2017-01-06
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Last week, I was led to discuss COL 1: 15 as the beginning of this segment of the “Knowing God” messages called “Firstborn.” We learn more important things about Christ in COL 1: 15-20. So far, we’ve learned that Jesus Christ is the (visible) “image of the invisible God, and the Firstborn over all creation.” Now, let’s go on to (16) which helps explain this second phrase of (15).
COL 1: 16, “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.” Often when I’m teaching classes about this subject, I use the metaphor of a business, which has a CEO, and two vice presidents with specific areas of responsibility to explain this concept. The business is bringing people to eternal life at God’s side in heaven and building God’s Kingdom. The CEO, the One Who makes decisions, is the Father, God, the first personality of the Godhead. The VP in charge of doing the work of creation, teaching God’s principles, and redemption is His Son, Jesus Christ, the second personality of the Godhead. The VP in charge of counseling and God’s Mouthpiece on earth sent by the Son to dwell in the souls of believers, is the Holy Spirit. He is the third personality of the Godhead [IS 48: 16; DT 6: 4-5; EPH 2: 19-22; HE 9: 13-15; JN 14: 16-18; RO 8: 14-16, 26-27; JN 3: 16; 1 PET 1: 20-21]. If one thinks about it, Jesus Christ has to be the Firstborn of all creation in order to do the work of creating the universe, including the earth and everything on it. Furthermore, by name and responsibilities, Christ is supreme and superior to all others of God’s creation.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we get some important direction and comfort in EPH 1: 11-14, “In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him Who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a Deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.” If we feel loved, possessed, and sealed by Him to receive the blessing of eternal life and sweet fellowship with Him, then God, through Paul has gotten his points across.
COL 1: 17, “He [Christ] is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together.” Yes, we have made a wonderful choice when we agreed to believe in Jesus Christ! Imagine endless blessings and a life of sweet fellowship with the God Who loves us so much. This is the same God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Who forges great friendships in our lives and Who in all His personalities is our divine Covenant Partner. Our lives have been “inwardly transformed by a renewal of our mind” [RO 12: 2]. This transformation is from a sin-driven road to spiritual death to a Spirit-driven road to eternal life. By virtue of the pledge we take to covenant partnership with other believers and with our Lord, we are given new life in Jesus Christ [2 COR 5: 17]. Our Lord and all who believe in Him have melded into one winning team.
PRAYER: O Lord, we are enormously blessed to know of the love You have for us. The extent to which You have gone for us in sacrificing Your only Son on the cross, so that we might be saved, is the greatest blessing You have bestowed on us. You are a wise, generous, supreme, and sovereign God, and we pledge our faith in You. The Hebrews used the word “Eloheim” –a plural word for You, even though they didn’t understand what You have told us in the NT about Your three personalities and what they do. You are a God, Who can be counted upon to keep Your promises [ΝU 23: 19; PS 138: 8]. We understand that You need to have us live up to our end of the holy covenant between us, just as our human covenant partners do. We bow before Your superiority and wisdom no matter which of Your personalities is interacting with us. You are a permanent Resident of our homes and part of our daily lives. We offer our love, thanks, and praise to You—things You richly deserve. We ask You to intervene in our lives, to continue to give us the ability to call upon You to remove the devil and his dirty work from us. We pledge to cooperate with You in our sanctification and forward motion in spiritual maturity. We utter utmost thanks for the hope of the resurrection given us, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I’m commanded by the Holy Spirit to continue this segment called “Firstborn” with a discussion of COL 1: 18-20. We will know Christ better by these verses and will recognize the great blessing our faith in Him is. God has blessed me in my life. He has taken me though tough lessons I needed to be a better person and believer. He has given me strong faith in His Son. He has brought a loving husband and many, many lasting friendships into my life. He has given me the experience of working through many challenges and losses in my life, which has strengthened me. And, He has given me many opportunities to serve Him and others around me with the skill set He has given me. Having said all of this, I’m still left with some knotty and stubborn issues in my life, so it is not perfect. No one’s earthly life is. Long ago, I read a book written by Thomas Kinkaid, the “painter of light,” about himself and his wife, Nanette. He loved her very much and always hid an “N” in his paintings in honor of that love. Before the two of them were married, he was going to school on the west coast, and she was in college on the east coast. They came up with the idea to keep what they called “glow books.” These were lists of blessings, large and small, made each day. Then, then would call long distance and share them with each other. Let me urge each of you to try this; it’s a real faith-strengthener. It’s by practices like this, that God gives us a way of feeling His wonderful presence in our lives. Praise and thanks be to Him for all He is and all He does!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2016. All Rights Reserved.
<-- Back to Archives