Series in Colossians - The Supremacy of Christ: Deity, Creator, and Lord

 

The Supremacy of Christ: Deity, Creator, and Lord

Col. 1:15-18

As it was in the days of Paul, there have been heresies pertaining to Christ, the creation of the world, and the authority in the church since its inception. And as Paul had to contend for the faith and for the Word of God in Colossae, we also need to profess to the Truth pertaining to our Lord Jesus the Christ as preeminent and sovereign, and the Word of God is infallible, immutable, and the inerrant. So let’s read the first portion of the text. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” 

Paul was continually battling those who would oppose the truth of Christ Jesus who is fully God and fully man. So he begins with the supremacy of Jesus who is the mirror image of God the Father. As it states in the beginning of scripture, “God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1) It was in the creation of all that there is, that God also shows His triune nature, the Father (ruler and authority of all, supreme), the Son Jesus (creator and sustainer), and the Holy Spirit (divine power). As they were finishing creation, they said “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” (Gen. 1:26) establishing and revealing the trinity of God, and it’s the true purpose of creating mankind in their likeness.

Paul, having met the risen and glorified Jesus, knew the awesomeness and majestic wondrousness of God as Lord and Savior. “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (Phil. 3:8a) and in His glorious sublime light “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6)

So Paul begins with describing Jesus as “the image of the invisible God.” For Paul knew that no one has seen God the Father, for He is spirit not flesh as Jesus said, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) , But Paul had seen the glorified Jesus and spoke with him on his purpose, his calling, and the revelations of the mystery of God in Christ Jesus. “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (Col. 1:26-29, see also Eph. 3:3-21)

It is this mystery (Jesus is God) that Paul is professing and exhorting to all who will listen. Paul was adamant in proclaiming Jesus as the image of God, fully God, and fully man, the physical and the immortal divine being. Though Paul hadn’t seen Jesus while he walked on this earth, he proclaimed the One who sits at the right-hand of the Father, who came in obedience to the will of the Father, reconcile man to God through salvation by grace through faith, and to reveal the Father to those who would hear and would see through the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. “...has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” “Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” “These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” (Heb. 1:2-3; 1 Cor. 8:6; 1 Cor. 2:10 )

Application - Images can be good and bad. Good in the sense that they provide us with the understanding that there is something or someone who is in the likeness of this image, or the bad because images have been abused and used to distort, deceive, and incur idolatry. Thus the second commandment from God of not making images of Him. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” (Duet. 5:8)

Jesus truly is the image of God in every sense of the meaning of image. For He is the second person of the trinity. As Paul contended with the heresies in the early church, there are many heresies today on who Jesus is and the personage of God the Father. As Paul stated, Jesus is “... the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Jesus in revealing himself and the Father to the disciples said, “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him…Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.” (John 14:7,9-11) 

It comes down to believing, faith in the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and those who had seen Him. 

Second, Paul exhorts the believers in the role of Jesus in the creation of all things. Here is where the part of the Colossian heresy began (more in the lessons in chapter 2), for the unregenerate mind of man cannot understand the divine. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:14 ESV) When Paul mentions Jesus as the first born over all creation, he is not talking about actual birth as in creating someone, but it is in the first born inheritance and leadership. It expresses Jesus’ sovereignty and supremacy over all creation. As the Son, he is the heir of the Father because of the resurrection from the dead. He was given all authority from God the Father over all the Earth. “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” (Matt. 28:18 NLT) So Jesus is the true image of the Father and the firstborn of creation through His resurrection from the dead.

Next, Christ is the creator, Paul continues to reveal the mysteries of God in Christ Jesus. So let’s read the next portion of the text. “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. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Paul reveals through the scripture and by the Holy Spirit, that Jesus was before the beginning of everything. Jesus is the creator (part of the “Let us” Gen. 1:26) He is also the sustainer, the one who holds all things together in the universe, and the sovereign authority of and over all powers, rulers, and authorities. Paul knew as well that there was great opposition to the understanding of Jesus as creator. But as the other apostle of Christ confirmed through the miracles and authority of Christ’s words, He was God over all: the natural (the waves and wind; death and the grave); the spiritual and supernatural world (Satan and demon, Hell, and all angels, good and evil). This was another part of the heresy in Colossae over spiritual beings and angel worship (more on this in Chapter 2).

It was the invisible that mankind had the most difficulty believing and understanding because of its intangibleness. Paul knew and experienced through the invisibleness of the Holy Spirit by following the will of the Son, Jesus and the Father that it was the Holy Spirit who determined and apportioned the gifts and miracles of the Father by His will. “All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (1 Cor. 12:11, John 16:13-15) It was through the Holy Spirit in the apostle Paul that revealed the invisible in a tangible manner through the manifestation of God’s power, mercy, and glory.

This led to the confrontation with the enemy of God who through usurping, manipulating, and deception had blinded the world to the true God and His divine truth in order to present his false version of the supernatural to deceive mankind. Paul established firmly that Satan was a created being and not equal to God or the Son. He was under the judgment of God (Ezk. 28:12b-17) and defeated at the cross. “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.” (Heb. 2:14 NIV; Col.2:15 AMP) So Satan and all the demonic hordes were judged and held accountable to God and the Son. 

Last, “all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Paul removes all doubt of the omnipotent God, the Father, and the Son. For they are one. “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)

Application - Knowing that Jesus is our creator, it should bring us great joy and reassurance in His love for us. He sees us as His children, as His body, and as His bride. Jesus, creator of everything and with all wisdom (Prov. 8), has established us for His purpose “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (Eph. 2:10; 2 Cor. 1:21-22) and to live in submission to the Father’s will. “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” (John 15:10) We walk in the Spirit, not with physical eyes but by faith. “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7)

Knowing that we are called and purposed to do God’s will, we also know that He who created all, and established all beings, whether physical or spiritual, are appointed for the positions He desires and purposes, and what He purposes will be done for it is He who places all powers and thrones, rulers and authorities in their places. “For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. I will call a swift bird of prey from the east—a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it.” (Isa. 46:9b-11 NLT ) 

Jesus, our Lord and Savior was in the beginning with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and He is sitting at the right hand of the Father in His kingdom “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” (Heb. 1:3 NLT), interceding and reigning over all that there has been created “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Heb. 4:15-16 NLT) And He holds all things in perfect order. “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. (Eccl. 3:11 NLT)

Last, Jesus is the head of the church. So let’s read the last portion of the text. “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.”

Paul understood the church better than most of the early church leaders, for he was given the divine purpose and will of God to build on the foundation of Christ Jesus, the cornerstone of the church. And with the twelve apostles they built on this foundation. But it was Paul who understood the church as the living body of Christ. “There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts…God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? …As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Cor. 12:12-14,18-20,27)

Paul established through the Holy Spirit who spoke by the word of the Father through the Son that Jesus is the head of the church, the body of Christ. “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Eph. 1:22-23)

It was for Christ to have all supremacy over all things  and the church, that all authority is given to the head. All parts are subjective to the head. For Christ was the first to resurrect from the dead with a glorified body, having defeated death, hell and the grave. “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Rev. 1:18) He held full authority over everything that was created. 

Coming back to the headship of Christ, Paul knew that it is to Jesus that all in the church must submit and yield to His will and purpose. Obedience wasn’t an option, neither was aligning everything to the truth of the Word of God and to yield to the Holy Spirit. It was the only way the church would be unified, and be one in Him. The supremacy that Paul established was that the church is totally under the dominion and authority of Christ not man or spiritual being, or any governance system contrived by mankind. The church is Christ’s body and He is the dominant, all authoritative head.

Application - In our world today, the worldly church seems to have morphed into a many headed being. For there are churches who give all authority to pastoral governance (papacy) (apostolic), there are churches that have given all authority to a corporate board of governance. Then there are churches that are independent of any outside rule or authority than the leadership within the church. To say all this, there is an authority problem in today’s church would be understatement. But from Heaven, there is only one head, one Lord, and one authority, Jesus Christ. He has been given all authority from the Father, and He reigns from His throne in Heaven right now. That is why in the book of Revelation, he speaks with absolute authority over the churches in chapters 2-3. He doesn’t share his authority, sovereignty, or supremacy with anyone. 

There will be a reckoning when those who claim to be the authorities in the church will face a Lord, who knows or doesn't know them. And for those who have been given a place of authority as under-shepherds within the church by Christ Jesus and the Father, there is great accountability and responsibility to do the Father’s will and purpose and not the established will and purpose of man who claims that they are his sheep.

Jesus said, we are his sheep, ““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep…But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” 

Peter learned this at the sea of Galilee, when Jesus restored him to the purpose He had predestined for Peter, “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.” (John 10:11-12,26-27; 21:15-18)

In conclusion, Jesus is our all in all. He is our God, our creator, and our Lord and sustainer. He sits in Heaven with all authority over the universe and all that is in it. It is His earth (Ps.24:1) And we are the sheep of His pasture, the children of His promise, and the bride and church in His future new Heavens and new Earth. So let us throw off all arrogance and pride in thinking we are in authority, and submit and yield to the one who created us to be with Him for eternity. 

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com