The First Born of Creation and Creator of All Things
There are those people who deny the humanity of Jesus Christ. Then, there are those who deny the deity of Jesus Christ. It is the role of the false teacher to misrepresent our Lord by distorting the truth about Him. Many deceivers exist in the world, and they do the bidding of their father, the devil, who has been a liar from the beginning (Jn 8:44; 2 Jn 7).
In considering the biblical defense of the deity of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae is exceedingly helpful. The epistle to the Colossians is high Christology. It argues for the supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things.
In eternity past, the Son of God existed with the same essence as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. As distinct Persons of the triune Godhead, the three are in eternal relationship with one another. It is divinity in loving community. As it pertains to the relationship of the Son to the Father, there is an eternal generation of the Son from the Father. The Son is the image of the invisible God from before creation (Col 1:15a). He is before all things, chronologically (Col 1:17). The existence of the Son of God is pre-existent to anything created (Jn 1:2).
In Colossians 1:16, we learn that the eternal Son of God is the Creator of all things. The writer of Hebrews in his high Christology, echoes the Apostle John is stating the truth that God made the world through His Son (Jn 1:10; Heb 1:2), who is the heir of all things because all things belong to Him. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Ps 24:1) because all things are from Him, and all things are through Him, even as all things return to Him (Rom 11:36).
In addition to being the Creator of all that He has made, the eternal Son of God is the one who upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb 1:3). In Christ, all things hold together (Col 1:17). Because Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God (1 Cor 1:24), He knows how to create something from nothing. That includes things in the heavens and on the earth. The visible and invisible are His design.
As the icon of God (Col 1:15a), Jesus is Lord over all (Acts 10:42). This includes the realm of darkness and the evil ones who operate there. Every throne and every dominion are subject to the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim 6:15). All rule and authority have been created by Him and for Him (Col 1:16). As of yet, we do see all things put into subjection under Him (Heb 2:8). In fact, the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 Jn 5:19), who is the ruler of this world in rebellion against God (Lk 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Acts 26:18).
This first creation was deemed very good by its Creator (Gen 1:31). In order to expose the domain of darkness (Col 1:13), established in the pre-cosmic fall of the devil and his angels, God ordained the fall of man and the rest of creation. It is this creation that has been groaning under the weight of sin since the rebellion of Adam and Eve (Rom 8:22), the first humans made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:27; 5:2; Mt 19:4).
The first Adam failed his posterity by joining Satan in defiance of the Word of God (Gen 3:5). Thus, the first creation remains under the judgment of God (Rom 1:18); and it will ultimately be burned when God has accomplished His purposes for it (2 Pet 3:7).
The new creation has been initiated by the incarnation of the eternal Son of God. His sinless conception by the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:20; Lk 1:35), in the womb of the Virgin Mary was followed by a perfect, sinless life in His full humanity (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15). In His death, the act of perfect submission to the will of the Father fulfilled all righteousness.
The necessary incarnation (Jn 1:14) led to the necessary fulfillment of the Law of God (Mt 5:17), which included the necessary redemption for the forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:14), by Jesus Christ’s precious blood of the new covenant (Mt 26:28; 1 Pet 1:19).
The death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and enthronement of Jesus Christ has established the new beginning. The second Adam (1 Cor 15:45), who is the first born of creation (Col 1:15b), is now populating His kingdom with men made new (Rom 6:4; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 1:13).
The new creation is the formation of new creatures in Christ (1 Cor 1:30). These are the regenerated souls of God’s elect from every nation (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3; Rev 5:9; 7:9), who were given to Christ the Son before the foundation of the world (Jn 6:37; 17:2, 6, 24; 2 Tim 1:9).
The eternal Son had power and dominion over the first creation as the prototokos (primacy of the first born). In the same way, all authority in heaven and earth belongs to Jesus Christ (Mt 28:18), today — the God-man sitting at the right hand of Majesty — far above all rule and authority (Eph 1:21; Heb 1:3; 8:1).
The name that is above every other name is the one given to the Son of God (Phil 2:9), who became the Son of Man (Jn 1:14), and who is bringing many sons to glory (Heb 2:10), having ransomed them from the slave market of sin (Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45; Rom 6:6). Jesus Christ is God our Savior (Titus 1:4; 2:13). Thus, we see Jesus exalted to the highest place of honor and glory for His stellar work in creation, redemption, and this new creation to be proclaimed to all people.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
December 17, 2023
Colossians 1:15b-17
