Previous Questions and Answers
Subject: Is Jesus God?
Jesus the first born of
creation. What does it mean?
.
Colossians
1:12-15 says, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us
from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins: Who is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of every creature.”
The Bible has no contradictions in it. Psalms 12:6-7 says, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”
When Colossians 1:15 says that Jesus, “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature,” that does not mean that Jesus had a beginning to His existence, which would mean that He is not God.
To the contrary, the Bible teaches that Jesus is the eternal God, who has always existed. Micah 5:2 refers to Jesus being born, and says, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Jesus had no beginning, He has been from everlasting.
Hebrews 7:1-3 says, “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” Jesus had no beginning of days—He is the eternal Son of God.
Then to what does Colossians 1:15 refer, when it says, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.” That is referring to Jesus’ resurrection, and He being the first one to receive a glorified resurrection body. Look at the context of Colossians 1:15, and read verses 16-18: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be 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. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
That same truth is seen in Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” So references to Jesus being the “firstborn of every creature” refer to Him receiving the first glorified body at His resurrection.
