https://odb.org/2025/03/17/making-peace
Colossians 1:15–20 (NIV): 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.
In Colossae, there were false teachers who were advocating that Jesus as the Son of God was a created being in the sense that He was created by Father God like all other things. But Paul sharply rebutted this by declaring that Christ was the firstborn over all creation. He asserted that in Christ, all things were created. All things were created through Him anf for Him. He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together.
John also similarly asserted as follows in John 1: 1 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. The Word was Logos meaning the life force who existed at the very beginning in Greek thought. Through Him, all things were made. Without Him, nothing was made that had been made.
The Jews however could not accept that their Yahweh, the God who led them throughout generations since ancient times, since the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is also Jesus Christ of Nazareth. They could not accept the Immanuel of God having become flesh to dwell amongst His people.
Although rejected by the Jews, Jesus reconciled men to God and extended Yahweh’s Lordship and rulership beyond Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to the rest of the world. Indeed, through Abraham and his seed, nations shall be blessed. As God of a small band of people numbering 70 when Jacob settled in Egypt after the LORD sent Joseph ahead to prepare the way, that band had blossomed into a nation of more than 2 million when they left Egypt for Canaan 430 years later with Moses. Still, the Israelites were a small nation compared to the nations around them and the dominant deity then and there was Baal. But through Jesus mankind was reconciled to God, and now Yahweh is the God of millions all around the world, that we as Gentiles are now grafted into the family as adopted sons and daughters through Christ.
Be thankful for this privilege and honour to know Yahweh personally in Christ as much as Christ is Yahweh as He existed at the beginning and created all things. Know that even God’s plans for us as born-again human beings with body and spirit were conceived and prepared even before the foundations of the world. God knows us personally and loves each and every one of us. Give our lives to Him and go for His narrow path. He will lead us to be the best that we will ever be!
Have a good week ahead, everyone! We will be travelling to Europe for a vacation and then meeting up with our elder son in the UK. My postings will be sporadic due to the time difference, and I may be offline until we return to Malaysia in early April. Take care, everyone! God bless and keep on walking the narrow path of righteousness that leads to eternal life!
Ronnie's Thoughts 