with him, being in union to him.

"And it is true that it was in some measure veiled and covered in his state of humiliation; for though there were some breakings forth of it in that state, these were seen but by a few; wherefore he is thought by some, to pray here for the manifestation of this glory; but this glory was essential to him, was his natural right, and not to be prayed for, and which he then had as much as ever, and of which there could be no suspension: but this designs the glory of him as Godman, and Mediator; he was not only predestinated to be a Mediator, but was really set up as such from everlasting, and had a mediatorial fulness of grace put into his hands, and had the honour and glory of that office given unto him by the other two persons; and now that he might appear to be what he was, to be made, that is, made manifest that he was both Lord and Christ, he here prays; which was to be done, upon his ascension to heaven, and session at the right hand of God, by the pouring down of the Holy Ghost."

{g} Midrash Tillim in Psal. 20 apud Galatin. de Arcan. Cathol. Ver. l. 3. c. 9. {h} Gloss in T. Bab Pesachim, fol. 54. 1.

"Psalms 36:9 "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. (Those who have read John Flavel, of course, are reminded by this verse of the source of his title for one of his best writings, "The Fountain of Life.")" There are many, (more and more in these modern days) who deny Christ had a Divine personal existence previous to His appearance in New Testament days. Some even go so far as to assert that He made no claims to a pre-incarnation state of being, that He never existed before the world was with His Father, and that all the passages we use as proofs of a Divine pre-existent state of great glory are simply expressions of the foreknowledge and purpose of God, not proofs of a superior, eternally existent Divine nature.

"Gill Again On This Verse Said (Ver. 9). "For with thee is the fountain of life, &c.]Or "lives" {f}: God himself is the fountain of living waters; this is a reason proving the happiness of those that trust in the Lord, and that they shall enjoy the above things; because with God the object of their trust is the fountain of life; not only of natural life, from whom they have it, and by whom it is supported, but of spiritual life, being quickened by him when dead in sin, by virtue of which they live by faith on Christ, and also of eternal life; and the phrase denotes, that life is originally in God as in its fountain, and that both the fulness of it is with him, and the freeness of it in the communication of it to others, as well as its continuance and duration; "in thy light shall we see light."

"God is light itself, the Father of lights, and the former of it in every sense; in the light of his countenance, and the discoveries of his love, they that trust in him see light, or enjoy comfort; and in the light of his Son Jesus Christ, the sun of righteousness and light of the world, they see the face of God, and enjoy his favour, and behold the glory and excellency of Christ himself; and in the light of the divine Spirit, who is a spirit of wisdom and revelation, they see their sins exceeding sinful, their righteousness as nothing, and a preciousness in the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ; and in the light of the divine word they see the truths of the Gospel in their native simplicity and excellency, and the duties of religion to be performed by them; and in the light of faith, which is the gift of God, they have at least a glimpse of the unseen glories of the other world; and when the beatific vision shall take place, they shall see no more darkly through a glass, but face to face, even God himself, as he is in Christ." (end of the quote from Gill).

Quote From Octavius Winslow on Redeemer's Preincarnation Glory

"It solves what is inexplicable, fathoms what is profound, illumines what is obscure, and reconciles what is discrepant. And yet, while thus irradiating every other doctrine, and elucidating every other mystery, it remains as it ever will, enshrined in its own unapproachable light, the most wonderful, incomprehensible, and sublime of all --- the great mystery of godliness." (Winslow, Glories of the Redeemer, 1865).

Psalms 36:9 "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. (Those who have read John Flavel, of course, are reminded by this verse of the source of his title for one of his best writings, "The Fountain of Life.")"

There are many, (more and more in these modern days) who deny Christ had a Divine personal existence previous to His appearance in New Testament days. Some even go so far as to assert that He made no claims to a pre-incarnation state of being, that He never existed before the world was with His Father, and that all the passages we use as proofs of a Divine pre-existent state of great glory are simply expressions of the foreknowledge and purpose of God, not proofs of a superior, eternally existent Divine nature.

False Position of All Who Deny Christ
In Eternity Past

This false position is, of course, a total denial of Christ's deity, and leads on to a complete rejection and repudiation of His atonement.

Proverbs 8:15 "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth."

Proverbs 8:22-32 "The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways."

Revelation 1:5-6 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

I Corinthians 1:24 "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

John 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God."

Micah 5:2 "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

In his "Glories of the Redeemer," Octavious Winslow had a marvelous statement about this passage in Micah. He said:

"In this remarkable prophecy, supposed by some writers to be the most important single prophecy in the Old Testament, and the most comprehensive respecting the personal character of the Messiah and His manifestation to the world, the pre-existent Godhead and the assumed manhood of Christ are set forth as written with a beam of light from the eternal throne. It is here declared that a great King would appear on the earth, and that He should be born of the nation of Israel in Bethlehem. With regard to His dignity, it is affirmed that 'His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting' (marg. From the days of eternity). It is then announced that, respecting His human nature, He should be born in Bethlehem, 'the city of David.' "

The fulfillment of these predictions can be found, to the letter, in Matthew 2:5, 6 and John 1:46.

John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

N. T. Readings Pre-supposed His Pre-existence

The use of the term LOGOS or WORD here, without any real explanation, by John, would have been familiar to most of the Jews of the day and even to many of the Gentile Christians as a designation carrying with it the idea of the Mediatorial Messiah.

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

Verse 14 here clearly recognizes the Divinity and the pre-existent state of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is clear that, since He made all things, He must have existed before all things, and thus even just in this one passage, His pre-existent being is placed beyond any doubt whatsoever.

John 6:60-62 "Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?"

Jesus Himself here clearly states that he was "in Heaven" and teaches the great lesson on the manna that came from heaven and brings it home to Himself as that Bread of Life that came down from Heaven, and would return there.

John 8:51-58 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

Jesus Asserted His Pre-Existence With The Father

Again in this passage Jesus clearly and plainly asserts His pre-existence, not only before Abraham, but also refers to His own knowing of God the Father as His own.

John 16:27-29 "For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb."

Colossians 1:13-17 "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

1 John 1:1-2 'That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)"

John 17:5 "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."

Christ Now With The Father, Awaiting

His Time To Return

Our blessed Lord and Redeemer is now with God the Father, awaiting the time appointed for His return to this earth, to take His own away.

In spite of scoffers, false prophets, atheists, agnostics, and all others who refuse to believe, HE IS COMING AGAIN, to take his bride, the church, away so that she will miss the "Great Tribulation" which is soon coming upon this earth.

The "signs" of the "end times" are all around us now, and soon we'll hear the shout, as He calls all the redeemed up to meet Him in the air, and we go to that great marriage feast of the Lamb.

Those left behind will face incredible times of sorrow, and sufferings beyond belief, and a wicked world wide government will be set up, and will attempt to enforce the "mark of the beast" upon all who are left behind at the rapture of the saints.

These events are going to come to pass, according to the Scriptures, in spite of all the false teachings being put out by post-millennialists and a-millennialists among whom the Theonomists or Reconstructionists seem to be most active.

After this time of great tribulation upon those left behind here on earth, then will come the time when our Glorious King will return again, with the saints, in power and great glory, to set up His marvelous millennial kingdom upon this earth. He will reign in justice, and peace, for a thousand years, and the faithful shall reign with Him.

Revelation 11:15, speaking of Christ, says "He shall reign for ever and ever." But Revelation 5:10 teaches us "we shall reign on the earth," while II Timothy 2:12 also assures us that "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him:"

Are YOU ready for His return?

If not, I pray you will "seek the Lord while He may be found," that you will find Him Who is never far from any one of us, and that you will rejoice in loving, worshiping, and serving that One who is soon to be manifest visibly as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that blessed One who is the only "Saviour of the world," the only mediator between God and fallen man, that same One who purchased our redemption with His own sacrifice on Calvary!