Every generation has popular catchphrases. There was a popular phrase in the early church that went something like this, “There was a time when He was not.†In fact, it was so popular that people would go around chanting it in the streets! What did the phrase mean?
A pastor at the time by the name of Arius had started to circulate some unique ideas about Jesus, and one of those ideas was that Jesus was a lesser being than God the Father. To argue this point, Arius claimed that Jesus was created by God (hence the catchphrase). Does this view hold water when compared to the rest of Scripture?
First, take a look at John 1. In this passage, John uses the title of “the Word†to describe Jesus. Not only was Jesus “with God in the beginning†(verse 2), He Himself “was God†(verse 1). This teaches us Jesus existed in eternity past with God the Father. Notice John also writes, “All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created†(verse 3). If Jesus created all things, then how could He have been created?
What about Colossians 1:15? In this verse, Paul refers to Jesus as “the firstborn over all creation.†Does that mean Jesus was created, or born from God? No! In Bible times, to be the firstborn was considered an honor. In this passage, Paul uses the term as a title indicating that Jesus deserves to be honored above all creation. In the following verse, Paul writes that everything that exists has been created by Jesus, just like John wrote in John 1.
At the Council of Nicea in AD 325, Arius’s belief that Jesus was a created being and less than God was rightly rejected. We would say that Jesus and the Father are separate persons, but both fully and equally God: “There was NOT a time when He was not!†• Jonathon Fuller
• Why do you think believing Jesus is God is such an important part to being a Christian?
• How would you respond to someone who believes that Jesus was just a good teacher, but He wasn’t really God?
• The controversy with Arius eventually resulted in the Nicene Creed, a brief summary of the gospel that unites Christians from around the world and throughout history. This creed is still read regularly in many Christian churches today. If you’ve never read this creed, check it out!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 (CSB)
Read Verses:
Psalm 139:7-17; Romans 8:38-39
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