All Creation Is By and For Jesus – Colossians 1:16

 A Clay Jar

Encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thess. 2:12 NIV)

aclayjar.net

. . . for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him [the Son]—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him.

Colossians 1:16 NET

Colossians 1:15-20 is considered by many to be an early hymn of the church, one that magnifies the supremacy of Christ. In this hymn, Jesus is described as the image of God, the firstborn over creation, the creator, the head of the church, the firstborn from the dead, containing all the fullness of God, and the means of reconciling all things to God.

This verse focuses on Jesus as the creator. All things were created in him, through him, and for him. Creation began in the mind of Christ–he is the designer. He is also the agent of creation–the one who created. And the creation was for him.

One way to illustrate this is to consider an artist. The artist conceives of a painting–it is in his mind. He then transfers that mental image to a canvas using paint. And, when it is done, he hangs it up on the wall to enjoy. This painting was created in him, through him, and for him.

But what Jesus created was much more than producing a painting. He created all things–all things that have been created. Everything in both the seen realm and in the unseen realm. That includes everything we see around us, including ourselves. And it includes all beings–apart from God–in the spiritual realm, both good and evil.

Jesus went well beyond what the artist described above did. He did not just create and then sit back and enjoy his creation. He actually entered into his creation, took on humanity, lived among us for a while (John 1:14), and then died on a cross to reconcile all things to God (Col. 1:20). Our Creator became our Redeemer–our Savior and Lord.