CHRIST BEFORE CREATION Gene Edwards Book Review

Book Review
CHRIST BEFORE CREATION
Introducing Christ and
the Unseen Realm
Gene Edwards, Author
© 2003 by Gene Edwards
Published by The SeedSowers
ISBN 0-940232-04-9
Retail price: $9.95
Trade Paperback
73 pages



I do NOT recommend this book or the series Chronicles of Heaven by Gene Edwards.


Christ Before Creation by Gene Edwards is an eye-opening, thought-provoking book. It is the introduction to his Chronicles of Heaven series. What needs to be remembered is that words that provoke thought are good. Christians need to be able to discern both that which is theologically sound, and also what is not.


My concern about what Edwards has written as his introduction is that although he has made some good points, there are portions that not only border the heretical but cross the line. The book is very mystical, in that it is attempting to explain with human words that which is not human—thus making a noble effort toward an impossible task. How can anyone explain the composition of God—an entity that is both everywhere yet cannot be seen physically at the same time? How can anyone explain what has never been seen? Quoting from the Holy Bible NIV, a passage where God speaks to Moses:

19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and
I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I
will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20
But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." (Exodus
33: 19,20 NIV)

Another biblical quotation, as spoken by Jesus Christ, tells us that we have viewed at least a portion of God:

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14: 9 NIV)

Whether one believes as a revelation from God that Gene Edwards is correct, or that his conclusions have been arrived at erroneously and thus are not true overall, his is not the only speculation of the unseen nor will it be the last. However, without the reader’s good understanding from wisdom given by God and knowledge of Scripture from reading, the reader may assume Edwards to be fact—if the book is understood at all.


This is deep theological stuff here—and should not be understood or accepted without thinking it through, for a lot of it is out of the realm of traditional Christian thought. The following are examples of Edwards’ theories followed by my conclusions.


Before I do so, however, I must present one more comment. My main reason for reading this series of books was to find out how the author explained the existence of Jesus as part of the creating process as opposed to Jesus’ existence in the dual form of God and Human during His physical life, and the explanation is not there. Edwards begins by stating that before creation the Trinity was, and that it always has been. He speaks of the three separate natures as one (co-existing, cohesive) unit, and offers no premise other than it is. In this case there is part good—that he acknowledges the Trinity’s being in the manner of accepted Christian doctrine, and not so good—in that he begins his explanation with the unexplainable, offering no discourse on why this needs be where the beginning is. In my opinion, there should be Scripture supporting why the existence of the Trinity from the beginning is true.


Example 1: Edwards states that God (Trinity) has always been, and that there has never been a time when “nothingness” has existed. (I take this as fact.) He then continues to state that all that exists is God/Jesus/Spirit—gold, the sun, the moon.


My opinion: No—certainly created by God, and in this sense viewed as sacred, but only man was created in His own image.


Example 2: The author continues the thought of Example 1 by stating … “And creation was strewn with pictures of Him. That moon up in the sky is not the true reality. That moon is a picture of Christ.” [p.5]).


My opinion: This is pure heresy of the Gnostic form. To create is to bring something into being, that is, into existence—not just “pictures” or representations. We are here, gold is here, the sun and moon are here, and so are the trees, buildings and everything else.


Example 3: Before creation happened (as told in the book of Genesis) God brought into being all that would be. Names of those who are predestined to salvation (people who will return home to their place of creating) were written in The Book of Life, and were given free will during their lifetimes, in which God never interfered. God also crucified His Son (Jesus) and brought all of His chosen children home as the Bride of Christ before creation happened. At the point of creation, the timeless intersected with (created) time and the process that already happened began.


Why did creation happen at all? Edwards’ reasoning is the Jesus was lonely (not stated, but firmly implied) and thus was creating His Bride who would worship and adore Him.


My opinion: This is speculation that may or may not be true, but is based upon erroneous assumption. God is complete in Himself—always has been, always will be. As God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, His existence can want for nothing. Certainly the church as the Body of Christ is also the Bride of Christ, and this may be how Edwards arrived at his conclusion, false as it is. Jesus, if I may again say so, as God, as part of the Holy Trinity, is complete in Himself. He doesn’t need His Bride to be whole. The miracle for us is that we do belong to Him at all.


Jesus being crucified before being created is impossible. Jesus as God was not crucified. It was His flesh that was killed. Edwards also states that as we come from God and we are part of God so thus we also were crucified with Christ before being created in time as we know it—as presented below also, how can what is created be killed before it is actually created? Edwards says this is part of the mystery—I find the connection he attempts to make far beyond plausible.


Example 4: God placed His chosen within the Book of Life and sealed it until they return to the mystical, unseen realm. In the meantime God does not interfere and allows man complete free will.


My opinion: Predestination may or may not be true. My own belief is that all are created in God’s image and thus the invitation is open to all, yet some will choose with the free will they have been given to reject His forgiveness and existence.


God’s so-to-speak “interference” is present throughout the Old and New Testaments. Edward is plain old off-the-beaten-path. Look at it this way: How can God, who is everywhere and who also abides within His children not be a part of them? How can we be living our lives as Paul stated in Galatians 2:20 without God “interfering”?


The explanation the author gives regarding the co-existence of predestination and free will is plausible, and certainly if accepted would end a lot of theological controversy—but only if it includes living lives as God wills for us.


Example 5: Gene Edward uses one whole page to state the following sentence: “The ultimate end of this revelation of Christ is that this Christ lives in you!”


My opinion: This is a true salvation statement, and one that can be made without the thought process that Edwards presents.


Example 6: Edwards’ introduction to this book, which is an introduction to his series, Chronicles of Heaven, quotes Ephesians 1:3. As Edwards quotes Scripture: “You have been given all the riches of heavenly places which are in Christ Jesus.”



My opinion: He doesn’t give which translation he uses. I couldn’t find this wording.
My conclusion: I will not be reading the series, Chronicles of Heaven.


Interestingly, I have been steered toward a book titled, Sit, Stand, Walk by Watchman Nee. He also uses the Ephesians 1:3 verse. I look forward to reading and reviewing this book next.

I do NOT recommend this book or the series, Chronicles of Heaven.

...babamarusia