Part 2. “Putting The Pieces Together” article.
“Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God…. In speaking of his pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him.–Signs of the Times, Aug. 29, 1900.” {Evangelism, p. 615}
Christ was the Son of God in His pre-existence (i.e. He did not become the Son of God in Bethlehem). Ever since the birth of Christ in heaven (back in the dateless ages) He has been in close fellowship with His divine Father. Christ is the pre-existent Son of God, meaning that He was a Son in His pre-existence. We know that this Son-ship is a real and literal one based on birth (brought forth). It is after clarifying this fact, that Christ is the Son of God in His pre-existence, she then says there never was a time when He was not in fellowship with the eternal God. The meaning should be clear to all. Ever since Christ was begotten of the Father He has ever been in close fellowship with Him. This is what the statement says.This statement is used by some to teach that Christ was never begotten of His Father in heaven. Is this the meaning that Sister White had in mind when writing it? Does this statement teach us that Christ was never begotten of the Father? Does this statement tell us that Christ is not the real and literal Son of God?
On the contrary, we are assured Christ is indeed the pre-existent, “self-existent Son of God.” He was a Son in His pre-existence. Far from denying the fact that Christ is the only begotten of the Father, this passage actually proves the very truth of the divine son-ship of our Master. That Christ isthe pre-existent Son of God. He was the Son of God before Bethlehem.
Let us again use the unfailing key “The testimonies themselves will be the key that will explain the messages given, as scripture is explained by scripture.”
“Christ was the Son of God; He had been one with Him before the angels were called into existence. He had ever stood at the right hand of the Father…” {E. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 38}
Christ, ever since His birth before all things (Proverbs 8:22-30), has always been in close fellowship with His Father, the eternal God. “He had ever stood at the right hand of the Father”. He is equal to His Father in divine attributes for He has them by inheritance (Hebrews1:4). Notice how she said that Christ “carries the mind back through the dateless ages.” We cannot put a date on Christ’s birth in heaven. It is beyond our comprehension. We cannot compute His pre-existence by our human figures. Notice:
“Angels of God looked with amazement upon Christ, who took upon Himself the form of man and humbly united His divinity with humanity in order that He might minister to fallen man. It is a marvel among the heavenly angels. God has told us that He did do it, and we are to accept the Word of God just as it reads. And although we may try to reason in regard to our Creator, how long He has had existence, where evil first entered into our world, and all these things, we may reason about them until we fall down faint and exhausted with the research when there is yet an infinity beyond.” {E. G. White, S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 7, p. 919}
“Here Christ shows them that, although they might reckon His life to be less than fifty years, yet His divine life could not be reckoned by human computation. The existence of Christ before His incarnation is not measured by figures.” {E. G. White, Signs of the Times, May 3, 1899 par. 4}
And what about that expression where she says “there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God.”? Does this mean that there never was a time when He was begotten? Certainly not! This statement is clear in that ever since Christ was begotten of the Father, there never was a time when He was not with the Father for He was daily His delight (see Proverbs 8:30 which she quotes).
Let us see what the statement really means by doing some replacement of names and see how the meaning holds. Let us apply the statement to the angel Gabriel (a created angel that we have no idea how long ago he was created). It will read something like this:
“Gabriel is an angel of God…in speaking of His existence; Gabriel carries the mind back through the dateless ages. Gabriel assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the Son of God.”
Would anyone take this statement to mean that Gabriel was not created? Of course not. We all understand that it will mean this: ever since Gabriel was created he has always been in close fellowship with Christ. This is true, as far as we can tell.
Here is another example:
“Eve assures us that there never was a time when she was not in close fellowship with Adam.”
Would this statement mean that Eve and Adam are the same age? No, for we know that Adam was first. Yet it is still correct to say the above statement, for the meaning is clear. We know that since she was created she has been in close fellowship with Adam (till she walked to that tree). On the other hand, Adam would not be able to assure us that “there never was a time when he was not in close fellowship with Eve” for he was created before her, and indeed there was a time when he was not with her.
The point is this: the statement is saying the same thing about Christ. Christ (not the Father) assures us of this fact. Since His birth He has ever been in close fellowship with His Father. Had the Father been the one who said “there never was a time when Christ was not with me” it would have been a different story. But this is not the case. Christ is the speaker and He gives us the assurance. Furthermore, He is self existent like His Father for this is what He inherited. He was given that self-existent life, as He has told us:
“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” John 5:26
“God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to His Son.” {E. G. White, Testimonies Volume 8, p. 268}
The fact that Christ is the Son of God (being begotten of Him) is the key to understanding Christ’s exalted and equal position with the Father. He is so because this is how He was begotten; possessing all these divine attributes.
“Christ was the Son of God; He had been one with Him before the angels were called into existence. He had ever stood at the right hand of the Father; His supremacy, so full of blessing to all who came under its benignant control, had not heretofore been questioned. The harmony of heaven had never been interrupted; wherefore should there now be discord?” {E. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 38, 39}
Yes, wherefore should now be discord still?
Book – Putting the Pieces Together
(1) “the heavenly Trio”
(2) “there never was a time”
(3) “life, original, unborrowed, underived”
(4) “eternal heavenly dignitaries”
(5) “as much a person”
(6) “Holy Spirit is a person”
(7) “third person of the Godhead”
(8) “three highest powers”
(9) “gave themselves”
(10) “three holiest beings”
Appendix I
(Dr. Kellogg & the Trinity)
Appendix II
(How many divine beings?)
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