The apostle Paul never left God’s people questioning who or what Christians believe in. The certainty of God’s Word stands believers on rock solid ground as to the truth to build your life upon. While the world scrambles for any and every idea which would exclude God from their thinking, believers rest in God’s testimony of Jesus Christ. Peter announced publicly on the day of Pentecost; “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).
Likewise, the apostle Paul’s anthem to the Colossians of Jesus Christ’s supremacy continues with the highest accolades. “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” (Colossians 1:16). Jesus Christ is the reason everything exists in every dimension imaginable. God the Father exercised His creative will through His Son (Heb 1:2) “so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3b).
“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life…” (John 1:3-4). Christ needed no building materials. He did not start a process which only time and chance could complete. No, He created everything out of nothing as the perfect expression of His Father’s will. Being the creator therefore, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-20). Jesus is not only the eternal one living before time began; He was also before anything else that ever existed.
When Christ created everything in the universe, He did so with the intentional design that required His power to hold everything together on an ongoing basis. The universe is forever dependent upon the invisible power of Christ to prevent it flying apart. The very structure of all material and immaterial things throughout the universe relies upon Christ to maintain their existence.
Paul’s reference to “thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities” shows that the various categories of angelic beings, whether holy or unholy, all come under the rulership of Christ. Jesus is sovereign Lord over all spiritual beings, no exceptions. As such, the time is coming when “every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). Jesus indomitable (impossible to subdue) rule over all will culminate in the Day of the Lord which will bring every creature in humble and bowed worship before Him.
That time of universal acknowledgement will be the ultimate proclamation that everything exists “for him” (Col 1:16). All creation exists for Christ’s pleasure and glory. God gives testimony of Jesus inherent qualification for such majestic worship in Hebrews 1:8; “But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.”
I encourage you to keep these truths in your thoughts today. Praise God for making His Son known to us. Share these truths of Christ with someone else so they too can rejoice in knowing that God is not a god of our imaginations.
