Before the foundation of the world (1)

Friday April 16, 2021

No one has ever seen God; God the Only Begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, is the one who made him known. John 1. 18

(Jesus said) : Father... you loved me before the foundation of the world. John 17. 24

Before the foundation of the world (1)

We find the expression "before the foundation of the world", that is to say before the universe exists, in three texts of the Word of God. The first alludes to the Father's eternal love for the Son (John 17. 24), the second to the Lamb of God appointed in advance from eternity (1 Peter 1. 20), and the third to the eternal election of believers (Ephesians 1. 4).

- The eternal love of the Father for the Son :

Before going to the cross, Jesus prays for his disciples. He wants to have them with him in heaven, so that they can see the glory that his Father has given him. He adds : "For you loved me before the foundation of the world".

"God is love", affirms the epistle of John (1 John 4. 8, 16). Love is part of the nature of God, and was expressed before the foundation of the world between God the Father and "Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father" (2 John 3). In the gospel, Jesus is called "the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father" (John 1:18). The term "is" expresses absolute permanence. The Son is the center of the Father's love, outside of time and space. When Jesus came into the world, he remained "the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father". And it will be forever.

The eternal existence of the Son of God, the center of the Father's love, is therefore linked to the nature of God. To question it would be to ignore the nature of the God of love.

The Son of God came to reveal this love to men. From now on, he can say to his Father about those whom he has saved : "You have loved them as you have loved me" (John 17. 23).

(continued the next 2 Friday)

Source (The Good Seed)