…because by Him everything was created, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17, HCSB).”
If you were ever looking for an exalted picture of Christ, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one. In a staccato of prepositional phrases, Paul tells us everything we need to know about Jesus:
- “By him…” that Jesus is the sphere within which the universe was created. All the laws and purposes which govern the universe reside in him.
- “though him…” that Jesus is the instrument through which the universe was created…he is the Word of God.
- “for him…” that Jesus is the goal of creation.
- “before all things…” that Jesus has priority over creation in both time and rank.
- “by him all things hold together…” that Jesus is the principle of cohesion that encompasses creation and holds it all together.
That’s a pretty lofty image of Jesus, don’t you think? And yet, Jesus set aside these divine prerogatives and these divine attributes. He left heaven and came to earth that you and I might be saved (see Phil 2:6-8).
What other reason do we need to worship him?!
