“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross — whether things on earth or things in heaven. Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him — if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.”
Colossians 1:15–23 HCSB
Let us break down what Paul is saying here:
Jesus is divine and Human. He is the image of God. Jesus told his disciples if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. He is part of the triune God. He sits at the right hand of the Father.
Jesus is our creator. For everything was created by Him. We exist because He exist. He was in the beginning. He is the word just as the word was in the beginning. He is the word that became flesh. So when God spoke “Let there be…” Jesus created. As Paul states all things have been created through Him and for Him.
Jesus is the Head of the Church. He is our High Priest. The church is His bride, the church is the body of Christ made up of many parts.
“for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:23-27 HCSB
Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. He was the first to be resurrected from the dead. He was dead for three days. He conquered death which is the penalty of sin. He died for our sins and died in our place. His resurrection sets up for those that are in Christ will be resurrected on the day He returns.
“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6 NKJV
“He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens — far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.”Ephesians 1:20-23 HCSB
Jesus has reconciled us to the Father. Peace has come from the cross. One day Jesus will return to reign on the earth and bring peace to all nations. Through Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins He has made us blameless before the Father. Just as sin came into the world through one man Adam. Salvation has come through one man Jesus Christ.
Reflections 