Pauls Epistle to Colossians (5)

The Freshness of God’s Word in Rehearsing Christ’s Preeminence

Studying this for this series. Even though many of these words and phrases are familiar to us there's a freshness always with the Word of God as the truth is rehearsed and God of course imparts fresh grace to his people through the Word of God.

Today of course is the third Sunday in which we're considering this what many which may have been which many believe scholars believe to be an ancient Christological hymn to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and it wonderfully beautifully sets forth our Lord as preeminent over all creation and also preeminent in the manner in the matter of our redemption.

And so here once again are these verses. Verse 15 of Colossians 1, he referring to Jesus Christ of course is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation for by him all things were created in heaven and on earth visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him and 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 the first born from the dead that in everything he might be preeminent for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of his cross.

As we've already indicated these verses set forth two major themes we see the preeminence of Jesus Christ in creation in verses 15 through 17 and then verses 18 through 20 we see the preeminence of Christ in our redemption and in these verses the Apostle sets forth a number of traits of our Lord Jesus.

In fact there are nine of them and we covered the first of these last week and so we want to continue today. Again last week we considered the opening of this passage the preeminence of Christ in creation and we addressed the matter of Jesus as the image of the invisible God and the sum of the matter is this Jesus the very image of God became one with his people and lived in obedience to his father's will thereby securing for himself and all his brethren eternal life and glory.

He merited eternal life he earned it because he was righteous. And so as through Jesus Christ is the image of God that we are made like him in holiness we become of course the image bearers of God that he as he originally created us we have that realized in us we're created the image of God and that's realizes we become more like Christ the true image full image of God.

And so this should lead us to have confidence as well as comfort in knowing that Jesus is one with us. Knowing that Jesus Christ is the very image of the living God he is God incarnate. We should be encouraged and motivated to resort to him wholly and always.

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. Well let's now continue with this second attribute we might say description of our Lord Jesus in verse 15 B in which we read that Jesus Christ is the firstborn of all creation.

The firstborn is not speaking of the origin of Jesus Christ but rather of his exalted position. This is the emphasis his preeminence above all creation as will show the cults. Christian cults use this statement to argue for their errant teaching regarding Jesus Christ.

And commonly a Christian cult is defined by a heretical belief or view of the person of Jesus Christ. That's by definition what a Christian cult is. And both Mormons say and Jehovah's Witnesses by the way jump on this verse and argue their heresy based a wrong upon a misunderstanding of this statement that Jesus Christ is the firstborn of all creation.

Mormons claim that this verse teaches that Jesus is not unique from the rest of mankind. He's like you and me in every way. They say Jesus was the firstborn son of Elohim their name for one of the many gods that they believe in.

They teach that Jesus was the physical offspring of a god and goddess. He was born along with his brother Satan. Jesus and Satan were born sons of Elohim. That's heresy. But that is Mormon teaching the difference between him and us they argue is not different in kind but rather in degree.

And so they say that just as Jesus was a spirit being before being born into this world so all human beings existed as spirit beings before they were born into this world. You existed as a spirit being before you were born physically.

It's heresy. Mormons believe that they will be gods one day procreating sons and daughters who will then become gods and planets the same as Jesus Christ has done. There is nothing Christian when you examine the teaching the beliefs of Mormonism.

There's nothing Christian about Mormonism. And yet because there are certain personalities that are quite popular maybe in conservative political circles they espouse Mormonism. And there is a tendency even among evangelicals to give a pass to Mormons as though they're just a little different than we are.

But they're Christian in reality. And that's not true. They embrace heresy. They don't have salvation. They don't believe in the same Jesus that you and I believe in. They do not believe in the Jesus set forth in the Word of God.

And they turn to this verse and they make a futile and faulty argument based upon it. Jehovah's Witnesses also build their errant doctrine of Christ upon this verse. They teach that Jesus Christ was a perfect man but only a man.

Oh yes a God but not the true God. According to their doctrine Jesus Christ was the first created being by God. He's that he was created and so Jesus is not eternal but rather he is finite. And so he was the first created being by God.

Yes he's a God but not the one true God by him. Then they argue God created all else that is created. Both of these cults Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses use this verse to argue their positions and don't misunderstand.

I'm not trying to you know insult them or offend them. Thankfully we live in a free society and people are free to believe what they want to believe. And they're free to believe what they want to believe.

But we are free also to tell them that they believe wrongly and that they cannot use this verse or any other verse that they call upon to substantiate their false teaching. It's not there it's not taught in the Scriptures.

The Greek word for firstborn is prototokos or prototokos and it's important to understand this. This Greek word translated as firstborn is not a verb but rather an adjective. It makes all the difference.

In other words it does not state that Jesus was born first if you took it like a verb but rather that Jesus Christ is the firstborn one an adjective describing him. In other words the head of the family who owns and controls the creation on behalf of his father.

And so again firstborn emphasizes his position who he is what role he has. FF Bruce excellent English commentator of the middle 20th century professor of New Testament I believe at Manchester in England wrote some excellent commentaries he wrote on how the term was used by Paul.

The context makes it clear that this title is not given to him or Jesus as though he himself were the first of all created beings. It emphasized immediately that far from being part of creation he is the one to whom the whole creation came in to be or by whom.

What the title does mean is that Christ existing as he did before all creation exercises the privilege of primo janitor. In other words like prime minister as Lord of all creation the divinely appointed heir of all things.

By the way there's a lot of parallels between Colossians 1 this passage in Hebrews 1 as well. He was there when creation began. It was for him as well as through him that the whole work was done. And so this this idea that he is the firstborn speaks of his stature in his position of authority over all things.

One passage it illustrates quite clearly the idea and meaning of the term firstborn is in the biblical world is in the Psalms Psalm 89 which is a prophecy of the coming Messiah as the promised son of David.

And so here we see God prophesied looking forward to the coming of the Savior the Messiah. And so I want to read this for us. Then you spoke in a vision to your holy one. See this is the father addressing the Messiah and said.

I have given help to one who is mighty. I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found my servant David with my holy oil. I have anointed him with whom my hand shall be established and also my arm shall strengthen him.

The enemy shall not out with him nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face and plague those who hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him and in my name his horn that is his power authority shall be exalted.

Also I will set his hand over the sea and his right hand over the waters. He shall cry to me. You are my father my God the rock of my salvation. And then verse 27 also I will make him. He's talking about a son of David here descendant of David the promised Messiah.

I will make him my firstborn the highest of the kings of the earth. My mercy my mercy I will keep for him forever. And my covenant shall stand firm with him his seed. Also I will make to endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven.

And so here we read a prophecy of a descendant of David whom God would make his firstborn. I will make him my firstborn. In other words God would cause the promised son of David the Messiah to become his firstborn son who would rule over his kingdom on his behalf.

That's what elderly kings did in the ancient world. Appoint their son a prince to rule as king on their behalf. The firstborn son was given to this privilege and responsibility. And so notice the term firstborn denoted not priority in time.

That's not the element here in this song but rather the preeminence in rank. There's the idea firstborn within a context clearly set forth. In fact if you look at the poetry of Psalm 89 very closely you'll see this quite clearly in verse 27 a we have the first line in a parallel poetic expression.

And then in the second portion of verse 27 we have the second portion in that parallelism and in this case you have a synonymous parallel expression. And so in the first line you have I will make him my firstborn.

The second line states the same truth but in other words the highest of the kings of the earth. You see that. And so here you have a biblical definition of what it is to be the firstborn is to be given authority to be enthroned as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Jesus Christ. To be God's firstborn means that God has purpose that Jesus Christ would be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords even among the highest of the kings of the earth. And so this speaks of our Lord.

Jesus is the one to whom all of God's creation belongs over which he governs. He is the firstborn as the eldest son in a household who would assume the position and responsibility of the father in the home and in the family.

The firstborn would inherit his father's name and his father's position. He would be regarded as the father by his siblings. He became the head of his household in place of his father before him. It was the eldest son who received the inheritance of the property from his father.

And Christ is the eternal second person of the Blessed Holy Trinity. And Jesus Christ will inherit all things for it is his birthright as the only begotten Son of God. He is God's firstborn who inherits and has inherited all things.

And that's what it means. When we speak of Jesus as being firstborn it's not saying that he was created first as the cults say but rather he is first over everything because he is the eternal Son of God.

Now the third description that we have in this what was an ancient hymn probably is that Jesus Christ is the very creator of all things. For by him as Christ all things were created that are in heaven that are on earth visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created through him and for him Jesus Christ is a creator.

This speaks of the pre-incarnate Son of God who is instrumental in creating everything that was created. When we speak of God's work of creation we read in the scriptures that creation was an act of the triune God.

Here it's declaring that Christ was the creator. We read in all the scripture that creation was the action of the triune God Father Son and Holy Spirit. And in different places of the scripture you'll have different persons of the triune God emphasized in his role of creation.

And here the role of the Son of God is stressed. The following quote is a good description of the role of the entire Trinity in the work of creation. I'm not going to read the references there before you in your notes creation is an act of the triune God.

Scripture teaches us that the triune God is the author of creation and this distinguishes him from the idols. Though the father is in the foreground in the work of creation in other words he's preeminent he stands forward.

The father does. It's also clearly recognized as a work of the Son and the Holy Spirit the son participation in it is indicated in and then he lists these three verses and notice our passages. They are Colossians 1 15 through 17.

And the activity of the spirit in it in creation finds expression in other verses and they're set before you. The second and third persons are not dependent powers or intermediaries but rather independent authors together with the father.

The work was not divided among the three persons but the whole work though from different aspects is described to each of the persons. The father created the son created the Holy Spirit created. All things are at once out of the father through the son and in the power of the Holy Spirit there is the nuance that you'll commonly see in scripture in general it may be see it said that being or existing is out of the father thought or the idea.

He's the word out of the son and life out of this Holy Spirit. Since the father takes the initiative in the work of creation it is often ascribed to him economically. And when it uses the word in theological language economically it's not talking about finances is talking about a proper division in assignment of work on the part of different persons.

And so the Trinity we speak about the ontological Trinity which speaks of the essence of the one God and the triune God. And when we speak about the economic Trinity we're speaking about that work which is unique to the father to the son to the Holy Spirit.

The Declaration of Paul that the Son of God created all things is consistent with the Apostle John. Of course in John 1 verses 1 through 3 in the beginning was the word. The word was with God. The word was God.

He was in the beginning with God all things were made through him. And there you have the preposition through indicating an intermediary agent. He was the agent through whom God created the whole things and without Christ nothing was made that was made.

And this is also what the writer to the Jewish Christian stated or declared in the opening verses of Hebrews. God who at various times in various ways spoken time past to the fathers by the prophets Old Testament times has in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he is appointed heir of all things through whom as through the son also he God the triune God made the world but it was through the son.

This verse declares the Son of God created all things both physical and spiritual. The verse back in Colossians 1. But he not only created all things that are good he created all things didn't he. And that's what really Paul is emphasizing.

Jesus Christ is even the creator of malevolent spiritual forces evil forces. Even demons owe their existence to Jesus Christ. Of course he didn't create them evil. He created them good they fell. Evil is not a co-eternal principle.

With good is it evil invaded history. God is not the author of evil although he rules over and uses evil for his purposes. But he created all things good. But he created all evil too. He created the devil didn't he.

And then the devil fell of his own will of his own sin and all those angels that followed him. And so the Son of God created them and is therefore in control of them. And that's what the Apostle is pressing or stressing here that there are no spiritual beings that are outside of the control of Jesus Christ the Son of God he made them.

And so here is a good word regarding what the Apostle was doing and attempting to assert before this Church of Colossae. So then the one through whom as Paul has already said the divine work of redemption was accomplished is the one by whom the divine act of creation also took place.

Our Lord's mediatorial relation to the created universe. In other words he stands in between the Trinity and the earth. The created universe provides a setting to the gospel of our salvation which adds greatly to our appreciation of that gospel.

For a man redeemed by Christ the universe has no ultimate terrors. He knows that his Redeemer is also creator a ruler and goal of all. With special regard to the Colossian heresy those of you that have been around a few weeks know what we're talking about.

Paul now goes on to emphasize that if all things were created by Christ then those spiritual powers which receive such prominence in that heresy must have been created by him. They were given to do attention to angels and spirit beings to the neglect of Christ.

And Paul is bringing them back to the fact hey Jesus Christ created them. He's in control of them. Why are you giving so much emphasis to them rather than him the denizens of the upper realms as well as the inhabitants of the earth.

Oh they're being to his creative power the invisible forces of the spirit world as well as a visible and material order where their thrones or dominions or principalities or powers they all had Christ as their original creator and also as their final dispenser.

The early Christians had the authority of their Lord for believing in angels good and bad. What Paul here points out is that whether good or bad all alike are subject to Christ as their creator. No doubt in view of the situation at Colossae it was hostile rather than friendly powers that he had in mind.

But the first argument by which he tries to reduce those hostile powers to their proper dimensions in the eyes of Christians is the fact that they owe their existence to the Christian Savior bringing them down.

You're giving too much attention to these things these angels spirit beings. And then later in chapter 2 he sets forth another argument that brings them down more and that is that they have already been vanquished by this Savior through his cross.

But we'll get to that. The point is this there should not be undue attention given to these spiritual beings or forces and nor should there be inordinate fear respecting them. You know. Regarding the devil and evil and demons of course there's always two dangers.

Giving little to a little attention to it giving too much attention to it. There needs to be a proper understanding of proper balance. We're not ignorant of his devices but we're not going to give more than is due.

Jesus Christ created them rules over them limits their ability to harm his own people or thwart his purposes in their lives. By the way verse 16 of Colossian one seems to set forth a hierarchy of spiritual beings and this may be the case.

They include these four thrones or dominions principalities or powers. And these perhaps represent the higher ranks of the spiritual hierarchy. But it would be a misguided attempt and effort to try and establish a precise order or ranking of degrees of power of these special forces spiritual forces.

And we're talking about evil forces here. The various lists of these that we find in different places of Scripture vary in order and in name which suggests to us really the ranking of these evil forces or spiritual forces are not that important.

And yet again some people will give undue attention to these things. The internet is just loaded with this kind of nonsense. Stay away from it. But again the point that Paul was making was that these Christians should not give undue attention to them or have fear regarding them.

Here's another good word regarding Paul's desire for these Christians at Colossi. Paul is thinking especially of thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities. The teachers of error. The Colossi were constantly referring to these angelic beings.

The Apostle does not deny their teachers existence. Neither does he reject the idea that they are able to exert influence for good if still unfallen or for evil if fallen. The Apostles idea is rather this angels have no power apart from Christ.

In fact apart from him they cannot even exist. They are creatures nothing more to the salvation or perfection of the Colossians. They in and of themselves can contribute not whatsoever. They can only render service.

And this always in subjection to Christ and through his power. The good angels cannot add anything to the fullness of riches and resources which believers have in Christ. The evil angels cannot separate them from his love.

In fact through his death these sinister powers were basically vanquished. They are approaching the day when even their ability to do harm in God's universe in the hearts and lives of earth dwellers will be ended once and for all.

And so there you see in that quote the one we read earlier a very good setting forth this passage. These this clause is phrased within the context of Paul's letter attempting to correct the heresy in the Church of Colossi.

The latter portion of verse 16 reads. All things were created through him that is through Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ. This simple statement answers two very important philosophical questions. Philosophers have been asking these questions since the days of since the days of ancient Greece.

First man has always asked himself how did I come to be why is everything here how did it happen. And the answer that Paul says forth is through him or by him by Christ. And then the second question that man has always asked for what purpose am I here.

Why am I here. And the answer of the apostle is for him for Christ their word for again in our English it's a preposition but it's a it's a form of the noun. Is it. It's a well I won't go into detail for that but it's for the advantage of Christ as it were.

We're created for him for his advantage for his glory for his benefit. You're here for him not for yourself not for your family not for your church for him Jesus Christ. And when you get that right everything else will fall into right place and perspective.

You don't get that right. You're gonna be off and have problems you created for him. So the Apostle says for Jesus Christ is a singular reason as well as the goal for all of life in Jesus Christ one discovers his purpose in life as well as the way to achieve that purpose.

Jesus Christ is all and the end of all in him. We find meaning purpose enjoyment fulfillment and contentment as one declared Matthew Henry being created by him. They were created for him being made by his power.

They were made according to his pleasure and for his praise he is the end as well as the cause of all things. To him are all things and we lose sight of that. Don't we. We know it's true every Christian here confesses it so but we lose sight of that.

We get focused on other things other matters. And we need to be drawn back to this always. And so the Apostle was setting forth Jesus Christ as the center of all focus and purpose in God's creation. Now later Paul will write to these Colossians these Christians you are complete in him.

Colossians 210. He sought to lead the Colossians to direct all their attention all their desire all their efforts all of their lives on knowing and serving Jesus Christ. And that's what a Christian is and does.

Any deviation from that is faulty and defective. He is the reason for living. He is the source of power for all true living before God. He is the one who alone can give one true purpose motivation and satisfaction in life.

Jesus said I came to give you a life. And that more abundantly. He is the source of life. God is the Creator through Jesus Christ. All life everything that life is is mediated to us through Jesus Christ.

The Christians in the Church of Colossi were having their attention and focus on things other than Jesus Christ and so Paul sought to correct them and establish them in Christ. And the same danger is before us today.

It's always the danger to our spiritual health and well-being. As Christians we may become diverted from Jesus Christ on to other things as the focus and reason for living focus on our spouse a loved one children work fun experience they become the focus and reason for living.

We can become diverted from Christ in our duties. Even good duties. Christian duties church things. Churches all over have lost sight of Jesus Christ. Haven't they. And it's always a danger for you and for me.

Do not let this happen. Do not let your knowledge deceive you. Your gifts or duties divert you. If you're not focused on him Jesus Christ you need to consider your thinking in ways and seek recovery by God and before God.

You're not right with God. If this is not true to your experience to your emotions to your desire your will. And of course obviously we would have to say none of us have truly arrived. Have we at this at this.

It's a it's a goal it's an ideal. But we've got to keep it before us. This is what Paul is keeping before this church. They lost sight of it and they were in danger. Well forkly. Paul further exalts Christ in the next sentence.

Jesus Christ is before all things. Verse 17a. This speaks of Christ's importance his preeminence above all created things. For Jesus Christ is the pre-existent one. He's before all things. Jesus Christ in his divine nature is eternal.

There never was a time when there was not the glorious Son of God. The heretic Arius of the early Christian era said there was a time when Jesus Christ was not. When he was not when the Son of God was not.

And that was error heresy he is eternal God he's from eternity. When we talk about the divine nature of Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God is commonly said that that he is the Son of God through the eternal generation of the Father the eternal generation of the Son by the Father.

And that's a proper expression of what the Bible teaches. The Son of God is begotten of the Father from eternity. And when we say he's begotten from eternity this is not to say that in the distant past God the Father caused the Son to be begotten to come into existence.

There wasn't a point in time when he became the Son of God. He is eternally begotten as the Son of God. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father as an eternal act of the Father not in the distant past but as really as a continuous act of the Father the Son is begotten of the Father.

In other words there was never a time when the Son of God was not begotten of the Father. Here's a good word of Louis Burkhardt. I'm reading through his theology and really profiting from it. And here's this explanation of how we should understand this important matter of Son.

The Son being eternally begotten of the Father. This does not mean however that it is an act that was completed in the far distant past but rather that it is a timeless act. The act of an eternal present an act always continuing and yet never completed its eternity follows not only from the eternity of God but also from the divine immutability and from the true deity of the Son.

In other words if God's changing then you cannot have an origin when he became the Son of God he's eternally begotten of the Father. Now we're talking about you know nuances in these matters doctrinal matters but they're important because this is where people get off into error.

And besides we should have a clear understanding of these things if we want to know our God and know the Son of God rightly and truly know who he is and what he's like. This is a part of eternal life growing in our understanding and appreciation of these things.

And so these are not needless little little details you know need people needlessly fight over. These are important matters if we want to know who God is and what he's like now in this matter there has been an error regarding the doctrine of Jesus Christ as the Son of God that from time to time is seen among evangelicals.

And this is the errant teaching that the second person of the Holy Trinity did not become the Son of God until the incarnation. When he became came into the world becoming Jesus of Nazareth then he became the Son of God.

There are some that teach that they argue that before the incarnation the second person of the Trinity should be understood as the eternal Word of God. But the Word of God did not become the Son of God until conceived in Mary and born in Bethlehem.

And this is wrong. They tend to use a verse. It is found in several places of the Bible. It had its origin in Psalm 2 7. This day I have begotten you. You are my son today I've begotten you. And this verse is quoted in three places in the New Testament to in Hebrews they use it to argue their point.

They also sometimes argue from Romans 1 where Paul describes the Son of God with power declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness. And they emphasize the Son of God with power and they declare that's when he became the Son of God.

But these verses speak of the resurrection of Jesus Christ not him becoming the Son of God but really it's a declaration that he assumed his role as the promised son of David. God told David I will be a father to your son when he begins his earthly rule.

In other words he'll be ruling on my behalf and I will help him and encourage him and give him authority and ability he'll be my son. He said that of Solomon Solomon David your son I will be a father to him.

And he says so with regard to Jesus the promised son of David. And so Jesus is really the Son of God in two senses. He is a son of God essentially he is eternally begotten of the Father. And then he is the Son of God as the Son of David as the promised Messiah enthroned over Israel and ruling on God's behalf.

Not many people understand that point but it's a very important matter. The Son of God has existed from eternity as the glorious second person of the Blessed Holy Trinity. In the incarnation he assumed a human nature and a human body the Creator becoming one of his creatures.

Think about that amazing he was infinite became finite in the human nature and body of Jesus. Here is the early church's declaration of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ that was issued at the Council of Chalcedon which was actually a little bit of a reworking of the Council of Nicaea.

And again there is words here there are terms here that kind of seemed to be strange to us but they were very important and they were addressing and correcting heresy. And this is what they determined.

And they determined it rightly. This is what the Bible teaches about the Son of God. We then following the Holy Father so all with one consent this is in 84 51 teach people to confess one and the same son our Lord Jesus Christ the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood truly God and truly man of a reasonable in other words rational soul and body consubstantial in other words co-essential essential with God the Father with the Father according to Godhead and consubstantial with us according to the manhood in all things like unto us without sin begotten before all ages of the Father that was their effort to say eternally generated by the Father according to the Godhead.

And in these latter days for us and for our salvation born of the Virgin Mary the mother of God. I would take issue with that statement. God does not have a mother in his human nature. Jesus of course Mary was his was his mother according to the manhood one and the same Christ son Lord only begotten to be acknowledged in two natures in confusedly unchangeably indivisibly inseparably.

The distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the Union but rather the property of each nature being preserved and concurring in one person. Jesus Christ is one person. He's a divine person with two natures two sets of affections two sets of wills.

His human will all nature was always subject to his divine to his father. The distinction of nature is being by no means taken away by the Union but rather the property of each nature being preserved concurring in one person and one subsistence.

Speaking of his deity not parted or divided into two persons but one and the same son he's one person and only begotten God. The word the Lord Jesus Christ as the prophets from the beginning had declared concerning him and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us.

And the creed of the Holy Fathers is down handed down to us. I am glad that we live on this side of Chalcedon this side of Nicaea. I'd hate to have to work through those issues as they had to work through those issues.

We take these things for granted and God blessed them you know for having done the hard work and the labor in dealing with these matters. Fifth. We have to kind of rush. Now we see Jesus Christ is a sustainer of all things we read in Colossians 117 a.

And in him all things hold together. All power was evident in Christ when he created all things. His power is now evident in his sustaining all things. Keeping all things existing Jesus Christ is maintaining the existence of all things.

This speaks of the Son of God as in charge of the events of the world. If it were not for Jesus Christ everything would fly apart. Nothing would make sense nothing would hold together. He governs the world in his providence by Christ.