| Subject: God Made Visible |
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Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 20:29:19 08/24/14 Sun
Colossians 1:15-17 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things 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.
Jesus, the image of the invisible God. Jesus was not and is not just a man. It is true that He was fully man but it is also true that He was and is fully God (Col. 1:19). A person cannot be a Bible believer and not believe that Jesus was God in the flesh. Our God in heaven took on flesh that He might suffer death as an atonement for our sins that we, including the whole world who will believe. might be saved. The means by which He chose to take on flesh, was through the natural birth process. The Bible tells us that the power of God, through the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary, His mother. The conception was not of any natural means whatsoever. Mary was still a virgin after she conceived. and remained so until after the birth of Jesus (Matt. 1:25, Matt. 13:55-56)
The statement in verse 15 is that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. The Bible is clear that "no man hath seen God at any time" (Jn. 1:18, 1Jn. 4:12). The statement then is that God is invisible and it is impossible to see God. Jesus, in John 14:9 said: "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father". Jesus makes that statement on the basis that He is God manifest in flesh. "The image of the invisible God". In Jn. 1:18 again the clear statement is that "no man hath seen God at anytime" yet it is written in Exodus 24:9-10 that 74 men saw God which is seemingly a contradiction. How are the two statements reconciled? We must remember that the verse we are currently studying says that Jesus is the "image" of the invisible God. This gives us the clue we need to understand and realize there is no contradiction. In order for it to be possible to see God He must first robe himself in something visible. We call this a theophany or an appearance of God in another form. When Jacob wrestled with "a man" in Genesis 32:24-30 we find in verse 30 the "man" was God.: Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Without God appearing in a visible form no man could see Him. When God appeared to Moses He had to do so in a way that Moses could see Him. To be able to look on the "un-cloaked" face of God would bring death. Exodus 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. Moses was allowed to see the glory and back parts of God but not His face. The invisible God appeared in a visible form that Moses could stand.
Again Jesus is God manifest in flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). Other verses which speak of the deity of Jesus are: 1 Tim. 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Notice the phrase "only wise God". If Jesus is not God manifest in the flesh then God the Father is not a wise God, and only Jesus is. Nothing else could be made of the statement. Jude 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Again, Jude is recognizing Jesus as being God.
The second clause of Col. 1:15 says "the firstborn of every creature:". In order to understand what is meant we must look at the context. Verse 14 preceding speaks of our redemption through the blood. We understand this as being the "new birth" or being "born again"(Jn. 3:3). We are then a "new creature" (or creation)(Gal. 6:15). In the Book of 2 Corinthians we have additional proof of this status. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
The context then of Jesus being the firstborn of every creature is the new creature. It is not talking about the animals, birds, fish, insects etc. It is talking about every born again; every creature created in Christ Jesus which excludes any not under the blood for salvation.
Coming on down now to verse 16 we have the affirmation that it was this "image of the invisible God" who also is the "firstborn of every creature" who created all things. We also find this in Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (God the creator then is the second person of the Trinity who will come as Jesus the Christ) 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. We should also take note that in verse 16 the emphasis is on the order of rule, authority and power. The list mentions thrones, dominions, principalities and powers so even though the second person of the Trinity created everything the emphasis here is on the higher creation of heavenly beings and man.
This passage above also is in total agreement with verse 17 of the passage we are studying in Colossians. Verse 17 says: "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." By Jesus all things consist. The list includes organic and non-organic. It includes the earthly and heavenly as well as the visible and invisible. Nothing is left out. All things consist by Jesus and He upholds this consistency by the word of His power. He made them for Himself as it pleased Him. If Jesus (God) ceased to exist then the worlds and all that is therein would cease to exist also. It is as if the substance of the universe consists of the substance of God but this is beyond our comprehension and beyond the revelation God has given to us.
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