There are a few passages in the Spirit of Prophecy which seem to suggest that Christ had a beginning. I will take each of those quotes, carefully observe the expressions and grammar used by Ellen White, the Bible evidence that she brings, and compare them with other quotes where those expressions are found. Sometimes I will put the link to other notes which explain some aspects more fully.

There are two methods to study and interpret information. Deductive study is when you start from an established truth, and you draw conclusions from it. Inductive study is when you put together many smaller pieces of data to establish one truth. Both methods have their place.

In this case, deductive study is the right method to use. This means that I will interpret these few quotes in light of some established principles. These principles are revealed in two chapters of the Ministry of Healing and are explained more at large in another note (What is Revealed About God). If you haven't already, please go ahead and read that note. I will give a brief explanation here as well, but it will be far easier to understand if that foundation is laid down.

Principles used

One of the foundation principles when studying the topic of God is that His nature has simply not been revealed to man.

“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever.” Deuteronomy 29:29. The revelation of Himself that God has given in His word is for our study. This we may seek to understand. But beyond this we are not to penetrate. The highest intellect may tax itself until it is wearied out in conjectures regarding the nature of God, but the effort will be fruitless. This problem has not been given us to solve. No human mind can comprehend God. None are to indulge in speculation regarding His nature. Here silence is eloquence. The Omniscient One is above discussion.

Even the angels were not permitted to share the counsels between the Father and the Son when the plan of salvation was laid. And human beings are not to intrude into the secrets of the Most High. We are as ignorant of God as little children; but, as little children, we may love and obey Him. Instead of speculating in regard to His nature or His prerogatives, let us give heed to the words He has spoken. (MH 429)

What does the word nature mean? According to Webster's 1828 dictionary, it is the essence which constitutes something. Second, it also means "the agent, creator, author, producer or powers that produce" that thing.

The above quote draws two definite boundaries: we should keep silence regarding the essence of God's being, and regarding His origin and the cause of His existence. God has not revealed the why, how, or when He became God.

Therefore, if somebody places two Bible verses side by side and draws a conclusion which "reveals" something about God's nature, or cause of existence, it's simply not the right combination.

What to do with difficult texts

In our personal study, we will meet passages that, to us or to others, may appear to strongly suggest something about Christ's beginning. What should we do in this kind of situation? Should we discard those portions as uninspired? Should we seek for a middle ground, embracing the apparently logical interpretation that Christ had a beginning, and at the same time accept the truth that He was eternal? Should we reject the Christ's eternity altogether for the sake of this interpretation?

The pioneers met a similarly difficult situation in 1844, during the Great Disappointment. When Christ did not come as they had expected, some Adventists abandoned their faith. Others sought to explain that Christ had indeed come spiritually, not physically, which led to fanaticism. They left the foundation principles which had guided them up until that point.

But a faithful few waited. They knew that their foundation principles were true, that their experience was based on God's Word. Because they waited and prayed, God revealed to them the great truth about the sanctuary.

This was the attitude of our pioneers right after the Great Disappointment, and it should be our attitude as well. When we cannot reconcile a text with the foundation principles of our faith, we should not discard it as uninspired or rest content with a superficial explanation. We need to study, pray, and wait, until God reveals to us a better explanation of those passages. God's explanation will always be consistent with the basic principles. It may even open our eyes to wonderful truths which we haven't seen before. The waiting may take time, but it is worth it.

This being said, we will proceed to examine the quotes in question.

Begotten

The term "begotten" is an expression taken directly from Scriptures.

This quote shows that God has three types of sons:

1. Sons by creation. The angels and the inhabitants of other worlds are the sons of God by creation (Job 1:6; 38:7). Adam was also a son by creation (Luke 3:38).
2. Sons by adoption. Forgiven sinners are adopted as children of God (John 1:12; Romans 8:14-17). Sometimes, the word "begotten" is also used for the children of God that are born into His family by accepting Christ (1 John 5:1,18; 1 Corinthians 4:15; Philemon 1:10).
3. Only Christ is begotten. Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God. This is made clear both in the Old and the New Testaments. Because this is primarily Bible language, it will be explained in separate notes:
   • Sonship of Christ in Hebrews 1.
   • Sonship of Christ in Psalm 2
   • Sonship of Christ in Proverbs 8
   • Terms of the Covenant

Made one with God

First, we should make clear what it means to be one with God. It simply means equality with God, having divine prerogatives. When Jesus said, "I and my Father are one," the Jews correctly understood that He claimed equality with God:

Most people who believe in the divinity of Christ will agree with this, whether they sustain that Christ had a beginning or not.

The friction comes from one little detail in Ellen White's quote: "Jesus was made one with God."

Some understand this quote to say that there was a time when Jesus was not one with God. According to this view, Ellen White points to one moment far back in the days of eternity past when He was made one with the Father for the first time. According to this interpretation, after Christ was literally begotten of the Father, He was exalted to the position of equality with God, to be one with Him. His exaltation stirred Satan's jealousy and started the rebellion in heaven.

As I studied this text, I was constantly reminded of a clear, basic principle: God's nature is not revealed in this statement. The sentence "Jesus was made one with God" must, therefore, refer to something else. It does not seek to explain how and when Christ became equal with God.

I began to be more attentive as I read. I soon noticed, in other places in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy, that there were several times when Christ was made one with God, or equal with God.

We will take those events in reverse chronological order, starting with the last one and working back to the earliest one recorded for our knowledge. This will give us a clear picture of what it means to be made one with God.

The end of the Great Controversy

Philippians 2 gives us a good summary of Christ's journey for the redemption of man:

Notice the order of events:

1. Christ was equal with God (eternity past)
2. Christ was made in the likeness of men. (incarnation)
3. Christ became obedient unto death. (crucifixion)
4. God has exalted Him and given Him a name above every other name. (resurrection and ascension)
5. Every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (the end of the Great Controversy)

Jesus was equal with God before He came to earth. When He walked on earth, He was still God and declared Himself so (John 10:30-33). At His ascension, the Father calls Jesus "God" (Hebrews 1:8). Clearly, Christ is equal with God at this very moment, too.

This being said, let us read a fascinating statement:

Not until the fullness of the time shall come will the crucified and risen Saviour assume His equality with God. (Ms 77, 1899, par. 36)

Wait, didn't we just read that Christ is equal with God? Why does He have to wait to assume this equality? To find out the answer, let us read the quote in context:

All must wait for the appointed time, until the warning shall have gone to all parts of the world, until sufficient light and evidence has been given to every soul. Some will have less light than others, but each one will be judged according to the light received. Not until the fullness of the time shall come will the crucified and risen Saviour assume His equality with God. Patiently has He waited in the heavenly courts in behalf of His people who have suffered for their loyalty to Him. Patiently has He waited for the gospel of the kingdom to be preached in all parts of the world, until all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples have received the light of God’s Word.

Christ secured probation for man at an infinite cost. He must suffer for the life of the world, that God’s purpose in creating man might not be defeated. He must destroy the apostate, for His death meant life to all who believe and death to all who will not be obedient. Nothing less than His own life would atone for man’s life. He must restore men by placing them on vantage ground, everyone who would believe in Him as a personal Saviour. (Ms 77, 1899, par. 36, 37)

Christ will assume His equality with God when His church will be made up.

For us, they may appear as two disconnected elements. Why is Christ dependent on His church to be exalted up to equality with God? We must keep in mind that Christ does nothing, unless His church can also do it together with Him. "He declared it to be his will that where he was, there his church should be; if he was to have glory, his people must share it with him." (3SP 202.2) Keep these two elements linked: Christ assuming His equality with God and the making up of His church.

When will Christ's church be made up? Let us go to the scene when the Great Controversy will be ended:

. . . With all the facts of the great controversy in view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord declare: “Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.”

Before the universe has been clearly presented the great sacrifice made by the Father and the Son in man's behalf. The hour has come when Christ occupies His rightful position and is glorified above principalities and powers and every name that is named. It was for the joy that was set before Him—that He might bring many sons unto glory—that He endured the cross and despised the shame. And inconceivably great as was the sorrow and the shame, yet greater is the joy and the glory. He looks upon the redeemed, renewed in His own image, every heart bearing the perfect impress of the divine, every face reflecting the likeness of their King. He beholds in them the result of the travail of His soul, and He is satisfied. Then, in a voice that reaches the assembled multitudes of the righteous and the wicked, He declares: “Behold the purchase of My blood! For these I suffered, for these I died, that they might dwell in My presence throughout eternal ages. (GC 670-671)

Before the entire universe and all living beings that have ever existed, Christ will assume His equality with God.

Now Christ again appears to the view of his enemies. Far above the city, upon a foundation of burnished gold, is a throne, high and lifted up. Upon this throne sits the Son of God, and around him are the subjects of his kingdom. The power and majesty of Christ no language can describe, no pen portray. The glory of the Eternal Father is enshrouding his Son. The brightness of his presence fills the city of God, and flows out beyond the gates, flooding the whole earth with its radiance.

Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the “great multitude which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues,” “before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” Their warfare is ended, their victory won. They have run the race and reached the prize. The palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is theirs. . .

In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and Heaven takes place the final coronation of the Son of God. And now, invested with supreme majesty and power, the King of kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against his government, and executes justice upon those who have transgressed his law and oppressed his people. (4SP 479-480)

Christ was equal with God (Phil. 2:6-7), but He will assume this equality in a public way after the millennium.

At His ascension

We have seen that Christ will be made equal with God at the end of the Great Controversy, before the entire universe.

The second scene that we will examine is the time when Christ was reinstated on the Father's throne at His ascension:

He enters into the presence of His Father. He points to His wounded head, the pierced side, the marred feet; He lifts His hands, bearing the print of nails. He points to the tokens of His triumph; He presents to God the wave sheaf, those raised with Him as representatives of that great multitude who shall come forth from the grave at His second coming. He approaches the Father, with whom there is joy over one sinner that repents; who rejoices over one with singing. Before the foundations of the earth were laid, the Father and the Son had united in a covenant to redeem man if he should be overcome by Satan. They had clasped Their hands in a solemn pledge that Christ should become the surety for the human race. This pledge Christ has fulfilled. When upon the cross He cried out, “It is finished,” He addressed the Father. The compact had been fully carried out. Now He declares: Father, it is finished. I have done Thy will, O My God. I have completed the work of redemption. If Thy justice is satisfied, “I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.” John 19:30; 17:24.

The voice of God is heard proclaiming that justice is satisfied. Satan is vanquished. Christ's toiling, struggling ones on earth are “accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:6. Before the heavenly angels and the representatives of unfallen worlds, they are declared justified. Where He is, there His church shall be. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10. The Father's arms encircle His Son, and the word is given, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” Hebrews 1:6. (DA 834)

All the heavenly host surround their majestic Commander as he takes his position upon the throne of the Father. With the deepest adoration and joy, the hosts of angels bow before him. . .

He is seated by the side of his Father on his throne. The Saviour presents the captives he has rescued from the bonds of death, at the price of his own life. His hands place immortal crowns upon their brows; for they are the representatives, and samples, of those who shall be redeemed, by the blood of Christ, from all nations, tongues, and people, and come forth from the dead, when he shall call the just from their graves at his second coming. Then shall they see the marks of Calvary in the glorified body of the Son of God. Their greatest joy will be found in the presence of Him who sitteth on the throne; and the enraptured saints will exclaim, My Beloved is mine, and I am his! He is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely! (3SP 252)

"Father,” He says, “I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.” And then the Father declares, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” The heavenly host prostrate themselves before Him, and raise their song of triumph and joy. Glory encircles the King of heaven, and was beheld by all the heavenly intelligences. No words can describe the scene which took place as the Son of God was publicly reinstated in the place of honor and glory which He voluntarily left when He became a man. (ST May 10, 1899, par. 17)

Christ was anointed as High Priest of the heavenly sanctuary, and the Holy Spirit was poured on the disciples to mark this important event. (See Feast of Pentecost)

When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity. (AA 38.3)

Ellen White summarizes this event in one simple idea: Christ was publicly taken into unison with God.

The demonstration of the Spirit came to glorify Christ by demonstrating that "I and My Father are one." (Ms 151, 1906)

The Priest and Sacrifice were now taken hold of by God in order. The One who was obedient unto death is now taken into eternal unison both as God and man. The Father says to Him, “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ms 115, 1897, par. 28)

Christ, the human-divine Redeemer, was taken into eternal unison with the Father. This is another way of saying that Christ was made one with the Father. It was a public ceremony.

1. The Father encircled His Son with His arms,
2. He surrounded Him with His glory, and
3. He gave Him a place on His throne.

Christ, in eternity past, "had dwelt in eternal light, as one with God" (DA 111.3). When walking on this earth, he declared, "I and my Father are one." Yet, at His ascension He was made one with Him by a public investment with light and glory, before the heavenly host and the church on earth.

Christ Glorified in the Temple

In the Gospel records, there are several occasions when Christ was surrounded with the Father's glory. On those occasions, the intimate communion between Himself and the Father was made visible to those beholding Him.

One of those occasions was in the temple, only a few days before His crucifixion and death.

Christ looked at the Greek men who had come to see Him.

"In these strangers He saw the pledge of a great harvest, when. . . all nations, tongues, and peoples should hear the message of salvation. The anticipation of this, the consummation of His hopes, is expressed in the words, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” But the way in which this glorification must take place was never absent from Christ's mind. The gathering in of the Gentiles was to follow His approaching death. Only by His death could the world be saved. Like a grain of wheat, the Son of man must be cast into the ground and die, and be buried out of sight; but He was to live again. (DA 622.2)

“Father, glorify Thy name,” He said. As Christ spoke these words, a response came from the cloud which hovered above His head: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” . . . As the voice was heard, a light darted from the cloud, and encircled Christ, as if the arms of Infinite Power were thrown about Him like a wall of fire. The people beheld this scene with terror and amazement. No one dared to speak. With silent lips and bated breath all stood with eyes fixed upon Jesus. The testimony of the Father having been given, the cloud lifted, and scattered in the heavens. For the time the visible communion between the Father and the Son was ended.

“The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to Him.” But the inquiring Greeks saw the cloud, heard the voice, comprehended its meaning, and discerned Christ indeed; to them He was revealed as the Sent of God.

The voice of God had been heard at the baptism of Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, and again at His transfiguration on the mount. Now at the close of His ministry it was heard for the third time, by a larger number of persons, and under peculiar circumstances. Jesus had just spoken the most solemn truth regarding the condition of the Jews. He had made His last appeal, and pronounced their doom. Now God again set His seal to the mission of His Son. He recognized the One whom Israel had rejected. “This voice came not because of Me,” said Jesus, “but for your sakes.” It was the crowning evidence of His Messiahship, the signal from the Father that Jesus had spoken the truth, and was the Son of God. (DA 624-625)

Notice the elements that comprised the crowning evidence that Jesus was the Son of God:

• A light encircled Christ.
• It looked like the arms of the Infinite Power surrounded Him like a wall of fire.
• Visible communion between the Father and the Son.

This was not a change in Christ's position, but it was a seal set on the fact that He was the Son of God. A seal is placed to authenticate something that is already true, even before setting the seal. Abraham, for example, received a visible seal to indicate a status which he already had:

This brings us back to our point: The glory which surrounded Jesus was a visible demonstration of something that was already true--that Christ was the Son of God. The title "Son of God" is another reference to His divinity:

Therefore, the circle of light which showed that He was the Son of God also showed that He was equal with God.

Christ Glorified on the Mount

Peter states that Christ was clothed with glory and honor on the Mount of Transfiguration:

The words "honour and glory" refer to garments of light (see also Ps. 8:4-5, where Adam is crowned with the same glory and honour):

What was the purpose of that light? What message did it convey to the disciples?

Only the three who are to witness His anguish in Gethsemane have been chosen to be with Him on the mount. Now the burden of His prayer is that they may be given a manifestation of the glory He had with the Father before the world was, that His kingdom may be revealed to human eyes, and that His disciples may be strengthened to behold it. He pleads that they may witness a manifestation of His divinity that will comfort them in the hour of His supreme agony with the knowledge that He is of a surety the Son of God and that His shameful death is a part of the plan of redemption.

His prayer is heard. While He is bowed in lowliness upon the stony ground, suddenly the heavens open, the golden gates of the city of God are thrown wide, and holy radiance descends upon the mount, enshrouding the Saviour's form. Divinity from within flashes through humanity, and meets the glory coming from above. Arising from His prostrate position, Christ stands in godlike majesty. The soul agony is gone. His countenance now shines “as the sun,” and His garments are “white as the light.” (DA 419-421)

This is another confirmation of what we have seen repeatedly up until now. The light surrounding Christ was a "manifestation of His divinity." It gave the disciples "the knowledge that He is of a surety the Son of God."

Notice also the union of two lights. "Divinity from within flashes through humanity" (light from Christ), and "meets the glory coming from above" (light from the Father). This is another instance when Christ and the Father are made one, in a way that is visible to the disciples.

Christ Glorified at His Baptism

Upon coming up out of the water, Jesus bowed in prayer on the river bank. . . He asks for the witness that God accepts humanity in the person of His Son. . . the Father Himself will answer the petition of His Son. Direct from the throne issue the beams of His glory. The heavens are opened, and upon the Saviour's head descends a dovelike form of purest light,—fit emblem of Him, the meek and lowly One.

Of the vast throng at the Jordan, few except John discerned the heavenly vision. Yet the solemnity of the divine Presence rested upon the assembly. The people stood silently gazing upon Christ. His form was bathed in the light that ever surrounds the throne of God. His upturned face was glorified as they had never before seen the face of man. From the open heavens a voice was heard saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” . . .

. . . As the glory of God encircled Him, and the voice from heaven was heard, John recognized the token which God had promised. He knew that it was the world's Redeemer whom he had baptized. . .

And the word that was spoken to Jesus at the Jordan, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” embraces humanity. God spoke to Jesus as our representative. With all our sins and weaknesses, we are not cast aside as worthless. “He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:6. The glory that rested upon Christ is a pledge of the love of God for us. . . The light which fell from the open portals upon the head of our Saviour will fall upon us as we pray for help to resist temptation. The voice which spoke to Jesus says to every believing soul, This is My beloved child, in whom I am well pleased. (DA 111-113)

Again, Christ was encircled with the glory of the Father at His baptism.

The visible communion between the Father and the Son--being surrounded by the light from the throne--is the crowning evidence of Christ's divinity and that He is the Son of God. This is the meaning of the expression "to be made one with God," or equal with God. It is a public investment with the Father's visible glory.

If you are still unsure, read again the scene of Christ's ascension. Mark the connection between the investment with glory, and Christ being made one with the Father:

The One who was obedient unto death is now taken into eternal unison both as God and man. (Ms 115, 1897, par. 28)

Glory encircles the King of heaven, and was beheld by all the heavenly intelligences.** No words can describe the scene which took place as the Son of God was publicly reinstated in the place of honor and glory which He voluntarily left when He became a man. (ST May 10, 1899, par. 17)

The demonstration of the Spirit came to glorify Christ by demonstrating that "I and My Father are one." (Ms 151, 1906)

The Counsel of Peace

When Adam and Eve fell, the Father and the Son had a "counsel of peace" (Zech. 6:13). Although the angels did not take part in it and could not hear their conversation, they were able to witness the light which surrounded both. This was the same light from God's throne, which at times encircled Christ on earth, and which proved His Sonship, His divinity, and His oneness with the Father.

Sorrow filled heaven, as it was realized that man was lost and that world which God had created was to be filled with mortals doomed to misery, sickness, and death, and there was no way of escape for the offender. The whole family of Adam must die. I saw the lovely Jesus and beheld an expression of sympathy and sorrow upon His countenance. Soon I saw Him approach the exceeding bright light which enshrouded the Father. Said my accompanying angel, He is in close converse with His Father. The anxiety of the angels seemed to be intense while Jesus was communing with His Father. Three times He was shut in by the glorious light about the Father, and the third time He came out from the Father, His person could be seen. His countenance was calm, free from all perplexity and doubt, and shone with benevolence and loveliness, such as words cannot express. SR 42.1

Before the Father He pleaded in the sinner's behalf, while the host of heaven awaited the result with an intensity of interest that words cannot express. Long continued was that mysterious communing—“the counsel of peace” (Zechariah 6:13) for the fallen sons of men. The plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth; for Christ is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8); yet it was a struggle, even with the King of the universe, to yield up His Son to die for the guilty race. But “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Oh, the mystery of redemption! the love of God for a world that did not love Him! Who can know the depths of that love which “passeth knowledge”? Through endless ages immortal minds, seeking to comprehend the mystery of that incomprehensible love, will wonder and adore. PP 63.3

Great Meeting Before the Father

When Satan started to spread rumors in heaven, making the angels doubt the Sonship of Christ, the Father made a public declaration of the true position of His Son. This public acknowledgement was confirmed by the words of the Father, but was also visibly demonstrated by Christ sitting on the Father's throne, and the glory of the Father encircling both.

The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father's throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both. About the throne gathered the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng—“ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” (Revelation 5:11.), the most exalted angels, as ministers and subjects, rejoicing in the light that fell upon them from the presence of the Deity. Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will. The Son of God had wrought the Father's will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due. Christ was still to exercise divine power, in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. But in all this He would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God's plan, but would exalt the Father's glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love. PP 36.2

Note: Some wonder whether the expression "to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will" supports the idea that Christ's divinity was given Him by the Father at one point in eternity past. This and other statements are best understood in the context of the everlasting covenant and the unity between the Father and the Son. Read Terms of the Covenant, Eternity of the Covenant, I and My Father are One.

Notice the glory of the Father that encircles both. This is a visible demonstration of the Sonship of Christ, of His divinity.

There had been no change in the position or authority of Christ. Lucifer's envy and misrepresentation and his claims to equality with Christ had made necessary a statement of the true position of the Son of God; but this had been the same from the beginning. PP 38.1

To most angels, this was not something new. They knew that Christ was the Son of God. When they tried to convince Lucifer that Christ was the Son of God, the argument that they brought was that Christ had ever dwelt at the right hand of God. In other words, that the light of the Father's glory had always surrounded Him.

But angels who were loyal and true maintained the wisdom and justice of the divine decree and endeavored to reconcile this disaffected being to the will of God. Christ was the Son of God; He had been one with Him before the angels were called into existence. He had ever stood at the right hand of the Father. . . PP 38.3

They clearly set forth that Christ was the Son of God, existing with Him before the angels were created; and that He had ever stood at the right hand of God, and His mild, loving authority had not heretofore been questioned; and that He had given no commands but what it was joy for the heavenly host to execute. (SR 15.2)

Councils of love

Let us come back to the initial quote, the one under question.

When did this exaltation take place? According to the previous cases, Jesus is exalted--made one with God, made equal with God--whenever the Father's light encircles Him, and the glory is visible to others.

Before Lucifer fell, there were times when this intimate communion was visible to him. These "councils of peace" (PP 63.3), elsewhere referred to as the "councils of love" (ST June 12, 1901, par. 6), stirred Lucifer's jealousy.

Christ had been taken into counsel with the Father in regard to his plans, while Satan was unacquainted with them. He did not understand, neither was he permitted to know, the purposes of God. (Signs of the Times, January 9, 1879, par. 2)

The angels where not permitted to share the counsels between the Father and the Son when the plan of salvation was laid. (MH 429)

The creation of our world was brought into the councils of heaven. There the covering cherub prepared his request that he should be made prince to govern the world then in prospect. This was not accorded him. Jesus Christ was to rule the earthly kingdom; under God He engaged to take the world with all its probabilities. The law of heaven should be the standard law for this new world, for human intelligences. Lucifer was jealous of Christ and this jealousy worked into rebellion and he carried with him a large number of the holy angels. (Ms 43b, 1891, par. 3)

When God said to His Son, “Let us make man in our image,” Satan was jealous of Jesus. He wished to be consulted concerning the formation of man, and because he was not, he was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. He desired to receive the highest honors in heaven next to God. (EW 145.1)

Before the fall of Satan, the Father consulted his Son in regard to the formation of man. They purposed to make this world, and create beasts and living things upon it, and to make man in the image of God, to reign as a ruling monarch over every living thing which God should create. When Satan learned the purpose of God, he was envious at Christ, and jealous because the Father had not consulted him in regard to the creation of man. (3SG 36.1)

This is the scene that Ellen White is referring to when she says that "Jesus was made one with God." The light from the Father's throne encircled both, as they held intimate communion concerning the creation and salvation of man.

Read the quote again. Could this be the first time when Jesus was made one with God, right after He was begotten? Does the wording imply that the Father conferred divinity on Christ? The passage doesn't seem to indicate this. The internal and external evidence points, rather, to the intimate communion, the "councils of love," made visible to the angels and to Lucifer.

The Light around the Throne

I will deviate a little from the topic and draw the attention to one small detail worth observing. What exactly is the light surrounding the throne of God?

There is the throne, and around it the rainbow of promise. (DA 834.1)

The rainbow spanning the heavens with its arch of light is a token of “the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature.” Genesis 9:16. And the rainbow encircling the throne on high is also a token to God's children of His covenant of peace. As the bow in the cloud results from the union of sunshine and shower, so the bow above God's throne represents the union of His mercy and His justice. To the sinful but repentant soul God says, Live thou; “I have found a ransom.” Job 33:24.

The rainbow of promise encircling the throne on high is an everlasting testimony that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. It testifies to the universe that God will never forsake His people in their struggle with evil. It is an assurance to us of strength and protection as long as the throne itself shall endure. (DA 493.2)

The rainbow round about the throne is an assurance that God is true, that in Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (COL 148.1)

This symbol in the clouds was to confirm the belief of all, and establish their confidence in God; for it was a token of divine mercy and goodness to man; that although God had been provoked to destroy the earth by the flood, yet his mercy still encompasseth the earth. God says when he looketh upon the bow in the cloud, he will remember. He would not have us understand that he would ever forget; but he speaks to man in his own language, that man may better understand him.

A rainbow is represented in Heaven round about the throne, also above the head of Christ, as a symbol of God's mercy encompassing the earth. When man, by his great wickedness, provokes the wrath of God, Christ, man's intercessor, pleads for him, and points to the rainbow in the cloud, as evidence of God's great mercy and compassion for erring man; also the rainbow above the throne and upon his head, emblematical of the glory and mercy from God resting there for the benefit of repentant man. (1SP 77-78)

The sweetest communion between the Father and the Son is concerning man.

I wonder if you noticed another detail. All of the occasions examined before--Christ's reinstatement after the millennium, His ascension, His glorification in the temple, His transfiguration, His baptism, His exaltation before the councils of heaven--have one element in common. Read this section again; you will see it.

In each instance, the subject of communion between Christ and the Father is man.

Christ loves to talk about His bride. His unity with the Father is ever linked with the making up of His church. What a humbling thought, that the topic of conversation that God loves most is you and me--sinful, poor, and ungrateful human beings.

Made equal with the Father

Let us go further, and examine another quote which states that Christ "has been made equal with the Father."

This quote can be explained in the same way as the previous one. In essence, it does not exclusively point to first time when Christ was given an exalted position and made equal with the Father. His exaltation took place before the heavenly angels. It also took place at His ascension. This is confirmed by the text quoted by Ellen White from Hebrews 1:1-5, which is a reference to this event. See Sonship of Christ in Hebrews 1.

The way these sentences are expressed is very appropriate. In eternity past, Christ did not possess human nature. Jesus came to earth, became man, and His human nature was for the first time taken into unison with God at His ascension. He was given an exalted position and made equal with the Father in His unique human-divine nature.

The One who was obedient unto death is now taken into eternal unison both as God and man. The Father says to Him, “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ms 115, 1897, par. 28)

Another small but useful indicator is use of the present perfect ("has. . . given" and "has. . . made"). This tense is used for relatively recent actions ("I have eaten breakfast") or for actions that have been repeated regularly up until the present time ("He has prayed over the matter"). This harmonizes with Christ's public exaltation, which took place on several occasions.

The purpose of this quote is not to present how Christ obtained divine prerogatives in eternity past. Ellen White herself tells us what she tries to explain: that Christ and the Father are two distinct persons ("the personality and individuality of each", something that not all Christians agree upon) and at the same time the "unity that exists between them."

Invested with Glory

On several occasions, the Father invested His Son with glory--with His own Self. This glory Christ possessed before the world was.

John 17:24 tells us that this glory was given to Him by the Father:

Christ has His own indwelling glory (see DA 421.1), but the glory around the throne is given to Christ. It is called the Father's glory. It enshrouds Christ every time He sits on the throne, or stands before the Father in intimate communion.

The salvation of the human race has ever been the object of the councils of heaven. The covenant of mercy was made before the foundation of the world. It has existed from all eternity, and is called the everlasting covenant. So surely as there never was a time when God was not, so surely there never was a moment when it was not the delight of the eternal mind to manifest His grace to humanity. (ST June 12, 1901, par. 7)

We are not told of a first council, or how many sessions were held before the foundation of the world. But every time there was one, Christ was invested with the Father's glory and engaged in sweet communion with His Father, in anticipation of His bride.

There is no doubt this glory is given to Christ; it was given on several occasions, including in eternity past. None of these passages and verses exclusively state that there was one first time when the Father invested Christ with glory. It simply indicates the unity that exists between them. This position is reasonable and sound, as well as consistent with all other passages, whether one believes that Christ had a beginning or not.

Exalted

The previous explanation sheds light on the following quotes also:

Just like in the previous expression, this exaltation does not necessarily imply a change in Christ's position.

It is true that a passive voice verb may sometimes indicate a change in the state of the subject. This is the case in the following quotes:

From the dungeon Joseph was exalted to be ruler over all the land of Egypt. (PP 222.1)

Joseph. . . was exalted to great wealth, to the high honor of being next to the king. . . (4T 544.1)

However, the passive voice does not always indicate a change. Consider the passive voice in the following cases, which does not indicate change, but a change in the perception of others about the subject:

The name of Jehovah was exalted and held in honor. . . (PK 25.1)

At times the name of Jehovah was exalted above every false god, and His law was held in reverence. (PK 96.1)

Once more the name of God was exalted before the heathen. . . (PK 259.1)

He (Saul) was angry because David was exalted above himself in the song of the women of Israel. (PP 650.1)

As the result of this teaching, the law of God was exalted in his (Daniel's) mind and reverenced in his heart. (CG 166.4)

While they would leave men to suffer and die rather than to violate their traditions by relieving them upon the Lord's day, a brute which had fallen into danger would be at once relieved, because of the loss that would accrue to the owner if he was neglected. Thus the dumb animal was exalted above man, made in the image of God. (2SP 198.3)

Assimilated to the image of God

How is man assimilated into the image of God? By beholding His glory.

In the same way, Christ and the Father were brought into unison in those close communions called the "councils of love." For Christ, to be assimilated to the image of God meant to hold close communion with His Father.

Because of our Greek-infused, Western mindset, we tend to see God as statically omniscient. Why would two infinite beings need to talk things over, if they already know everything? We cannot explain it. Neither do we need to know. It is just another wonderful aspect of the personality and temporality of God: that He is a person who is moved by deep emotions, who enjoys communion, even though He already knows everything. See also Eternity of the Covenant and I and My Father are One.

Made

The same explanation applies to the following quotes:

Note: The grammar used in these particular quotes allows for an alternative interpretation of the texts, as well. I personally believe it is a valid, but weaker interpretation. You can read it in the collapsible callout:

Conclusion

My understanding is that these passages neither prove nor disprove that Christ had a beginning; they mainly address the unity between the Father and the Son. This unity, indicated by the rainbow of the covenant encircling them both, is the farthest we can go in our study of God.

There are light and glory in the truth that Christ was one with the Father before the foundation of the world was laid. This is the light shining in a dark place, making it resplendent with divine, original glory. This truth, infinitely mysterious in itself, explains other mysterious and otherwise unexplainable truths, while it is enshrined in light, unapproachable and incomprehensible. (RH April 5, 1906, par. 8)

However, not everyone has the same boundaries. For some, it is further back in eternity past, attempting to explain the way this unity came into existence. For those friends of mine who understand it this way--I still consider them my friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ. I don't think this particular point is a salvational issue, but I believe taking the wrong stance can lead to other dangerous doctrines, which may jeopardize our ability to discern Satan's final deceptions and, ultimately, our salvation.