This is Part 5 of a 15 part Bible Study on the book of Colossians.
Compiled and written by Norma Becker – a true woman of God and God’s word.
FREE – Printable e-book version
Part 5 – Darkness and Light
In verse 13, who is responsible for rescuing people from one kingdom to another? Can we make the change ourselves? Why or why not? Proof that God has qualified us is that he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. The use of the metaphor of darkness and light could be Paul hitting at the Colossian heresy because in Ephesians 6:12 the principalities and powers to which the false teachers urged Christians to pay homage are designated by him “the powers of this dark world.”
But, isn’t it a great thought that it doesn’t stop with the deliverance from the authority of darkness but he has brought us into the kingdom of the Son? It is like removing us from one country, where there is a lot of corruption and bad leadership, and resettling or re-establishing us in another country where Christ is the sovereign ruler. It is a believer’s position and possession now. Our Canaan, or promised land, is now.
Redemption and the Forgiveness of Sins
Verse l4 goes on, “…in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Isn’t it a great thought that we are delivered from the authority of darkness – which is the authority of sin – and have been brought into the kingdom of the Son.
Okay, this is a great thought but how do we know this is true? Why is Christ the one that can do this? What gives Him the authority? After all, don’t we hear people say:
“All roads lead to God.”
“Everyone is trying to get to the same place.”
“That belief is fine for you, but I don’t buy it for myself.”
“The Muslims and the Buddhists also believe in God and think they know how to get to heaven.”
“Only narrow minded people and bigots label belief true or false and think they have the only way to God.”
How would you answer people who say these things?
As we learned in the beginning of our study, the Colossians were also hearing, “You can worship Jesus, but not exclusively. Jesus is just one spirit among many to be worshipped.” Let’s see how Paul handles these assertions….
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-17).
He is the image of the invisible God. Invisible means something can’t be seen with the natural eye. In the New Testament, God revealed Himself through Christ. Christ isn’t a substitute but a visible likeness of God in order to reveal what God is like and how we can know Him.
The Bible is talking of the character and “person image” of God – the identical mirror image of the attributes and identity of God – for Christ is Himself God.
His Thoughts are MUCH Higher
We might as well be honest and admit that our finite minds can’t explain of comprehend the doctrine of the Trinity any more than we can understand eternity or infinity or the sovereignty of God. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways higher than our ways.
Here are a few other verses that might help. There are also others – explore the Scriptures on your own.
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3).
John says in different places,
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
“For no one has ever seen God, but God the only Son has made Him known” (John l:18).
“The Father and I are one” (John 10:30).
The result of the incarnation is that the invisible God has become visible in the God-man, Jesus Christ.
Christ Created First or Above All Created Things?
Verse 15 goes on, “…the firstborn over all creation.”
This is taken by some to mean that Christ was the first one to be created and because of this, belongs to the created order. Apparently the false teachers at Colossae thought of Christ as a created being and this teaching also popped up again in the 4th century. It is also prevalent today in the teaching of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Jewish culture would have understood that it meant more than born first but it rather signified position and Christ’s position was superior to all created things.
He was not a created being, for he existed from the beginning as verse l6 says:
“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”
Here are more Scripture references to back that up:
“Yet there is for us only one God, the Father, who is the Creator of all things and for whom we live; and there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created and through whom we live” (l Corinthians 8:6).
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3).
“But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:2).
In what realms are the “thrones, powers, rulers or authorities in verse 16 heavenly? He also created spiritual powers so can we ask, “Why did the Lord create Satan when He knew he would be such a problem?” Maybe we should also ask, “Why did He create me, when He knew I would be such a problem?” When we get to heaven, we’ll understand.
“He is before all things and in him all things hold together” (1 Colossians 1:17).
What does this mean to you? What would the universe be like without Jesus’ power? What about the physical laws of nature: gravity, light, ice (perhaps the only substance that when frozen becomes lighter – if it didn’t what would happen to the world?)
How do discoveries through microscopes and telescopes add to your appreciation of Jesus’ supremacy over nature?
Let’s look at verses 15-17 again and then find the reasons why Christ is supreme:
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
Why is He supreme?
- He is the image of the Creator – likeness of God.
- Firstborn over all creation – superior to all creation.
- Agent of creation of visible world of invisible world.
- Existed before all things.
- He is the means of cohesion/unity – all things have their proper place because of Him.
Remember, we are answering the question of why Christ is the only way to salvation. Back in the first part of the chapter it talked of the gospel they had heard. Paul has established Christ’s lordship over the world in His pre-incarnate past – before his birth – now he goes on to the incarnate Son and establishes Christ’s lordship over the church – his mission on earth.
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