This question touches on two important matters ‘is Jesus is eternal?’ or ‘was Jesus created by God for the forgiveness of mankind’s sins?’
The brief answer is that Jesus is not a created being, but He existed from eternity along with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Although this answer might be familiar to most Christians, it is essential to note that there is opposition from those who claim the contrary.
One of the verses wrongly used to support claims that Jesus was created is the following:
Colossians 1:15 (NIV)
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
In the above verse, the word “firstborn” has been incorrectly interpreted out of context by some to state that God created Jesus. But, let’s look at another verse to validate the use of the word “firstborn”;
Psalm 87:27 (NIV)
And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
This verse addresses King David as the firstborn son of Jesse, but was David actually Jesse’s firstborn son? No, he was the last born son.
So why does the verse in Psalms refer to him as a firstborn? It is the same reason it relates to Jesus as the firstborn Son of God – it refers to Him as the pre-eminent or the distinguished Son.
Likewise, in the Colossians verse above, the Greek word used is ‘Prototokos’ which means pre-eminent / distinguished, and when used in context, literally means ‘First in rank.’
While writing Colossians, if Paul wanted to call Jesus a ‘created being,’ he would have used the word for Jesus “Protoktistos,” which Greek scholars mention can be translated as ‘founded’ or ‘first created.’
Additionally, if we continue to read the following verses in Corinthians, Paul declares ‘Jesus was before all things’ meaning before creation itself:
Colossians 1:17 (NIV)
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Jesus often spoke of His unique origin of having pre-existed in heaven before coming into this world. Here are some clear examples found in scripture.
To the hostile Jews, Jesus declared that there was a distinction between Him and them;
John 8:23 (NKJV)
And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above.
You are of this world; I am not of this world.
Jesus also makes His heavenly origin when He addresses His disciples;
John 6:62 (NKJV)
What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend
where He was before?
John 16:28 (NKJV)
I came forth from the Father and have come into the world.
Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”
In His high priestly prayer, Jesus also spoke of the glory He had with the Father before the world existed.
John 17:5 (NKJV)
And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself,
with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
We also have a clear statement from apostle John in his book where he refers to Jesus as the preexistent God who created all things:
John 1:3 (NKJV)
All things were made through Him,
and without Him nothing was made that was made.
In conclusion, Jesus is NOT a created being.
He existed from eternity, and at the appointed time, He chose to come down to earth for the redemption of mankind so that we could be saved from the clutches of sin.
THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE; WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT HAS BEEN MADE.
JOHN 1:3 (NIV)
