Christ as Creator, Part 3 (TMF:2545)

Friday, February 07, 2025

Peace to Live By: Christ as Creator, Part 3 (TMF:2545) - Daniel Litton
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But he also talks about “visible and invisible, thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.” Thus, clearly we have two differing areas of which Paul is talking about. First, he is talking about the obvious. That which we see with our eyes. On the physical earth then, we have all kinds of nations and people groups, those with governments and those without. We have governments that the Bible indicates God has setup for the sake of worldly order (Paul talks about this in Romans 13, and Peter talks about it in 1 Peter 2). Specifically, Peter said in 1 Peter 2:13 “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by him” (ESV). He also says in verse 17, “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” What is less clear are the invisible powers. We are told that too, just like in the physical realm, there are invisible “thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.”

Christ as Creator, Part 2 (TMF:2544)

Thursday, February 06, 2025

Peace to Live By: Christ as Creator, Part 2 (TMF:2544) - Daniel Litton
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Nevertheless, let’s back up in the verse a little bit, for Paul mentions before the physical earth that of heaven—specifically, things in Heaven. The obvious “things” “in heaven” that come to mind are angels—for the Scriptures describes a variety of them. That’s obvious. There are physical elements to the current heaven, namely the thrones—God the Father’s and the Son’s to his right. The writer of Hebrews also notes some elements in Heaven—a physicality. He gives mention to this in Hebrews 9. And, of course, we are aware of the scenes of Heaven in The Book of the Revelation. Not to mention, the departed souls of past brothers and sisters being in the physical Heaven. But it wasn’t just the physical earth and physical heaven that Paul mentioned in verse 16, but he also talks about “visible and invisible, thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.” Thus, clearly we have two differing areas of which Paul is talking about. First, he is talking about the obvious. That which we see with our eyes.

Christ as Creator, Part 1 (TMF:2543)

Wednesday, February 05, 2025

Peace to Live By: Christ as Creator, Part 1 (TMF:2543) - Daniel Litton
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The understanding that Christ created all things seems to be something that is easily comprehendible. And of course, and not to get too off track, but this does take us back to Genesis 1, and to the literal account of the six day creation process of which Paul tells us in this text that Christ was a part of (and this partaking appears to be with the Father and the Spirit, thus the Triune God). It would seem, in our day and age, and this even among some Christians, that the literal creation account is just simply bogus, having been carefully and thoroughly debunked by the greatest scientists of modern times. This idea is rejected entirely here, as Jesus himself rejected it 2,000 years ago, when he made clear that he believed in the literal creation (not to mention he likely had his own divine knowledge that he was part of that process). But the idea that God did not create the world but rather that it came about by natural processes has been driven into people’s minds so hard that it almost seems sacrilegious to suggest otherwise.

Characteristics of the Beloved Son, Part 2 (TMF:2542)

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

Peace to Live By: Characteristics of the Beloved Son, Part 2 (TMF:2542) - Daniel Litton
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It seems reasonable to presume that what the Apostle has in mind is that Christ is the firstborn in the he is the first to resurrect within the new way—the way of salvation through trusting in him versus the salvation that would come through counting on his work in the future (i.e. The Old Testament way). Technically speaking, Lazarus was the first resurrection, recall, but his resurrection resulted in him returning to the earth still before the cross. Anyway, as Christians, we are all new creations, and Christ is the firstborn of all the new creations. Continuing on in verse 16: “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” The understanding that Christ created all things seems to be something that is easily comprehendible.

Characteristics of the Beloved Son, Part 1 (TMF:2541)

Monday, February 03, 2025

Peace to Live By: Characteristics of the Beloved Son, Part 1 (TMF:2541) - Daniel Litton
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Starting in verse 15. Paul says of the “beloved Son:” “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (ESV). First and foremost, we note that God is “invisible.” In contrast, Christ gives us a physical image of the invisible God, for he himself is God, and in fact equal with God. He is not created himself, but as the Apostle John has told us, “He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:2, ESV). And if we stay there in John 1, in the next verse we read, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3, ESV). Now what about him being “the firstborn of all creation”? It seems reasonable to presume that what the Apostle has in mind is that Christ is the firstborn in the he is the first to resurrect within the new way—the way of salvation through trusting in him versus the salvation that would come through counting on his work in the future (i.e. The Old Testament way).