A WING AND A PRAYER

Carlin Lawrence carlin@agairupdate.com

Jesus Christ—The Perfect Image Of God

Speaking of Jesus, Paul said, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15). Jesus said, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him…He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:7, 9). Jesus Christ has all of God’s characteristics of omniscience (all knowing), omnipotence (all powerful), immutability (never changing), or omnipresence (everywhere at once). God cannot sin, He cannot violate His holy nature. Humans are not like God in many ways. Even though we are made in God’s image we’re all natural born sinners and can make the choice to sin, and we will all eventually die physically. “It is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27).

“He is the image of the invisible God.” Jesus Christ is the perfect, exact, complete, and absolute image of God. In human terms we would say, “He is just like His Father.” The apostle John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The apostle Paul wrote, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily…And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory” (Colossians 2:9, 1 Timothy 3:16). Even though Jesus was equal with God in every way, He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and came to this earth in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6-7).

“The firstborn over all creation.” Some argue that “first born” means that Jesus was a created being, but that’s not the case here. The Greek word “prototokos” that’s translated into “first born” is used in other places in the Bible speaking of rank or position. Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, and He has the right to the full inheritance of all God’s creation. Jesus existed before anything was ever created (Micah 5:2). There are many cults in this world who deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Some believe He was an angel and some believe that the angel Michael was an Old Testament manifestation of Jesus. This kind of thinking puts a person under the curse of God and John tells Christians not to bring them into your house or even greet them (Galatians 1:1-7, 2 John 10-11). When we study the Bible we must always consider who the writer is talking to, what he is talking about, and the reason for writing the message. Teaching the Bible in its context is extremely important.

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers” (Colossians 1:16). Jesus was there with God in the creation of this universe. John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-4). The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is not only the

heir of God, but He also made the worlds (Hebrews 1:2). Jesus controlled the weather (Matthew 8:23-27). Jesus controlled the fish of the sea (Luke 5:1-9). Jesus raised the dead (John 11:1-44). Jesus did these and other miracles to prove that He was God in the flesh. Jesus is the creator of the universe and the Savior of anyone who believes in Him as their Lord and Savior.

The apostle John wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us” (1 John 1:1-2). Jesus said that before Abraham was born “I am” not “I was.” Indicating that He is the eternal God (John 8:58). There never was a time when Jesus didn’t exist.

Jesus Christ holds this universe together and maintains the balance of natural forces necessary for life to exist on this earth. He keeps the galaxies, stars and planets in their proper place in the heavens and controls their motion. Jesus Christ controls all the energy of the universe; He controls gravity, centrifugal and centripetal force. Jesus Christ controls every law of nature. The miracles He did while He was on this earth prove that! Someday He is going to release this force and the whole universe will literally explode. Peter tells us, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Peter 3:10). Jesus is the creator and sustainer of this universe. We can thank Jesus for “upholding all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).

Humans like to think that they control most of the circumstances of their life, but that’s just wishful thinking. A person doesn’t choose the time they are born, or the city, state or nation they are born in. No person can choose who their parents will be, or how many brothers and sisters they will have. No person can choose whether they will be a man or woman. No person can choose the color of their skin before they are born. No person can choose whether they will have high intellectual abilities or not. The lives of all God’s children are ordained by God (Jeremiah 1:5). Every breath a person takes is controlled by Jesus Christ (Daniel 5:23). Jesus Christ rules supreme over every circumstance of humanity. Since Jesus Christ controls the beginning and the end of our life on this earth, doesn’t it make sense to allow Him to be the Lord of our life for all eternity? It’s your choice!