Foundation of the World

One of the main reasons that Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Creator God and part
of a trinity is due to a misunderstanding of what is meant by Jesus being with God from the
beginning of the world.

John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the
foundation of the world.

and

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The verse in John 17 indicates that Jesus was beloved by God at the beginning. Christ's
humility, his glory, his sacrifice, his obedience, his very being were beloved concepts of God.
The creator rejoiced in the person of Christ, even before he was born. Similiarly, an earthly
mother and father will rejoice at the concept of their son or daughter, even before he is born.
They will put a face on him, imagine his virtues, his strengths, his legacy. They will develop a
love for their child before he is born; sometimes before he is conceived. This concept belongs
to the parents, it is a desire that is wholely part of their being. Such was God's desire:

the Word [logos, an expressed concept] was with God, and the Word [logos] was God.

This verse does not say that Jesus was with God and Jesus was God, it says that the concept
of Christ was with God and the concept of Christ was just as much God as God is God. Just as
a parent's concept of their child is as much the parent as the parent is the parent. In other
words, their thoughts, words and deeds are inseparable from their person.

Haven't you ever heard anyone say, "I am as good as my word", they are equating themselves
with their word. The same is true with God, but more so. God and His Word are inseparable.
Yes, the Word, the Concept [logos] was finally expressed in the manifestation of Jesus just as
the desire on the part of a parent is finally manifest in the birth of a child. The earthly child's
legacy may greatly diverge from the parent's original imagination and intent for the child.
Certainly some parts of their desires are fulfulled. But not so with God. All his desires were
fulfilled with Jesus's birth and his legacy.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am
well pleased.

So Jesus was God's word, his idea, his concept, his plan from before the foundation of the
world. What does this expression, the foundation of the world, (and others like it) mean?

The Foundation of the World

Something Happened--a Saviour is Needed!

John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the
foundation of the world (katabole kosmos).

There are other Greek words which would have more aptly been translated "foundation",
namely themelios, which means a literal solid foundation(or a fiqure based on that imagery). In
other words if Jesus were talking about the actual beginning of the world, this word themelios
would have been more suitable. But by using the phrase katabole kosmos, was he referring to
something more profound? Themelios, means foundation, such as the foundation or beginning
structure of a house, but katabole literally means "a casting down" and kosmos means "world".
The modern biological term "catabolism", derived from katabole, refers to the destructive
breaking down of complex materials in an organism for energy.

I do not know exactly what katabole kosmos is supposed to indicate. There are so many
theological opinions. Some say it represents a literal casting down of the foundation to begin
the world. Some say it represents a fiqurative "conception" of the world. Some say it
represents the casting down of Satan and renewing of the world (in Genesis 1:2). Some say it
represents the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden. Whatever it's meaning, katabole kosme
was used by Jesus, Paul, Peter, John and the writer of Hebrews (who I believe to be Paul). It
was a common expression but now it's exact meaning is lost. As theologians battle it out as to
the meaning I would like to propose it's understanding (in it's New Testament context) to mean,
"at the beginning of our need for a saviour."

The Beginning for our need for a Saviour!

This may seem strange to the temporal mind of man but there is a beginning of time and an
end of time. Within these ages of time (chronos) is our need for a savior from sin and relief
from the oppressive rule of Satan. Time (as is space and all phenomena) is created by God,
the creator. According to Paul in 2 Timothy 1:9 and Titus 1:1 there was a promise given by
God to the believers before "the ages of time" pro chronos aionios (some people argue that
aionios means "eternal", but it actually means "the ages"). That promise was (and is) Christ.
Within these ages of time our requirement for a savior becomes evident. The promise of that
Saviour was made to the serpent in the beginning. Genesis 3:15:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed [the offspring of the
devil] and her seed [the woman's seed, signifying Christ, the Son of God, born of a woman]; it
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The saviour finally made his appearance; born in Bethlehem in a manger. He began as a
helpless baby but would become the ruler of the universe. The angel of the Lord (most likely
Gabriel) made this announcement to the shepherds.

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ [The
Annointed One, Messiah] the Lord [King of Kings].

The end of time comes when the Saviour defeats sin, subdues Satan's kingdom and lays all
things in subjection at the feet of God, the creator.

1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also
himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Then time will end!

Rev 10:5,6 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his
hand to heaven, And swore by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, and the
things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the
things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

Time no longer! No More clocks, no more seasons, no more day and night. Just God and us
and whatever He has planned for our mutual fellowship.

Who and what is with God at the Foundation of the World

Matthew 13:34-35 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a
parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,
saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from
the foundation of the world.

Secrets were kept from the Foundation of the World.

Matthew 25:31-34 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with
him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all
nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep
from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then
shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

The Kingdom prepared for God's Sheep was prepared from the Foundation of the
World

Luke 11:48-50 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed
killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send
them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be
required of this generation;

The Blood of Prophets was shed from the Foundation of the World

Ephesians 1:4-5 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God chose us as his Children before the Foundation of the World

Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my
wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of
the world.

God's Works were finished from the Foundation of the World

Hebrews 9:24-26 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are
the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor
yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every
year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the
world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself.

Christ has NOT suffered from the Foundation of the World. However sacrifices have
been performed since then.

1Peter1:19-20 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in
these last times for you,

Christ was foreordained before the Foundation of the World

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before
the world began [before the ages of time],

Grace was given to us Before the Ages of Time

Titus 1:1-2 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of
God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal
life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began [before the ages of time];

Eternal life was promised Before the Ages of Time

What will become of the believers at the end?

1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:
but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

This is a great verse! It tells the born-again believers that when Christ appears (near the end of
the ages of time) we will be made like him. Now, if we believe Jesus is God, we would have to
admit (as do some occult "Christian" religions-- such as Mormonism) that we will also become
God and part of the Godhead--a mighty big trinity if you ask me! But Jesus is not God the
creator, he is god in the oriental sense because of his extreme magnificence as God's
Messiah, the only begotten Son of God and the King of Kings

But what is the truth of it? Upon Jesus's appearing, the born-again believers will be changed.
See I Corinthians 15:

1Corinthians 15:51-53 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all
be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

How will we be changed? It says we will be made immortal and incorruptible. Jesus in his
glorious resurrected body is now immortal and incorruptible. So as it says in I John 3:2, "we
shall be like him."

Jesus was born a mortal baby. He took upon himself the sins of all mankind and died on the
cross. He was laid in the tomb. He was resurrected by the hand of God and given
incorruptibility and immortality. He then ascended into heaven in this glorified body. In like
manner according to I Corinthians and I John, we, who believe, will follow suit. We will be raised
from the dead (if we happen to be dead). If we are alive we will be changed to incorruptibility
and immortality. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15 it says, For this we say unto you by the word of the
Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not [precede] them
which are [dead]. In other words, for a brief moment, the dead will be raised and glorified and
then those who are alive will follow them into this glorification.

Soon after will come the end of time when all evil will be resolved.

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former
things are passed away.

In conclusion, there is a beginning of time and an end of time. In the Bible, the beginning of time
is notated as the Foundation of the World. All history is called the Ages of Time (the time in
which we needed the Saviour Jesus Christ--who did not pre-exist before his birth in
Bethlehem). But God did have an exact concept and plan for both Jesus Christ and believers in
Christ even before time began. The end of time will be when Christ fulfills his purpose and then
lays all things at the feet of the almighty God, for he said in John 14:28:

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye
would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father-- for my Father is greater than I.