Colossians – Week 2
September 19 – Colossians
Colossians 1:15-16, The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
In this week’s section found in verses 15-23, Paul gives us a most beautiful description of Jesus as the Christ. He is not one of many spiritual beings but is preeminent over all. Some think that verses 15-20 were an early Christian hymn that Paul quoted to describe how important it is to have such a high-minded Christology. Whether it was original with Paul or not, the point remains the same, we must elevate Christ to the highest level in the Godhead.
As God, the Son was the preexistent agent of creation. Paul applies to Christ what the Old Testament says about God being Creator. Jesus not only makes God known but is included in the divine identity. Jesus is, also, the premier reconciler of creation.
The Son being the image of the invisible God reveals the reality of who God is. Any vague idea of who the unseen God is becomes crystal clear in Christ Jesus. He is the one and only image, not one of many images.
He displays Divine mercy and love, Divine power that works in weakness, and the Divine mystery that will reconcile all creation through the cross. There is no need for any additional revelation to understand God more fully except to totally understand what has already been revealed through Jesus.
We need to be careful to discern that Christ Jesus, being the firstborn over all creation, is a metaphor referring to Jesus’ preeminence. He was not the first of God’s works at the beginning of creation. Instead, it means that Christ, as the Son in the Godhead, has primary authority over all creation.
When it speaks of “thrones or powers or rulers or authorities,” these are various forms of invisible and visible spiritual entities that we knowingly and unknowingly experience. They only hold their seats of power temporarily so those of us who are found to be in Christ do not need to revere, fear, or appease these powers.
The usage of “for Him” lets us know that Christ was not only present at the beginning of creation when all things were created “through Him,” or by His power, but He is the ultimate goal and purpose for all creation to be re-created and glorified for all eternity.
Memory Verse: Colossians 1:19-20, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Question(s) to Consider: What does it mean for you that all things have been created ultimately for Him? How does that impact how you view and treat all of God’s creation?
September 20 – Colossians
Colossians 1:17-18, He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
To reiterate that the Son, the Messiah revealed in Jesus, was not created but always existed, we are given the fact that He is before everything. His existence is not dependent upon the world or anything therein. His existence is totally dependent upon the Godhead. Whatever is true about the Father and Spirit is true about the Son.
As the Trinity is glued together as one God with three different persons, so the Son, along with Father and Spirit, is the glue that holds all things together in the universe. This reveals the power and authority that Christ wields as the Son of God. As the full manifestation of God, His goal and purposes will be fulfilled through the end of time for all of creation. His rule with the Father in the Heavenly realms cannot be escaped or overlooked.
He is the key who unlocks the meaning and purpose of the universe and of what God has done, is doing, and will do. The comforting news is that if Christ sustains the whole universe, then we can be confident that He can sustain each of our lives as well.
Verse 18 is a transition into Christ’s work in the church. As Paul clearly states in many places, Jesus is the head of His body, which is the church. He gives us life and strength. We do not exist and have any purpose without Him. Our ultimate authority for who we are and what we are to do is found in Him. We cannot make up it as we go along. He has set the boundaries and the guardrails by which we are to be His people. We are here to fulfill his purposes as His living, breathing holy and loving presence in advancing the kingdom of God into the world.
The “firstborn from among the dead” speaks of Christ’s resurrection. Paul spoke about it in,
1 Corinthians 15:20, But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Jesus was the first to be raised from the dead among all who would rise and never die again. His resurrection ensures the bodily resurrection for all who trust in Him as Savior and Lord and obediently follow after Him.
Jesus’ bodily resurrection is crucial to our belief as Christians because it is the foundation on which our hope for our eternal home is found. If Jesus was not resurrected, then what hope do we have for the future? If He was, then our hope springs eternal!
Memory Verse: Colossians 1:19-20, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Question(s) to Consider: As members of the Body of Christ, do we recognize and submit to the authority of Christ as our leader?
September 21 – Colossians
Colossians 1:19-20, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
All the fullness of God was in Christ alone. We cannot imagine the boundless beauty and glory such fullness is, yet Jesus possessed all of it. Even though God dwelt in the temple, He did not do so in all of His fullness. No building could contain Him. John tells us more,
John 1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
God’s fullness is a perfect pairing of grace and truth. These two attributes make Him perfect as a being and perfect for our salvation.
No person could contain God unless He would be the very Son of God. So, it is Christ Jesus, who perfectly exhibits God’s Spirit, word, wisdom, and glory.
As we have previously seen, everything was created through Christ. Because the created universe is broken and needs reconciliation with God, that re-creation also came through Christ Jesus.
He put on the fallen flesh of humanity, though He Himself was sinless. He then endured the agonizing suffering of the death penalty by crucifixion. God took this murderous act of the innocent Son of God and turned it into an atoning sacrifice that brings life and peace to all who would believe.
Scripture is clear about the need for the shedding of blood to bring peace between heaven and earth, between God and mankind.
Hebrews 9:22, In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Christ’s shed blood was necessary so that we could be forgiven and be at peace with God. Just as sin took a terrific toll on mankind, so it took a terrific sacrifice to make us whole again.
God gave of Himself as the only pure sacrifice so that we could be brought back to Him. What kind of amazing love does this? God did not have to do it. Yet, out of love, He was driven to rescue, redeem, and forgive us. Have you claimed this gift?
Memory Verse: Colossians 1:19-20, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Question(s) to Consider: What is your response to Jesus for what He willingly endured for you?
September 22 – Colossians
Colossians 1:21-22, Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
In speaking to his audience, the Christians at Colossae, Paul told them there was a time when they were estranged from God. What was true of them is true for all of humanity. At one time, we were all separated from God. Such a status implies isolation, loneliness, and hostility.
It is caused by sinful actions that generate a never-ending cycle of sinful behavior that made them enemies in their minds because their whole lifestyle opposed God. They did not think themselves friendly toward God but were at war with Him. Their actions spoke as loud as any words could to demonstrate such opposition. Paul goes into greater detail in Ephesians to describe this alienation.
Ephesians 4:17-19, So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
This being the reality of our status while we were still sinners makes Christ Jesus’s act on our behalf all the more crucial. Because Christ’s physical sacrifice of Himself on the cross, we are reconciled to God and presented holy in his sight. We no longer have any sinful blemishes. We no longer can be accused of any sin.
We cannot make ourselves acceptable to God by our own efforts, but Christ’s work of reconciliation declares us holy, set apart for God’s glorious purposes.
As we will find out tomorrow, we must respond to make this effective, but today, let us be in awe and offer praise and thanksgiving for what Christ has done to change the trajectory of our eternity. Because of Him, we can stand with confidence as blameless before God in that fear-inspiring moment of the last judgment.
Memory Verse: Colossians 1:19-20, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Question(s) to Consider: Do you really get the magnitude of what Christ has done for you? Do you realize what is at stake? Are you trusting in Him alone for your salvation to be held blameless in the final judgment?
September 23 – Colossians
Colossians 1:23, if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
We were given a beautiful promise of the most glorious future in our reading yesterday. Because of Christ’s reconciling work, we are presented to God as holy, as blameless, and free from accusation. Because we have been covered in the blood of Christ, this amazing promise and future can be ours.
Today’s Scripture gives us the condition for it to be so: “If you continue in your faith.” We have to respond in faith on our part to make it effective. We must keep responding in faith to keep it effective.
Paul said it this way in,
Philippians 2:12, Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
Scripture never declares universal salvation for all. However, in our world today, it is a popular heresy among many who claim the name of Christ, who preach in our pulpits, and who lead our denominations. Because they do not believe in the corruption of sin, they proudly proclaim God’s love and acceptance to all regardless of any response on their part. Though we all may wish that were true, Scripture does not give us any direction that it is so.
Instead, we must respond by believing in the gospel, and then we must continue in our faith. It must be established and built on a firm foundation that is immovable from the hope that the good news of Jesus offers. That is the hope of standing before the pure and holy Judge of Heaven without accusation because we are covered in the life-saving blood of Jesus.
We can never become nonchalant about the responsibility that our faith in Christ demands of us. If we ever allow ourselves to become disconnected from our foundation in the gospel, we will lose the very reason for our hope.
Paul had blessed assurance in the message of the true gospel that has been preached around the world. It is the gospel of which he was willing to be a sacrificial servant, practitioner, and proclaimer. Is it the gospel by which we are clinging to as we passionately practice it each day?
Memory Verse: Colossians 1:19-20, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Question(s) to Consider: Have you entered the gospel hope through faith? Are you continuing in the faith? Do you daily pick up your cross and follow after Jesus?