The Eternal Deity of Jesus

 Uniting Heaven and Earth

Christ in Philippians and Colossians 

Lesson 8 - Friday Further Thought 

The Eternal Deity of Jesus

At the heart of the gospel stands a staggering claim: Jesus Christ is not merely a great teacher, prophet, or exalted being—He is eternal God. Colossians declares that Christ is “before all things” and that “in Him all things consist” (Col. 1:17, NKJV). That is not the language of a created being. That is the language of the Creator.

Paul goes even further: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth… All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16). If all things were created by Him, then He Himself cannot be part of the created order. He stands outside of it—eternal, self-existent, sovereign.

Why This Matters for Salvation

Now think carefully: What if Jesus had been created?

If Christ were anything less than eternal God, the entire plan of salvation collapses. A created being—even the highest created being—could not bear the infinite weight of the world’s sin. Sin against an infinite, holy God carries infinite consequence. Only an infinite Savior could provide an infinite atonement.

John opens with unmistakable clarity: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Verse 3 adds, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Then verse 14 tells us the Word became flesh. The One hanging on the cross was the eternal Word.

If Jesus were created:

• His sacrifice would be limited.

• His righteousness would not be divine.

• His power to save would be insufficient.

• Our assurance would be uncertain.

But because He is eternal God, His sacrifice carries infinite value. Colossians 1:19–20 tells us that in Him “all the fullness” dwells, and through Him God reconciles “all things” by the blood of His cross. The fullness of deity gives fullness to redemption.

What Is Lost If He Is Not Eternal?

If Christ were not eternal:

• The cross becomes the death of a noble martyr, not the self-giving of God.

• Salvation becomes a transaction among creatures, not the Creator entering history.

• Worship becomes misplaced, even idolatrous.

• The hope of eternal life becomes fragile.

Hebrews 1:8 declares of the Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” Revelation 1:8 calls Him “the Alpha and the Omega… who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Eternity belongs to Him.

This doctrine is not abstract theology. It is the foundation of your confidence. When you kneel at the cross, you are not trusting in a created intermediary. You are trusting in God Himself—eternal, unchanging, all-sufficient.

And that changes everything.

Because if the One who died for you is eternal, then His love is eternal. If His being has no beginning and no end, neither will the salvation He secured.

The Personal Implication

This truth demands worship, trust, and surrender. The eternal Creator stepped into time. The One who holds the universe together allowed nails to pierce His hands. The cross was not God delegating salvation—it was God accomplishing it.

If Jesus is eternal God, then your salvation rests on an unshakable foundation. If He is not, then everything is uncertain.

There is no middle ground.

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Prayer

Eternal Father,
We praise You for sending not a created being, but Your eternal Son. Thank You that Jesus is before all things, above all things, and that in Him all the fullness dwells. Strengthen our faith in His eternal deity. Guard us from any thinking that diminishes who He is. Help us to rest in the finished work of the cross, knowing that our salvation is secured by the infinite, everlasting God.
In the name of Jesus—the Alpha and the Omega—we pray,
Amen. 

More on Lesson 8: The Preeminence of Christ 

This Quarter's Sabbath School Lessons Here: Christ in Philippians and Colossians