THE GLORIOUS SON OF GOD

Col. 1:15-17

Morning Meditation 3/20/17

Verses 15-17 say, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

Paul here describes Jesus as no other writer. Only one who walks by faith will receive this description of Christ. For a man to be God is too much for the natural man, whether that man is religious or not. But if Jesus is not God He is s liar (John 10:30; 14:9; 8:58) and therefore not even a good man. Jesus is God and Paul brings it out in these verses in no uncertain terms. This is what Paul believed, and was inspired of God to write, and we believe it if we are Christians. Paul says of Christ that,

HE IS THE IMAGE OF GOD

Paul says of Him, "Who is the image of the invisible God." The word "image" translates "eikon" and means, "an image, figure, likeness." God is invisible and cannot be seen with the natural eye. God forbade images depicting Him. Kittel says, "The belief that God is not to be depicted is intrinsic to the O.T. (cf Ex. 20:4). The cultus presents a uniform picture here, and the prohibition is fundamental. God's spiritual nature underlies the belief, yet not in the sense that God is remote from matter, but rather in the sense that he is not under human control."

John Gill says in his commentary, "image --exact likeness and perfect Representative. Adam was made 'in the image of God' (Gen. 1:27). But Christ, the second Adam, perfectly reflected visibly 'the invisible God' (1 Tim. 1:17), whose glories the first Adam only in part represented. 'Image' (eicon) involves 'likeness' (homoiosis); but 'likeness' does not involve 'image.' 'Image' always supposes a prototype, which it not merely resembles, but from which it is drawn: the exact counterpart, as the reflection of the sun in the water: the child the living image of the parent. 'Likeness' implies mere resemblance, not the exact counterpart and derivation as 'image' expresses; hence it is nowhere applied to the Son, while 'image' is here, compare 1 Cor. 11:7 (John 1:18 14:9 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb 1:3). Even before His incarnation He was the image of the invisible God, as the Word (John 1:1 -3) by whom God created the worlds, and by whom God appeared to the patriarchs. Thus His essential character as always 'the image of God,' (1) before the incarnation, (2) in the days of His flesh, and (3) now in His glorified state, is, I think, contemplated here by the verb 'is.'"

Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. He is no longer with us in the flesh. Peter said, "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet. 1:8). You will notice the words "whom having not seen" is being said to those who lived long enough after the death and resurrection of Jesus that they had not seen Him. Yet they believed what Peter said. Images are not allowed. For a person to conjure up an image in his mind of what Jesus looked like or looks like is idiolatry. Now don't get upset. I've done it myself. God wants us to behold Him by the faith which does not require an image. Any image that man has ever made is the image of the imagination and is not a likeness to God. Therefore to worship an image is to worship man's perception of God and not God Himself. The excuse, "Well, I need an image as an aid, so I will know something about what He looks like." If our worship would be better by use of an image, don't you think God would allow it? God is offended at men making images to worship and worshiping them as god. He is glorified when we worship in Spirit and in truth. He created us with this in mind. The fact that He does not allow the image, means that images distract and give the wrong impression of who He is. So we must do away with images whether literal or in the imagination.

Jesus is the exact likeness of the invisible God. His likeness is in His life and Words. Let's behold Him in Scripture and let the Holy Spirit take the things of Christ and show them unto us. Amen! Next Paul says,

HE IS THE FIRSTBORN OF EVERY CREATURE

Paul says that He is "the firstborn of every creature." If this means that He is before all creatures, it would not be repeated in verse 17. May I suggest that it may mean that He is the firstborn of the new creation just like the first Adam is the firstborn of the old creation. Jesus began a new creation with His death and resurrection. This is true whether this is what Paul is saying here or not. Jesus didn't come to patch an old garment. He came to create a new people who are described in 1 Peter 2:9-10: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." As the firstborn, He has superiority over all.

Jesus is not only the firstborn of every creature,

HE IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS

Paul says, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him."

The word "created" translates "ktizo" and means, "to create. It is used of God creating the worlds." It is an aorist passive indicative verb. The aorist tense refers to the point of time when this occurred. We definitely do not know when this happened. There are guesses all around as to the time. And a lot of the ones guessing are scientists who are Bible believing Christians. It is a little intimidating to challenge a scientist. It is like a person I know who argued until his death that the earth was square.. His grandson said, "Grandpa, they have taken pictures from out in space and it shows the earth to be round." The grandpa replied, "They are lying. The Bible says the earth has four corners!"

Jesus was before that point of time and created all that this verse describes including time itself. The voice of this verse is passive. The passive voice is where the subject is acted upon. The subject is creation. It did not just happen of itself like the evolutionists tell us. The passive voice is telling us that Jesus is the Actor and creation is what He acted upon to bring it into existence.

Jesus is the Creator of all things: "For by him were all things created." The Gnostic heresy is being refuted in all that Paul says in this verse. Jesus is Creator not an angelic emanation. The Gnostic worshiped the creature not God.

Then Paul identifies the scope of creation with the words, "that are in heaven, and that are in earth." He makes sure that it is understood that Jesus made both the visible and invisible. He also wants us to know that whatever IS, including both the good angels and the bad, their origin is traced to Him. He didn't make the bad angels, but He did make the good angels who went bad.

Then Paul says, "All things were created by him and for him." Revelation 4:11 says, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Then next,

HE IS THE UPHOLDER OF ALL THINGS

Paul says, "He is before all things, and by him all things consist." The words "He is before all things" are interesting. Have you ever noticed that it does not say, "He WAS before all things." This verb is present tense. This means that at the time Paul was writing, Jesus IS BEFORE ALL THINGS. I know. This blows one's mind. We are limited in our capacity to think in terms of time as having no beginning or end. Jesus said to the Jews in John 8:58, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." He is before it started after the end! You see we need to know that He is bigger than we can even think before we are ready for this next statement.

The word "consist" translates "sunistao" and means "to hold together, to cohere." Christ is the controlling and unifying force of nature. The Gnostic philosophy that matter is evil and was created by a remote aeon is thus swept away.

We do not have to worry if the sun is going to come up on the morning. It will. We know from the Word of God that God's plan concerning this world is not over. There is no technology that will ever be invented that can destroy this earth. He holds it together and He will destroy it in His own time (2 Pet. 2:7-10). Then unbelievers will know that what seemed foolish to them was TRUTH to be believed.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ,

Bro. Earl White