Christ did not pre-exist; he began at conception; existed in God's plan before
The COGC denies the pre-existence of Jesus Christ as a personal divine being. Jesus did not exist before his conception in Mary's womb — he had no prior personal existence in heaven or elsewhere. Before his birth, Jesus existed only in the foreknowledge and purpose of God: he was 'foreordained before the foundation of the world' (1 Peter 1:20) in God's plan, but not in personal reality.
Texts that appear to teach pre-existence — John 1:1-14, John 8:58, and Philippians 2:6-7 — are interpreted by the COGC in ways that do not require a personally pre-existent divine being. John 1:1's 'Word' (Logos) is read as God's creative plan or wisdom, not a distinct divine person. John 8:58 is read as speaking of Jesus' preordained status in God's purposes. Philippians 2:6 is read as describing Jesus' character as the image of God during his earthly life.
This denial of pre-existence is consistent with the COGC's broader non-Trinitarian theology and its commitment to reading Scripture without Nicene presuppositions. The COGC holds that the first-century Jewish monotheistic context of the New Testament makes it inconceivable that the apostles intended to affirm the pre-existence of Jesus as a divine being alongside the Father.
Key Distinctions
- Preexistence affirmed:
- denied — Jesus had no personal pre-existence before his conception in Mary
- Ot identity:
- not applicable — Father alone acts in OT
Scripture References
Sources
- Church of God General Conference Statement of Faith