Before Jesus was born Christ was! The Christ was present with God and was God: He made everything that is (John 1:1-5). That same Christ became flesh in Jesus of Nazareth. Yet, He was before creation, He was the instrument of creation and was active in it before He was present in it. It was the Spirit of Christ who spoke of Himself to the ancient prophets. He is active by prevenient grace in every human heart. He expresses to all Christlike ways and some have experienced it who have not yet learned His name. He is not just the Jewish Christ that Christians profess. He is the Cosmic Universal Christ who is Lord of all. He is the unknown God of Mars Hill (Acts 17:22-28). He is the Hidden Christ come to bring salvation to all. He is at work in the hearts of all. Evangelism is to tell the whole world who He is.
“Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.” (1 Peter 1:10–11 ESV).
