Daily Bread - 05/07/07

Colossians 1:15 - Whose image is that of the invisible God, first-born of all creation.

To understand the meaning of "firstborn of all creation" it must be understood in light of other doctrines that are clearly established in scripture. Most importantly is that Jesus is the Eternal God who has no beginning and no end (John 1:1; Isa 9:6; John 17:5; Titus 2:13). As God, the Word Jesus was the Creator who created everything in the Universe, a distinction that Paul is careful to make in the next verse (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2; John 1:3; Ephesians 3:9; 1 Corinthians 8:6).

Jesus may be understood as the firstborn in the sense of His priority and superiority over all things. Yet more importantly God, the Word, became the firstborn of the new creation and the only begotten Son of God when he was incarnated and born of a virgin named Mary (Jn 1:18; 3:16,18; Acts 13:33; Heb 1:5; 5:5; 1 John 4:9). He is the firstborn among many brethren because He was begotten of God as a Son so that now we too may be begotten of God and made sons (John 1:12-13; 1 John 3:1, 2, 9; 4:7; 5:1,4,18; Philippians 2:15; Romans 8:14; James 1:18; Galatians 4: 4-6). Because of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus we are also born of God and become sons of God and brethren to the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:29; John 20:17; Matthew 12:50).

Paul also calls Jesus the "firstborn among many brethren" and the "firstborn from the dead" (Romans 8:20; Col 1:18). Jesus is the "firstborn of all creation" because it was through Him that all creation was redeemed (Colossians 1:20; Acts 4:12; Ephesians 1:10; Romans 11:36; Galatians 3:20; Hebrews 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:5). He is the "firstborn form among the dead" because He was the first to be raised from the dead and as a result we too shall be raised up in the likeness of His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23; Romans 6:5)

Be blessed!

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org