And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Christ existed before every created thing as the divine Son and not a created being, equal with the Father in dignity, glory and power and supreme over all creation. All things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, including every rank of authority, were made through him and for him, so the world where he lived was a world he himself had made. By him all things hold together and continue to exist, for he sustains the universe and keeps all creation in orderly arrangement, with all life proceeding from him and continuing only by receiving his life. This sustaining power is not merely an all-pervading principle or energy but the personal work of Christ. The hand that upholds all things is the hand that was nailed to the cross, for as Creator he made people and then gave his life to bear the sins they deserved, bringing redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, deliverance from the power of darkness, and reconciliation of all things to God.
Before All, Holding All
He was before every created thing, existing before all that was made in heaven and on earth. This priority belongs to the great plan of redemption and joins his work as Creator to his human obedience, by which fallen people are made able by faith to keep the commandments. He is not a creature but the divine Son, the image of the invisible God and the firstborn, in whom all fullness dwells. His standing is supreme and preeminent over all creation, establishing his preeminence over everything and his sole dependence as the one on whom creation depends. He is equal with the Father in dignity, glory, blessedness and power, infinitely higher than the angels, and his becoming human did not lessen his divine status.
All things in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, were created through him and for him. This includes every rank of authority, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. The world where he lived unrecognized and unhonored was therefore the world he himself had made. By him all things hold together, continue to exist, and are kept in existence, for he sustains all things. He holds the universe together, sustains the worlds in space, and keeps all things throughout the universe in orderly arrangement and tireless activity. All life proceeds from him and continues only by receiving his life, since as Creator he made mankind.
The mighty power working through all nature and sustaining all things is not merely an all-pervading principle or actuating energy but the personal work of Christ. In this personal sustaining and creating work God is revealed as a personal being in his Son. He existed with the Father before the angels were created and was one with the Father before they came into being. He ever stood at the right hand of God, exercising a mild, loving authority whose commands it was joy for the heavenly host to execute and obey. His authority and power over the angelic host are equal to the Father's, holding preeminence over them with rightful claim to their obedience.
Creator Turned Redeemer
The hand that holds all things together and keeps the universe in orderly arrangement and tireless activity is the hand that was nailed to the cross for humanity. As Creator He made people, and then He gave His life to bear the sins they deserved to bear. The same Christ who sustains the worlds in space gave Himself to redeem humanity.
In Him is redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. With that redemption comes deliverance from the power of darkness and translation into the kingdom of His dear Son. Through the blood of His cross peace is made and all things in earth and in heaven are reconciled to God. Alienated enemies are reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to be presented holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight if they continue in the faith grounded and settled and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel preached to every creature.
As Restorer and Lifegiver He reasserted God's original and supreme ownership against Satan's false claim to the sovereignty of the world. He placed Himself in the enemy's pathway, disputing his right to the souls and bodies of men and women. He planted His cross midway between heaven and earth to wrestle with and overcome the powers of darkness. By giving His life for the life of sinners He caused Satan the prince of the world to be cast out.
The Sabbath points to Him as Creator who made all things and established it as a memorial of creation. It also points to Him as head of the church, whose power reconciles people to God and makes them holy. As a sign of His creative and redeeming power it recalls Eden's lost peace and the peace restored through the Saviour. He founded His church and will bring its final stone securely into place, and He remains the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the One for whom all things were made and the judge of all.
Through His mediatorial work He preserves the inhabitants of unfallen worlds in purity and loyalty, while opening a way for fallen humanity to return to God. As first and last, Creator and Redeemer, He holds rightful claim to all things. All value in human beings comes from Him, for He is the source of their continuing existence and order. What people have is entrusted to them for carrying out His mediatorial plan.
He is over all the works of His creation. He guided the children of Israel in the pillar of fire, with His eyes seeing past, present and future. He has not removed His seat of honor and power into some unknown region. Joined to His work as Creator and to His human obedience in keeping God's law, His preeminence and sustaining power make it possible for fallen people by faith to keep God's commandments.
Though He Himself made the world, He lived in it unrecognized and unhonored. He suffered loneliness of spirit. He was often homesick for heaven. Yet the One who upholds worlds by infinite power is tender toward humanity, attentive to children, and deeply moved by the suffering of those He came to save.
Thanksgiving, Study, and Obedience
This truth belongs to what God has taught about the great plan of redemption. In the surrounding verses it sets forth who Christ is — His divinity and pre-existence, His life and character and mediatorial work — revealing infinite wisdom, infinite love, infinite justice, and infinite mercy. This testimony about Christ is spoken by the Holy Spirit.
It is essential truth concerning present and eternal good, to be studied thoroughly and not cheaply or casually. It presents Christ's preeminence and sustaining power as part of the great theme of His identity and work that must be held before people. That truth about His preexistence, creatorship, righteousness, and love for the world is the grand and heavenly theme that revives and quickens to new life, and Christ in it must be lifted up, contemplated, and adored, with His powerful and essential name on every tongue. It is to be presented in simplicity to bring people to the waters of life, to instruct and bring light with every word, and to lead them to understand what Christ is to them and the responsibilities they accept in Him.
It calls for earnest thanksgiving. It calls for constant watchfulness in prayer. God's promises connected with it will never fail to those who constantly watch in prayer.
Having learned this excellent way, believers are to be sanctified body, soul, and spirit. They are to be purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word. They are to be grounded and settled in the faith by a faith that works by love and purifies the soul, and never moved away from the hope of the gospel preached to every creature.
He is to be recognized and honored by all who love God. His character is to be exalted. His commandments are to be reverenced and cherished and obeyed as the controlling power in life instead of people being a law unto themselves.
As Creator He made us, and He also gave His life to bear the sins we deserved to bear. His work of creation and His costly redemption show His love and ground assurance that He gives help, grace, and power for victory. All life proceeds from Him and continues only by receiving His life. Created beings find their proper activity only in harmony with Him and His will, while breaking physical, mental, or moral law brings disorder and ruin.
Christ existed before every created thing as the divine Son and not a created being, equal with the Father in dignity, glory and power and supreme over all creation. All things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, including every rank of authority, were made through him and for him, so the world where he lived was a world he himself had made. By him all things hold together and continue to exist, for he sustains the universe and keeps all creation in orderly arrangement, with all life proceeding from him and continuing only by receiving his life. This sustaining power is not merely an all-pervading principle or energy but the personal work of Christ. The hand that upholds all things is the hand that was nailed to the cross, for as Creator he made people and then gave his life to bear the sins they deserved, bringing redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, deliverance from the power of darkness, and reconciliation of all things to God.
Before All, Holding All
He was before every created thing, existing before all that was made in heaven and on earth. This priority belongs to the great plan of redemption and joins his work as Creator to his human obedience, by which fallen people are made able by faith to keep the commandments. He is not a creature but the divine Son, the image of the invisible God and the firstborn, in whom all fullness dwells. His standing is supreme and preeminent over all creation, establishing his preeminence over everything and his sole dependence as the one on whom creation depends. He is equal with the Father in dignity, glory, blessedness and power, infinitely higher than the angels, and his becoming human did not lessen his divine status.
All things in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, were created through him and for him. This includes every rank of authority, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. The world where he lived unrecognized and unhonored was therefore the world he himself had made. By him all things hold together, continue to exist, and are kept in existence, for he sustains all things. He holds the universe together, sustains the worlds in space, and keeps all things throughout the universe in orderly arrangement and tireless activity. All life proceeds from him and continues only by receiving his life, since as Creator he made mankind.
The mighty power working through all nature and sustaining all things is not merely an all-pervading principle or actuating energy but the personal work of Christ. In this personal sustaining and creating work God is revealed as a personal being in his Son. He existed with the Father before the angels were created and was one with the Father before they came into being. He ever stood at the right hand of God, exercising a mild, loving authority whose commands it was joy for the heavenly host to execute and obey. His authority and power over the angelic host are equal to the Father's, holding preeminence over them with rightful claim to their obedience.
Creator Turned Redeemer
The hand that holds all things together and keeps the universe in orderly arrangement and tireless activity is the hand that was nailed to the cross for humanity. As Creator He made people, and then He gave His life to bear the sins they deserved to bear. The same Christ who sustains the worlds in space gave Himself to redeem humanity.
In Him is redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. With that redemption comes deliverance from the power of darkness and translation into the kingdom of His dear Son. Through the blood of His cross peace is made and all things in earth and in heaven are reconciled to God. Alienated enemies are reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to be presented holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight if they continue in the faith grounded and settled and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel preached to every creature.
As Restorer and Lifegiver He reasserted God's original and supreme ownership against Satan's false claim to the sovereignty of the world. He placed Himself in the enemy's pathway, disputing his right to the souls and bodies of men and women. He planted His cross midway between heaven and earth to wrestle with and overcome the powers of darkness. By giving His life for the life of sinners He caused Satan the prince of the world to be cast out.
The Sabbath points to Him as Creator who made all things and established it as a memorial of creation. It also points to Him as head of the church, whose power reconciles people to God and makes them holy. As a sign of His creative and redeeming power it recalls Eden's lost peace and the peace restored through the Saviour. He founded His church and will bring its final stone securely into place, and He remains the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the One for whom all things were made and the judge of all.
Through His mediatorial work He preserves the inhabitants of unfallen worlds in purity and loyalty, while opening a way for fallen humanity to return to God. As first and last, Creator and Redeemer, He holds rightful claim to all things. All value in human beings comes from Him, for He is the source of their continuing existence and order. What people have is entrusted to them for carrying out His mediatorial plan.
He is over all the works of His creation. He guided the children of Israel in the pillar of fire, with His eyes seeing past, present and future. He has not removed His seat of honor and power into some unknown region. Joined to His work as Creator and to His human obedience in keeping God's law, His preeminence and sustaining power make it possible for fallen people by faith to keep God's commandments.
Though He Himself made the world, He lived in it unrecognized and unhonored. He suffered loneliness of spirit. He was often homesick for heaven. Yet the One who upholds worlds by infinite power is tender toward humanity, attentive to children, and deeply moved by the suffering of those He came to save.
Thanksgiving, Study, and Obedience
This truth belongs to what God has taught about the great plan of redemption. In the surrounding verses it sets forth who Christ is — His divinity and pre-existence, His life and character and mediatorial work — revealing infinite wisdom, infinite love, infinite justice, and infinite mercy. This testimony about Christ is spoken by the Holy Spirit.
It is essential truth concerning present and eternal good, to be studied thoroughly and not cheaply or casually. It presents Christ's preeminence and sustaining power as part of the great theme of His identity and work that must be held before people. That truth about His preexistence, creatorship, righteousness, and love for the world is the grand and heavenly theme that revives and quickens to new life, and Christ in it must be lifted up, contemplated, and adored, with His powerful and essential name on every tongue. It is to be presented in simplicity to bring people to the waters of life, to instruct and bring light with every word, and to lead them to understand what Christ is to them and the responsibilities they accept in Him.
It calls for earnest thanksgiving. It calls for constant watchfulness in prayer. God's promises connected with it will never fail to those who constantly watch in prayer.
Having learned this excellent way, believers are to be sanctified body, soul, and spirit. They are to be purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word. They are to be grounded and settled in the faith by a faith that works by love and purifies the soul, and never moved away from the hope of the gospel preached to every creature.
He is to be recognized and honored by all who love God. His character is to be exalted. His commandments are to be reverenced and cherished and obeyed as the controlling power in life instead of people being a law unto themselves.
As Creator He made us, and He also gave His life to bear the sins we deserved to bear. His work of creation and His costly redemption show His love and ground assurance that He gives help, grace, and power for victory. All life proceeds from Him and continues only by receiving His life. Created beings find their proper activity only in harmony with Him and His will, while breaking physical, mental, or moral law brings disorder and ruin.