IS JESUS SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER?

In the name of Creator most Merciful and Beneficent.

According to the so many preachers Jesus is same yesterday, today and forever in view of Paul. Now the question is in which status Jesus has been right from the beginning? Whether he has been as God? Or he has been as the Christ? The answer of so many preachers is that- Jesus has been in the status of God! To prove their argument somehow, they show the following verse.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. –Hebrews 13:8

We find Jesus in the above verse to have been in the three ages in the same status. In which status he has been in those three ages? Answer is he has been in the status of Christ but not as God. Let us we analysis this point in the light of prophecies.

HOW WAS JESUS YESTERDAY (BEFORE HIS COMING INTO THIS WORLD)?

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor – Isaiah 61:1

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince. – Daniel 9:25

To preach good tidings to poor Jesus had been appointed by God before his coming into this world. This is because prophecy foretells that Messiah would come. Messiah means one who appointed or anointed by God so as to preach the message and to make people act according to it practically. But the Christ who appointed by God can in no way be regarded as part of God or incarnate of God as is being preached by some preachers. We find the messiah translated to be Christ. “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ)” – John 1:41. So before coming into this world Jesus was appointed in the status of Messiah but not as God means we can say that before coming in to this world Jesus was in the status of Christ.

Here one question may be raised that when Jesus was appointed by God before his coming in to this world then why cannot we say that he might be in the equal status with God? Moreover Jesus also said that “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). In fact, the doctrine of Trinity has been emerged out of this type of presumptions. But what important to note is that Jesus also “the Beginning of the creation of God (Rev 3:14)” means he was fist created by God in the beginning. Here beginning means first. So many have given lot of definitions to the word beginning to attribute somehow the divinity to Jesus. But the correct meaning is Jesus is the first or beginning creature of God. Therefore after he has been created by God since then he has been in the status of Christ.

HOW WAS JESUS TODAY (WHEN HE WAS IN THIS WORLD)?

Now let us see what the testimony is of dispels about the status of Jesus in the following verses.

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:15, 16

Jesus has confirmed the testimony of Peter aforementioned. That is why Jesus has declared about him that he was Christ sent by God as follows.

And do not be called teachers; for one is your Teacher, the Christ. – Matthew 23:10

And this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. – John 17:3

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He. – John 4:25, 26

According to the above verses Jesus was in the status of Christ appointed by God while he was in this world. In the third verse of the above we can see very clearly the woman to have said before Jesus as- “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ)” in turn Jesus repaid saying as - “I who speak to you am he (Messiah)”

HOW WOULD BE JESUS FOREVER (AFTER HIS ASCENSION TO THE HEAVEN)?

“Forever” refers to “After the period of ascension of Jesus from this world.” So who have to confirm that in which status Jesus would be forever? Obviously the Apostle and Paul have to confirm regarding the status of Jesus that after his ascension from this world whether Jesus would be in the status of God or of Christ? Now Let us see what is the testimony of Apostle and Paul about the status of Jesus after his ascension.

TESTIMONY OF APOSTLE:

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. –Acts 5:42

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? – 1 John 2:22

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. – 1 John 5:1

We find clearly the Apostle to have testified that Jesus would be in the status of Christ forever. But they have not presumed that Jesus might have transformed as God after he ascended to the heaven so Jesus is God as imagined by the present day’s preachers.

TESTIMONY OF PAUL:

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. – Acts 9:22

This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ. –Acts 17:3

For he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. – Acts 18:28

In this way we find Paul also to have propagated and proved that Jesus is Christ according to the so many prophecies but we cannot find him to have argued with Jews that Jesus is God! This means the Apostle and Paul also believed Jesus that he was Messiah sent by God but they never have imagined that Jesus was God himself. So in view of Paul Jesus Christ is the same status that Messiah (Christ) in the three ages i.e. yesterday, today, and forever. But not in the status of God or equal with God. May God give us to understand these facts. –Amen.

IS JESUS SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER? | answerofbible.com

IS JESUS SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER?

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