Preexistence of the Church
Preexistence of the Church

Preexistence of the Church

The Prophetic Preexistence of the Church

Many passages in the New Testament indicate in a similar sense to Christ’s preexistence the church existed in a prophetic or notional sense. That is in the sense that God had foreknown the church and made provision for our salvation beforehand according to the master plan hidden for ages in God. The section below gives a sampling of the many scriptural references indicating that believers were blessed and had glory with the Father before the world existed. 

Like Jesus, the Father intended us for glory before the world existed

The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Rom 8:18) Creation was subject to futility in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Rom 8:20-21) We who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoptions as sons. (Rom 8:23) For those who love God, all things work together for god for those who are called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28) Those he foreknew and also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Rom 8:29) Vessels of mercy, God prepared beforehand for glory – even use whom he has called that we might be called ‘sons of the living God’. (Rom 9:22-26) This is the secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. (1 Cor 2:6-7) No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor heart imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Cor 2:9) The home we have is eternal in the heavens, made not with hands but a building from God. (2 Cor 5:1) He who has prepared for us a heavenly dwelling and immortality is God (2 Cor 5:2-5)

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has blessed us in Christ and chose us in him before the foundation of the world. (Eph 1:3-4). In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. (Eph 3:5) According to his grace the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, has been made known to us. (Eph 1:7-10) In him we obtain an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. (Eph 1:11). We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10) God who saved us called us to a holy calling because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. (2 Tim 1:8-9)

To permission sit at the right or left hand of Christ is not his to grant, but for whom it has been prepared by the Father. (Mat 20:23) When the Son of Man comes in his glory, the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’. (Mat 25:31-34) Jesus said to the Father, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:4-5)  Then Jesus continued to pray on behalf on those who will believe in him saying “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become  perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:20-23) and Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24). As Christ was blessed and loved before the foundation of the world, so also were we. (Eph 1:3-4).

Romans 8:18-23 (ESV), the glory that is to be revealed to us -the revealing of the sons of God

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:28-29 (ESV), His purpose—he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 9:22-26 (ESV), The riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

1 Corinthians 2:6-9 (ESV), We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (ESV), That we would be further clothed—He who has prepared us for this very thing is God

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

Ephesians 1:3-11 (ESV), God – he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV), We are created in Christ Jesus for good works – which God prepared beforehand

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

2 Timothy 1:8-10 (ESV), God who saved us—of his own purpose and grace – which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began

“God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus.”

Titus 1:2-3 (ESV), In hope of eternal life, which God promised before the ages began

 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began 3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

Matthew 20:23 (ESV), To sit at my right hand and at my left – it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father

He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

Matthew 25:31-34 (ESV), Blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

John 17:1-5 (ESV), Glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

John 17:20-26 (ESV), The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are on

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Biblical Map of Meaning

The logos is an aspect of God pertaining to God’s mind and intentions (wisdom). The Holy Spirit is also an aspect of God pertaining to his controlling influence (power). By God’s Intentions (logos) and through God’s controlling influence (Holy Spirit), all things come into existence. This is how the original creation (first Adam) was made and this is how Jesus Christ (the last Adam) came into existence. We are made a new creation, and receive adoptions of sons and inheritance into the Kingdom of God through Jesus the Messiah according to God’s eternal wisdom. 

The Word being made flesh = God speaking Jesus into existence according to his wisdom (logos)

John 1:14 (ESV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit (breath of God)

Luke 1:35 (ESV)

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.