Question: The Bible says that Jesus made everything that was created. Does that mean that there are things that exist which weren’t created? – J.C., Oklahoma.
First, I want to thank you for taking the time to write to us. It means a lot and we appreciate it.
The Bible does indeed teach that Jesus created everything that was created. John 1:1-3 says:
In the beginning was the Word [Jesus, see verse 14], and the Word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him [there] was not anything made that was made.
This passage is very explicit. If something/someone was created, Jesus is the one who created it. ZERO exceptions.
The Bible also teaches that there are things which exist that were not created. That means there are things which exist that are eternal. They have no beginning.
The first one that probably pops in your mind is God. God is eternal, with no beginning. He was not created. His very name Jehovah means “the ever existing one.” The Scriptures teach us that God is the one who created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, Job 38:4). He is the Creator, not the creation.
Because of what John says about Jesus (see the verses above), we can know with 100% certainty that Jesus was not created, for He created everything that was created. If, as some people claim, Jesus was created, then the Scriptures make no sense by claiming that Jesus created Himself. That is an absolute absurdity. Jesus is eternal.
Because the Holy Spirit is also “God,” or a part of the Godhead, we can know that He is also eternal. He was present before God said “let there be light” (see Genesis 1:2-3), and therefore existed before creation took place.
Are there other things/beings that might fall under the “not-created” category? There are no clear, unambiguous statements in Scripture that would allow us to say that with absolute certainty. However, there are some who believe that angels are eternal (since they appear to be present when God began the creation—Job 38:4-7). It is also not uncommon to find those who believe that Satan is also eternal, since there is no mention of his being created, and Jesus said that he existed “from the beginning” (John 8:44, I John 3:8).
So, to answer your question: Yes, there are some things/beings which were not created. They are eternal. Among them (for certain) is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Whether any other things/beings also fit under this heading is a matter of supposition which—though it may be true—lacks a clear statement of Scripture to prove it.
-Bradley S. Cobb