Thou, Lord, to death’s domain

CHRIST—THE FIRSTBORN
OF ALL CREATION
Scripture Reading: Col. 1:15-17 ; Rev. 3:14

The main purpose of the book of Colossians is to show that Christ is everything, that He is all. In the universe everything that exists is included under one of two basic headings: the Creator and the creation. In order to show us that Christ is all, the Bible tells us that Christ is both the Creator and the firstborn of all creation. If He were only the Creator but not the firstborn of creation, then He would not be all.

Colossians reveals that Christ is everything, both the Creator and the firstborn of all creation. If Christ were only the Creator but not anything of the creation, He would not be all. Thus, the fullness, the expression of the Triune God, would not be complete. Paul’s concept in Colossians is profound. The fullness, the full expression of the Triune God, dwells in Christ. As the One who is all, He is both the Creator and the firstborn of all creation. This is a basic principle.

THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD

Colossians 1:15 says that Christ is the “image of the invisible God. ” Then, in the very same verse, Paul says that Christ is the “firstborn of all creation. ” Why does he put these two matters together, the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of all creation? God is invisible. But the Son of His love, “the effulgence of His glory and the express image of His substance” (Heb. 1:3), is His image, expressing what He is. The image here does not mean a physical form, but an expression of God’s being in all His attributes and virtues. This interpretation is confirmed by Colossians 3:10 and 2 Corinthians 3:18 .

To say that Christ, the all-inclusive One, is the image of God implies that He is the very God, the Creator. When we see Christ, we see the expression of the invisible God, for He Himself is God. If I had written the Epistle to the Colossians, I would have said simply that Christ is God the Creator. Paul, however, did not write in such a simple way. He said that Christ is the image of the invisible God, God Himself expressed.

As God, Christ is eternal and did not need to be born. But in 1:15 He is called the firstborn of all creation. Anything that requires birth must be a creature, part of creation. If Christ were only God and not man, He could not have been born, for God is infinite and eternal, without beginning or ending. But as a man, Christ had to be born. Hallelujah, Christ was born as a man! Isaiah 9:6 says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given... and his name shall be called The mighty God, The everlasting Father.... ” As the child born to us, Christ is called the mighty God. As the Son given to us, His name is called the eternal Father. As the mighty God and the eternal Father, Christ is eternal. But as the child and a son, He had to be born. Some argue that Christ was born, but not created. According to the Bible, birth is the carrying out of creation. Therefore, to be born is to be created.

If we care for the truth, we shall testify that Christ, the image of the invisible God, the very Creator, as the firstborn of all creation, is the first among all creatures. In this sense, Christ is not only the Creator, but also part of creation.

Life-study of Colossians

Message 8 (LSM)

What a triumph! What a Christ have we! To sing the hymn shakes off all the depression, all the weight and the sin that so easily besets us. This is our Christ! Victorious over the dark domain, He is Lord of all PRAISE JESUS CHRIST LORD OF ALL!

What a dear hymn to our Resurrected King! Death had no claim on Him. He met death and vanquished the power of death forever and now He holds death's key. Most clearly seen in stanza 3 is that through His death a "living throng" was brought forth. This "living throng" is the church brought forth in Christ's resurrection. May He be Chief to us all when we declare His death on the Lord's Day enjoying His pneumatic presence in resurrection.