3 Oct. Jesus is exactly like God
“No one can see God, but Jesus Christ is exactly like him. He ranks higher than everything that has been made."
“Through his power all things were made – things in heaven and on earth, things seen and unseen, all powers, authorities, lords and rulers. All things were made through Christ and for Christ. He was there before anything was made, and all things continue because of him.”
“He is the head of the body, which is the church. Everything comes from him. He is the first one who was raised from the dead. So in all things, Jesus has first place.”
“God was pleased for all of himself to live in Christ. And through Christ, God has brought all things back to himself again – things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace through the blood of Christ’s death upon the cross.”
“At one time you were separated from God. You were his enemies in your minds, and the evil things you did were against God. But now God has made you his friends again. He did this through Christ’s death in the body so that he might bring you into God’s presence as people who are holy, with no wrong, and with nothing of which God can judge you guilty.”
“This will happen if you continue strong and sure in your faith. You must not be moved away from the hope brought to you by the Good News that you heard. That same Good News has been told to everyone in the world, and I, Paul, help in preaching that Good News.”
(Colossians 1:15-23)
Anyone who claims the Bible doesn’t say that Jesus is God hasn’t read Paul’s Letter to the Colossians.
Paul makes it quite clear in his letter that “No one can see God, but Jesus Christ is exactly like him.” (Colossians 1:15) Jesus wasn’t made or created by God – he’s always been there and “was there before anything was made.” (Colossians 1:17)
Indeed, Jesus was both fully man and fully God. In his human body we can see God the Father, because “God was pleased for all of himself to live in Christ.” (Colossians 1:19)
And, as the source of all life, it was Christ who actually created all things: “All things were made through Christ and for Christ. He was there before anything was made, and all things continue because of him.” (Colossians 1:16-17)
But not only this; Paul makes it quite clear that it was God’s plan to bring mankind back to himself through Jesus: “And through Christ, God has brought all things back to himself again – things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace through the blood of Christ’s death on the cross” (Colossians 1:20).
So Paul encourages the believers in Colossae to “continue strong and sure in your faith.” (Colossians 1:23) Then, in the end days, when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, all believers in Jesus Christ will be brought “into God’s presence as people who are holy, with no wrong, and with nothing of which God can judge you guilty.” (Colossians 1:22)
The photo shows a 4th century Byzantine stone-carved cross found in the remains of Laodicea near Colossae.
You can read more from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/…/jesus-is-exactly-like-god/