Colossians 1:15-19 (ESV)
[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of
all creation. [16] 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. [17] And he is
before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head
of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that
in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell,
As 21st Century Western
believers we have learned the significance of these verses in terms of our
theology. We can defend the deity of Jesus, but we miss the point. Jesus is
God. As such, thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities “were created through
him and for him” (Col 1:16). There are two truths here that we give lip service
to, but fail to live out on a consistent basis.
First, the goal is that “in
everything he might be preeminent” (Col 1:18). In other words, it’s not about
me. Too often our prayers, our worship, our board meetings and business
meetings, our meetings in the parking lot after the meetings are all about us.
What makes us feel good? What keeps us comfortable? What music do we like the
best? Why doesn’t God take away my pain, or my problems? We have turned the
focus of the church on us when it was never about us. It is about Jesus
Second, we give lip service to God, but fail to trust him. We listen to
stories from missionaries about demons and witch doctors. We are wowed by the
stories, but scared to death by the demons and witch doctors. Have we forgotten
that “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the
kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:13)? Do we not believe that he is indeed
preeminent? Do we not believe that even the demons are subject to the authority
of Jesus? We allow these things to fill us with fear.
Then we turn from the spiritual realm to the earthly realm and fear the
cults, the false religions, the druggies, and those caught in the dark world of
sin. Why should Muslim immigrants fill us with fear? Why would we assume that
druggies and alcoholics are beyond salvation and sanctification? Why do we give
lip service to the power of God, but live as though he is incapable of
transforming lives? If God “delivered us from the domain of darkness and
transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:13), does he not have
the power to do the same thing for those caught up in cults, false religions,
violence, drugs, human trafficking, etc.?
Why would we live in fear and allow fear to drive our decisions and policies if we really believed that Jesus is who this passage says he is? Or, could it be that we love to talk and sing about the greatness of Jesus because that makes us feel good, but in the end we don’t really believe it? Here is the most mind-blowing, incredible, world shaking truth, Jesus “is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). He created all things, and all things are subject to his power and authority. “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col 2:9), and he has “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Col 2:15). There is no power that can stand against him. Maybe it is time that we live as though we actually believe our theology.
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