Colossians 1, 16 and 17. For by Him were all things created
that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers,
all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before
all things, and by Him all things consist. You might remember that
in our first study we sought to get a grasp and an acquaintance
with the state and the condition of the church that was at Colossae. We did that in order that we
might try to identify the eras that were there and that were
prevalent and that were pressing upon the people, which in turn
did give us a hint largely to why Paul so exalts the Lord Jesus
Christ here in the book of Colossians. It was to offset eras that Paul
wrote such things as Colossians 1.15, for they had a deficient
view of the Lord, our Savior. So Paul sets forth the fact that
the Lord is in the very image and the very likeness of God. And he makes that connection
in chapter 1, verse 14 and verse 15, that the very One who is
our Redeemer, that the one in whom we have redemption, that
the one who has worked to put away our sin and bring us forgiveness,
is one who bears the very image of God and is the preeminent
one above all other. The one having all power in heaven
and in earth, that their salvation is secured by a member of the
Godhead, the Son, the Second Person, not a mere man and not
a Jewish martyr who happened to get himself crucified, not
a common ordinary man, but God manifests in the flesh in the
person of His Son. Now, we had to close our first
study at verse 15 of chapter 1, but the apostle is by no means,
is in no way finished with the subject of Christ here in Colossae. But the Apostle is not finished
with it. He has more to say in proof of
his subject, which is the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, even
though he assumed flesh and was dwelling among us in a tabernacle
of flesh. And that more he continues here
in verse 16 and 17 of our subject today, where the apostle attributes
creation to Christ, where he calls Christ the Creator. Look at it. for by Him were all
things created. And the Him, of course, refers
to Christ, also called His dear Son. And in verse 16, which opens
with For, or we could say Because, Paul will further justify what
he had said of the Lord in the 15th verse. For to call Him the
very image of God and to make him to be the highest rank because
of his relationship to God is quite a claim on the part of
the apostle. Paul feels justified, fully so,
in declaring such of the Lord's Christ. And he carries it even
further in verse 16, which confirms what we mentioned only briefly
in our first study, that the firstborn, Christ as the firstborn,
did not make Him included in the all of creation in the end
of verse 15. The Son is not a created being. In fact, by Him and through him
were all things created, a created being cannot in turn turn around
and create. He cannot by himself be creator,
or even the least part, if he is created himself, he cannot
be the creator of all things. So, to that end, let's enter
a few more texts in the record to confirm the fact that Christ
held had an actual hand in creation, in the creation of the heaven
and the earth. And that, of course, means that
he existed prior unto creation. For example, you're familiar
with it, but that great passage in John's Gospel, chapter 1 and
verses 1 through 3, In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by Him. Without Him was not anything
made that was made. In Him all things have their
existence. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 2, but
only the last part of the verse, by whom also He created the world. that the word worlds is plural
in the King James Version. It is the word aeons. It is that word aeons or ages. Same word used in Hebrews chapter
11 and verse 3. We understand that the worlds
are The ages were framed by the Word of God. Literally, they
were spoken into existence. And this is what faith believed. In Ephesians chapter 3 and verse
9, you have it again. God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ. Now here, we must dig in our
heel and engage in hand-to-hand combat with those who deny in
one way or another the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. They
can see if Christ is creator, if creation is duly ascribed
unto Him, then it is illogical to deny His deity. Only God can
create. Thus, if Christ is creator, He
is God. And if He is God, He is creator. But this they deny, some like
the Sassanian and others. They deny that Christ is God,
and this requires them then to explain away all of those texts
that ascribe the creation of all things unto the Lord Jesus. And we must not let them have
free reign with that. We must call their hand on it,
for they are trying to be old wily coyote here, and their perversions
might at first sound reasonable to some that are not grounded
thoroughly in the faith and of course in the person of the Lord
Jesus Christ. So here's what we are up against. In that, as they deny the eternality
and the deity of Christ our Lord, they also deny that He had a
hand in original creation. those such as Jehovah Witnesses,
and the Sassanian, for example. For example, the Jehovah Witnesses,
in their so-called New World Translation version of the Scripture,
in the early edition, 1950 and 1951, the Feeling the Pinch of
the Deity of Christ, in Colossians 1 and verse 16, they put in the
word other, making it to read By Him were all other things
created. They enclose the word other in
brackets, trying to do away, of course, with the deity of
the Lord. There are other ways that this
truth of the deity of Christ is wrested out of place. There are the Sassanian view
of Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 3, who say, yet it is Christ
that made the worlds, and then They deny that it is original
creation as in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 1 that is meant. Therefore they say it is not
creation proper and they say it means by whom God did constitute
the ages or He arranged the various dispensations of religion and
that it only refers to the new creation or the restoration of
spiritual life unto they that are dead in sin. Still others
will say concerning that, that God made the world for the sake
of the Son, others say on account of the Son, some by the Son as
an agent, as an instrument, but not as Creator Himself. Then, if that be true, as John
Brown observed, If making souls new be the creation that is ascribed
only to Christ, then more so could be ascribed to the apostle
who brought more into the kingdom of God than our Lord did actually
Himself. Now, here's a short summation
of the Sicilian view of Christ as Creator, especially taken
from Hebrews 1 and verse 3, as to the world said to be made
by Christ. These are not, they say, the
things of old, but the things of the new creation. not the
fabric of heaven and earth, but the conversion of the souls of
men is what Christ has created, not the first institution or
the forming of all things, but the restoration of mankind and
the translation of men into a new condition of life." All of that
is the Sicilian view of Christ as the Creator. Thus they view
Jesus only as the Creator of new life, not the Creator of
the material earth and the universe and such like. So let's check
again with the Scripture on the question. John chapter 1 and
verse 1. In the beginning was the Word
The Word was with God, and the Word was God. Now, if you'll
note, in the beginning, verse 2, the same Word was in the beginning
with God. Verse 3, all things were made
by Him, and apart from Him was nothing made that was made. Hebrews 1 and 2 again. by whom
He made the world. But here in Colossians 1 and
verse 16, Paul casts a very wide loop as to the creatorship of
our Lord, as he accepts nothing from the creatorship of Him,
that is, of the One that he has just described as being the image
of the invisible God and the firstborn of every creature. In verse 16, for by Him were
all things created, not just on His behalf, but by Him personally. He is the firstborn, for by Him
were all things created. And the word all things are meant
to be extensive. They include things that are
in heaven and things that are in the earth but they're not
limited or restricted to heavenly or to earthly things. And we
know the hero speaks in the past tense. He had or he did create
all things. John Eady, I like his commentary
on Ephesians and Colossians. He wrote on this verse, and I'm
quoting, Creation is here in the fullest and most unqualified
sense ascribed unto Christ." And then Edy adds this, in harmony
with John's gospel. That John's gospel teaches us
the very same thing. He adds the things in heaven
and in earth, visible and invisible, seen or unseen. And he goes on,
whether they be thrones or dominion, some say lordships or governor,
or principality, that is ruler, or powers and authority. And I think that we can agree
with Edy and with Thomas Goodwin, these four epitaphs or supplementary
name, or references to celestial dignity, and as Goodwin thought,
were referenced to rank by the similitude of earthly ranks,
in order for our apprehension to be quickened, that we might
understand the glory and the highness of our Lord. We must
then again in other places meet the same truth such as our spiritual
warfare in Ephesians 6 and 12, for we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, that is, our warfare is not only with flesh and blood. It is not just with men or carnal
flesh, else would our weapons be of a different sort altogether. But our warfare, our fighting,
Our wrestling, as Paul calls it, is against principality and
against power, against the rulers of the darkness of the world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places, or as the Margin
said, in heavenly places. same words as Colossians 1 and
verse 16. But secondly, again we see these
terms in connection with the victorious ascension of our Lord,
especially in Ephesians 1 and verse 20. and 21, which he wrought
in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at
his own right hand in the heavenly, far above all principality and
power and might and dominion. and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that world which is to come
and has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head
over all." Ephesians 1, 20 and 21. Colossians 2 and verse 10
calls Christ the head of all principality and power. Ephesians 3.10 uses it again. Romans 8 and verse 38 and Colossians
2 and verse 15. Thus we notice that these words
and these phrases keep popping up in the New Testament in the
writing of the Apostle Paul. And they bear at least perhaps
three and a four-fold relationship unto Christ, or rather, He unto
them. We will come across them again
in Colossians. So let's try to bring them together
here at chapter 1 and verse 16. First, it is said in our text
that they, whether it's meant by the word they, thrones, dominions,
principality, powers, they were part of Christ creative work. For as Paul says, by him were
all things created, which include all things in heaven and all
things in earth. And see the word whether, which
is as conditionality, such as if, that is, even if, making
a connection. all things in creation, all things
invisible, even thrones and principality and powers and so forth. Now,
we might ask ourselves the question, why then does Paul so very pointedly
insist upon Christ being regarded as the creator of all things,
visible and invisible, heaven and earth? There have been some
of old who claim that the Gnostics of old held the belief that the
divine power did not create the celestial beings and the powers
that are. If that be the case, Paul explodes
their myth and takes it from them here. And the object of
the apostle is to show that the divine Son is the creator of
all things, even of the celestial powers, even of the myriads in
the unseen world, even the higher order of being, or the heavenly
beings, created by our blessed Lord. And what a rebuke is this
to them as in Colossians chapter 2 and verse 18. The worshipping
of angels, the holy angels held in high esteem by most, recognized
as very lofty beings. However, the worshipping of angels
would be as much an act of idolatry as those who made and bowed down
before the golden cag. For angels themselves are created
beings. They are not God. They are not
eternal in the sense of our God and Christ. In fact, they are
inferior to Christ upon the same principle with Hebrews 3 and
verse 3. He that builds the house has
more honor than the house itself. Even so, as creator of the heavenly
host, Christ is higher than the angel and that is proven that
angels worship Christ when God brought him into the world. Hebrews
chapter 1 and verse 6. How and when some come to worship Angel, I cannot
tell you how and when it began. But it is not surprising, not
surprising at all, considering what the heathen have done, that
both in heathen, both in and out of Christendom, have worshipped
all manner of created objects over the time and history. Objects like the sun and the
moon and the wind and the stars, worshipping the creature rather
than the creator, Romans 1.25. and that part of Christendom
that prays to dead saints and considers dead Mary to be the
mother of God are guilty of acts of idolatry. Again, consider
Colossians 2, verse 14 and 15. Paul is telling his reader what
God has done in Christ in saving them, in bestowing life, in putting
away their sin, in bringing them up out of spiritual death into
newness of life. And notice the last words of
verse 13, having forgiven you all trespassers. And verse 14,
having blotted out having erased or cancelled or wiped out, cancelling
the handwriting which stood in ordinances or a decree and was
contrary and hostile unto us. The action is described in the
past tense again, having blotted out, for he did so in nailing
it unto his cross. He took it out of the way. The
word blotted, I think, is five times in the New Testament. Hear it in Colossians 2 and verse
14. Again in Acts 3 and verse 19,
that your sins be blotted out. Revelation 3 and 5, I will not
blot out His name out of the book of life. Twice, Revelation
7, 17 and 21 and verse 4, it is translated, wipe, shall wipe
away all tears. And some take the closest meaning
to be to expunge. to expunge those things that
stood against us. And as a bond against us and
hostile, they have been expunged or cancelled by the death of
Christ, bearing them in his body upon the tree. But again, Colossians
2.15 is also given in the past tense. Having spoiled, literally,
putting off, stripping away, disarming. And here are two of
those words again, principalities and power, which some render
rulers and authority. Thus Paul attributes a two-fold
work to the Lord Jesus in his death there upon the cross. Number one, He cancelled the
debt which consisted in decree and was hostile towards us. And by the way, I know this is
a bit past the subject, but in verse 16 and verse 17, there
seems to be a definite Jewish element to this concerning the
ceremonial law from the exhortation that are drawn there. But we
go on. Number two, in his same death
he defeated the power of Satan and the powers of darkness. which John Gill described like
this, principalities of hell, the infernal powers of darkness,
and the devil that had the power of death, unquote, the words
of Gill. John Edie, hostile, spiritual
powers are easy or rather plainly designated. Paul uses a metaphor. Number one, he stripped them,
he spoiled them, He defeated them. Number two, He made an
open show of them like triumphant kings used to do in bringing
in their spoil and the ones they had gained the victory over. He triumphant over them openly. or publicly. He defeated the
hostile powers in His death upon the cross. And in Paul's metaphor
here, Christ is a triumphant victor over spiritual enemies. He has triumphed and triumphs
over them. It is likened to a victorious
king or a great and mighty general who has defeated, conquered,
and taken over the enemy. And as he returns, he parades
those captive in public, displaying their defeat, putting them on
display as it were. J.B. Lightfoot said it is described
this way, quote, as a victor displays his captive and his
trophies in a triumphal Now quickly, after Jesus had defeated the
evil and wicked and spiritual power, he was, according to Ephesians
1, 20 and 21, raised, exalted far above all principality and
power and might and dominion. and every name that is named,
both in the world and in the world to come. But back to Colossians
1 and verse 17, a final point about the glory of Christ and
the power and the excellence of Him. Not only has He created
all things, in verse 16. But look at verse 17. He is said
to be the cause why all things are upheld. Two things, notice,
in verse 17. A. He is before all things, and
it definitely intends Christ, the Son of God, this one, the
one who made all things, there is likely a double meaning in
them. Number one, he is before all
things in relation to time. Number two, he is before all
things in relationship unto dignity. Now, the first best suits the
context, for being Creator establishes His preexistence. He must have
existed before the things that He created, but then be, notice
in the last half of verse 17, by Him all things consist. Again, we note the word all things. which is the same word in the
Greek as all things created in verse 16. Also, all things consist
in Him. Now, I count it. This word is
about a dozen times in the New Testament. Very interesting and
picturesque word. And I think this is the only
time that it is translated in the New Testament by the word
consist. Because the word has some compound
meaning such as that stood in Luke 9 and verse 32. Standing.
In 2 Peter 3 and verse 5, the meaning there is to cohere, to
hold together, to cause the standing of all things, to maintain something
in existence. to preserve by His power, to
keep it in existence what is created. What He has created,
He is preserving, which is a continuance, in a way, of His creating. He's not created all things only
to let them free wheel, if I may use the expression. Because the
earth which now by the same word are kept in store reserved under
fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Preserved and kept. Remember again Hebrews 1.3. upholding
all things by the word of His power. One said it like this. He is the cohesion in the universe. That is, our Lord Jesus Christ. For He sustains it. He causes
it to be a cosmos rather than a chaos. His power maintains
all things, else would it revert back into nothingness. He sustains
the order which He has created and has arranged. All things
are therefore kept in their motion, and they stay in their path,
and they keep their course by the sustaining power of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Listen to Job 26 and 7. He stretches out the north over
the empty space and hangs the world, that is, the earth, upon
nothing. Now, let's agree. What an exaltation
of Christ! Creator! That gives Him divinity. That gives Him eternality and
such like. But not only Creator, but also
Preserver of the earth to keep high our estimation of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, Christ in Colossians, the Creator and
the Sustainer.