The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 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. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him… (Colossians 2: 15-19)
Think about the scripture quoted above, I mean really think about it. When he says Jesus is the image of the invisible God and that all things were created in him: all things! That is mindboggling. Many times I see God as just this being that created Earth and everything in it. Sometimes we even bring him down to just an immortal father and we kind of underestimate his potency. We think he’s only there to give us moral support or to stabilize our emotions when we go through challenges (I think this is partly due to the romantic nature of God himself; he’s so loving) and then one day, he’ll take us home to a place where there will be no more sorrow.
However, the implications of the statements made about God and Jesus in the Epistles show us a different story. Jesus is infinitely more than just the High Priest with great empathy for us, he is more than the guy who comforts us in our sorrows, more than the God who will come and deliver us from this decaying world; he is the creator of the Universe. All the other things and life forms in all the other planets, galaxies and solar systems have no other God than Jesus. They all exist in him. Anything that exists in the physical AND in the spiritual realm dwells in him. “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible”. There is no other God but Jesus who embodies the fullness of the Godhead, there is nothing that exists without his consent, absolutely nothing, anywhere! Before anything appeared; before there was space, before there was time, before there was heaven, He has always existed and forever exists
Beloved, our God is bigger than we can ever imagine. Jesus is infinitely bigger than we can imagine. Flowing from this premise, when he says that we have been given his fullness; that we are exactly like him:
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. (Colossians 2:9-10)
In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the Day of Judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17 AMP)
This God, that not only created everything but has everything in him, everything!! He has made himself into a man and forever united himself to his creation. He has established in Christ’s body a vital union with humanity wherein we become partakers of his Divine nature (2 Peter 1:1-4). He has made us just like him.
When we begin to consider just how big and awesome and all encompassing Jesus really is, we will begin to comprehend that we will need an eternity to comprehend just what we really are. We cannot begin to know the depths of the New Creation. We have not even begun to really plumb the depths of who we really are. This, to me is the priority of the Church; learning together who we are, understanding what has changed and the implications of the Divine life that flows within our being. This seems like an impossible task, but like Paul, we will pray:
“that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Amen.” ( Ephesians 1:18-23)
Grace be with you always
