this conviction of truth, Paul lays out exactly who jesus gospel of love chapter one. He does this, not so his readers become puffed up theologically, but so that their lives may be transformed by knowing Christ more.
This portion of Scripture teaches some fundamental characteristics of Christ:
- He is Lord of Creation: In this passage Paul shows Christ as the one who accomplished both redemption and creation. Paul is communicating to his readers that Christ has ultimate authority over everything. By His word, creation came into being. Yet He is the Word incarnate who bore the sins of the world. If this truth does not lead us to awe and worship, then we do not truly grasp its magnitude!
- He is the Image of the Invisible God: In Christ, the invisible God is made visible. In standard Greek letters of Paul’s day, writers often concluded by enclosing an image of themselves such as a seal, stamp of authority, or detailed description, which served to authenticate the authorship. While this analogy breaks down slightly, this is comparable to Christ in relation to God. However, not only is Christ the representation of God, but He is also the exact manifestation of God. In other words, Christ truly and exactly represents all of God’s character, and He truly manifests all of who God is as well (Hebrews 1:1-3).
- In Him All Things Hold Together: Nothing that exists does so apart from Christ. This truth is derived from Christ’s relationship to the universe, namely that He is Creator. If He were not Creator and God, then nothing would hold together. Because He is God and Creator, everything holds together at His command.
Paul makes the truth of Christ plain to the Colossians, leaving little room for confusion. The Bible clearly communicates who Christ is, and Christ clearly communicates who God is. Therefore, after reading this passage in Colossians we are left with at least three decision points:
