OUR CREATOR IS OUR REDEEMER

Our Creator is our Redeemer

This passage in Colossians 1:15 - 23 starts out with a very powerful verse because we would not even be here if it was not for this biblical precept. Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of every creature. He is our Creator. The Son of God created everything in heaven, earth, visible and invisible but it does not matter if it be thrones, dominions, principalities or powers because all things were created by Him and for Him. Jesus Christ was before all things and it is only because the Creator of the universe that anybody that is breathing is here or consists before Him.

It would have to be obvious that Jesus Christ is the head of the body or the church which consists of people that accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts by repenting of all sins because the Son of God is the firstborn from the dead that in all things He might have the preeminence. For all practical purposes as Christians we should obey God because He is our author of life and salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.

God the Father set up that in Him should all fullness dwell. It not only pleases the Triune Godhead but it should give us tremendous comfort because He is our Savior and Lord.

Every Christian I have ever talked to desires peace in their life. How does peace rest in our souls? Peace is possible through the blood of His cross and by Jesus Christ He reconciled all things to Himself. This includes things on earth or in heaven.

We need to be honest with ourselves. We were all alienated and enemies of God. The real question is how and the Bible gives us this answer. It starts in our minds and ends up into wicked works. This is not to confuse the fact that everybody was born in sin after Adam ate a portion of the apple shortly after Creation. The mind and wicked works is the Bible getting more specific on what practically separates us from God. The Bible gives us the answer on how we can be united to God through Jesus Christ.

God the Father sent His Son to earth and Jesus Christ came in the flesh and died on a cross in a horrible death. He did this for us so we could be presented holy, unblamable and unreprovable in His sight. As you can see there is no room for being prideful because salvation is based on the finished work of Jesus Christ. 

Paul does encourage us to continue in the faith. He empathizes us to be grounded, settled and not moved away from the hope of the gospel. The Apostle explains to the Colossians that they heard this message in a clear way. Let me quote the original text in the Bible so you can read this very positive passage and perhaps make reference if you need to do so in this very direct study in Scripture.

(15) "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (16) For by Him were all 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: (17) And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. (18) And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. (19) For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell; (20) And, having made peace through the blood of the cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (21) And you, that were sometime aliented and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled. (22) In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight: (23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister." Colossians 1:15 - 23.

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. He is the image of God as Jesus Christ is the image of His Father and He has a likeness to Him. It would have to be obvious that the Creator (Jesus Christ) is the firstborn of every creature. This is one of the ways the Bible explains an aspect of eternity. For one this principle shows us Jesus Christ has dominion over all things. He is heir and Lord over all including those that oppose Him. The Son of God is not a creature, He is the Creator. Our All Powerful God created all things in heaven and earth both visible and invisible.

There seems to be several orders of angels because this passage talks about thrones, dominions, principalities and powers.

We as Christians can never forget this biblical precept because this passage is saying our allegiance is to and for Jesus Christ. Our Creator is not only the beginning but He is the end. He was in eternity past, very active in our lives and will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords at His second coming. For all eternity future He will be worshipped and served forever for those that are in His kingdom. This should give us a clue that we are to be doing this now and if you don't feel you are at that point pray to God that the Holy Spirit opens your heart to be more flexible to this direction.

Remember the Holy Spirit has to work through our hearts for proper faith and obedience to God. If you try doing this in your own strength you will fall so let Jesus Christ know through pray that your heart is in the right place but you are struggling. I am a witness that this works because God is looking at our spirit and He will know if we are sincere and earnest.

All things consist because of Jesus Christ which includes us so one of the realities we should never forget is all of Creation is kept together by the power of the Son of God and move in it's proper order that only a divine Creator could have designed for the universe. If the son was not placed in the exact position related to planet earth the world would either freeze or burn up (depending on which direction up or down) and you would not be reading this riveting article. Only joking but what I just said is one hundred percent true so when people believe in evolution I have never personally heard a legitimate explanation of this fact regarding the son. How does a bat fly through a dark cave with sonar vision? Evolution --- no Creation. Neither example could have happened by chance. I could give many other examples but the article would be way to long.

Jesus Christ is the head of the church and just like He is the leader of our natural body the Son of the Living God gives us grace and we receive strength from Him. If our All Powerful God created the universe this passage is saying we can trust Jesus Christ for our life and eternity.

The Son of God is the beginning, the first - born from the dead. We as Christians have His resurrection power in our spirit. Jesus Christ did not just die for our sins on a cross but He rose from the dead on the third day.

He was the first and only one that rose by His own power; therefore the Holy Spirit has given us evidence in us of our resurrection through Jesus Christ from eternal death.

This passage also says Jesus Christ has all things the pre - eminence. This means He has Lordship over all powers in heaven and everything and everybody on earth. When people say the devil runs this world I would like to say Satan does not run this world; however, he is the god of this world according to 2 Corinthians 4:4. There is a difference between the two. If we can read between the lines the Apostle Paul was inferring that we as believers in Jesus Christ should allow our Savior and Lord to have pre - eminence  in our life. If all fullness dwells in Jesus Christ this abundance is not only for Himself but the filling of His resurrected Power is for us as His children.

Verse fourteen talks about Jesus being our Redeemer and our sins being forgiven. If we are redeemed it must be from sin but this can only happen if God forgives us in our transgressions. I often times ponder over how gracious God is through His Son Jesus Christ with all of us on this subject of redemption and forgiveness.

We struggle forgiving other people but God pardons through true repentance completely to the point where He does not remember our transgressions any more. Getting back to us we tend to bring it up again but we should follow the good example of Jesus Christ and let the offence go if they ask for forgiveness. If they did not we are still told to pray for them and never hold a grudge. If you are one that has not accepted the Lord now may be a good time to confess all your sins and accept Jesus Christ in your heart by inviting Him into your life. Even if you have any doubts then make that eternal decision now because this is not something that the average person does because they have the spirit of apathy.

Jesus Christ reconciled us to God and offers us pardon because the bottom line is we all sinned before God and with repentance we receive peace because that comes after forgiveness. There have been some really bad enemies of God that repented and got saved through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and were then reconciled to God the Father. I'm talking really horrible people finally got right with God. We may never know the vastness on how much God forgave us through His Son based on our earnest repentance. All I know is we are all going to be eternally grateful.

Paul says in verse twenty three, ...  "To every creature which is under heaven" ... which means the gospel of Jesus Christ excludes no one who do not exclude themselves. Please do not do this to yourself. The next part of the verse just says the Apostle Paul was extremely grateful to God that he was given the privilege of sharing Jesus Christ with other people. I also share his same feelings. I am very happy to serve you.

God Bless,

Bob D.