Colossians 1:15-17 – The Visible Image of God

colossians-1-15-17-the-visible-image-of-god

15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we cannot see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

— Colossians 1:15-17 NLT

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Colossians as a letter to the church of Colosse. The church was beginning to stray away from the truth of God, and Paul wrote to them to correct their thinking in reminding them that “Christ is the visible image of God.”
Although Jesus was born fully man, he is also fully God and is still the creator of all. 

There are many times that we try to separate Jesus from God, but we are reminded by truth that they are one in the same. The same God that created everything is the same God who chose to live among us and carry the weight of our own sin upon the cross. Paul writes that “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation.” We are reminded that Christ has been a part of creation from the very beginning. He didn’t just “show up,” because God told him to. He was fully present throughout our entire creation. His plan from the beginning was to come down to earth to live alongside us and save us from the sin we were bound to. This means he had every single one of us in mind when all things were created. Each of us were created with the choice of freedom through Jesus. Not only did Christ create all things, “he holds all creation together.” It is by his grace that we are given access to heaven–we are given access to the things of this world and the things we cannot see. God is Christ. Christ is God. And he rules over us with the utmost authority, that gives us freedom unlike anything else when we choose to believe him for who he is.

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a practical step

It is important to be reminded of the authority and supremacy that God has over our lives. The truth of this passage was written to a church 2000 years ago, but it still remains true to this day. God created all and lives in it all with us.
Ask God to remind you of where he stands supreme in your life. He has been in every moment beginning from creation.

pray

God,
Thank you for your perfect creation. Thank you for choosing to live a human life to save me. You know all things, and I trust you and your authority over my life. You are good. I love you.
Amen. 

– Kelly