By Larry Curl

Background:

Tom’s series on the Progressive Church showed us, among other things, that our society is in desperate need of Christ. There has always been a need for people to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. But, as Biblical Christianity is being pushed farther and farther into the fringes of our culture the lack of truth, wisdom and genuine love in our society seems to be growing greater each day. At times it feels like there is no hope. But, for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ we know that hope can always be found in Him.

1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

So, in response to the discouraging things we see happening in the world around us one of the best courses of action we can take is to focus on the Magnificence of Christ and help others to do the same. Because In Him we will find the only hope for real change.

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The Magnificence of Christ as the Image of God, in Creation, in the Church, and in Reconciliation:

Colossians 1:15-20

^“15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

His Magnificence as the Image of God:

^“15 “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

The invisible God, God the Father, is the most magnificent being that exists! He is Lord over all and perfect in all His ways. And according to Colossians 1:15 Jesus is the image of His Father. Hebrews 1:3 adds that Jesus is the “exact” image (representation) of His Father.

Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word…”

But…since God the Father is invisible, how can Jesus be an “image” of Him?

Other verses also make it clear that God the Father does not have a visible image. Per John 1 :18 “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

As a side note, if Jesus was the physical image of the God the Father who is perfect and glorious, you would expect him to be beautiful in appearance to those who saw him face to face.  But, the following passage from Isaiah 53 doesn’t support this.

Isaiah 53:1-2 “Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
² He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.”

So, it seems that the word image, as used in Colossians 1:15, must not be referring to a visual replication of God’s physical likeness. Being the “Image of the Invisible God” must mean something else.

Going back to the Hebrews 1:3verse, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word…”

In the original language the phrase “exact representation of his being” would be something like “revelation of the character of his person”.

John Calvin’s commentary on Colossians 1:15 aligns with this language “The sum is this — that God in himself, that is, in his naked majesty, is invisible, and that not to the eyes of the body merely, but also to the understandings of men, and that he is revealed to us in Christ alone, that we may behold him as in a mirror. For in Christ, he shows us his righteousness, goodness, wisdom, power, in short, his entire self. We must, therefore, beware of seeking him elsewhere, for everything that would set itself off as a representation of God, apart from Christ, will be an idol.”

So, when Paul says in Colossians that Jesus is “… the image of the invisible God” he is trying to convey that Jesus is the revelation of God the Father’s character. What He is like, what is important to Him, how he acts.

Matthew Henry’s commentary adds this about Colossians 1:15 “Christ in his human nature, is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus.”

Well, I didn’t originally intend to spend that much time on the Magnificence of Christ as the Image of God. But I guess it reinforces the critical fact the Jesus is not merely a superior human who is very moral and very wise, but that he is uniquely the exact representation of what God is like.

His Magnificence in Creation:

Colossians 1:15-16 “…. the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”

This passage also makes it clear that Jesus is much more than an exalted human being. No human has the power to create something from nothing as Jesus did. And the Gospel of John reinforces that Jesus (the Word) was there at the beginning, with God the Father, making all things, speaking the universe into existence (Genesis 1, and God said “Let there be light”)

John 1:1-3” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

Hebrews 11:3 in the ESV, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

The power that Jesus displayed in creating every single thing that exists is beyond our ability to comprehend! It should truly lead us to worship Him!

At the end of verse 15 it declares “all things were created through him and for him. “

John Piper made these comments about this passage:

“All that came into being exists for Christ — that is, it exists to display the greatness of Christ. Nothing — nothing! — in the universe exists for its own sake. Everything from the bottom of the oceans to the top of the mountains, from the smallest particle to the biggest star, from the most boring school subject to the most fascinating science, from the ugliest cockroach to the most beautiful human, from the greatest saint to the most wicked genocidal dictator — everything that exists, exists to make the greatness of Christ more fully known — including you, and the person you have the hardest time liking.”

This concept, that not only was everything created by Christ, but everything exists for Christ, just adds to his magnificence!