"THE Image of God"

Does a person’s view of what it means to be human influence their ethical decision-making?

John Evans, a sociologist at the University of California, San Diego analyzed data from 3,500 US adults in order to find out. The results: Those who believed humans bear the image of God held more humanitarian attitudes than those who did not.

The more that respondents agreed with the purely biological definition of a human, the less likely they were to view people as special. They were less willing to stop genocide and more likely to accept the ideas of buying kidneys, suicide to save money, and taking blood from prisoners. By comparison, those who believed humans are made in the image of God were less likely to agree with money-saving suicide or nonconsensual blood donation.

The editor of New Scientist, where Evans’ research was published, commented, “If this preliminary result is upheld by further research, it will come as an unwelcome shock to scientific materialists.”

Today we all seek to find complete fulfillment as human beings, but fail to know what it is to be human. So the problem for all humanity today is how can we be fulfilled as a human if we don’t know what it means to be human. How can we know what we need if we don’t know what we are? We struggle today because we struggle to know what it is to be the image of God and with that struggle of knowing man as the image of God, we now suffer from not being clear on Christ as the image of God. More and more the pattern of this world and the constant deception and lies that we believe are messing with the all important foundations of the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ. Most of the issues we have in the church today is a result of diminished clarity on the doctrines of sufficiency and supremacy. The false beliefs that come because we do not believe that Christ is enough. The false belief that Christ is really and ultimately in charge.

Or maybe what is really going on is even worse. We believe that Christ is enough, we just don’t want what He offers. Or maybe we believe that Christ is supreme but we do not care. We are in charge of our lives. I live my life my way by my rules and when I get into trouble and can’t fix stuff, I rub my Bible, pray and ask God for 1 of my infinite amount of wishes.

Had a conversation this week about people in a church who won’t come right out and say it, but really do not want only what Christ has to offer and wants some of what Christ gives, but also wants what astrology offers, what atheistic psychology offers, what life coaching offers, what wealth and riches offers. I like Christianity but I want it with options. Lots of options. They know ultimately that Christ is in charge, but want to do things our own way, make our own meaning, make up our own rules, live according to our standards. I don’t mind if Christ is in charge, I just want to sit on the throne of my life. If I can do this, I’m totally good. And I will go to churches that teach this. And there are lots of them.

It is not just imagined. The truth of the sufficiency of Christ, the truth of the supremacy of Christ is diminishing in the church today. Just like what was happening in the church in Colossae. Paul and Timothy were dealing with this problem, they had to speak to it clearly and firmly, and that they did. Let’s look at what they had to say today.

Colossians 1:15–18 NLT

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.

The grass withers the flower fades but the words of our God stands forever.

The Image

The First Born

Holds it All Together

The first thing we will look at today is what the apostle Paul means when he and Timothy writes that Christ is the image of God. The second thing to explore is what Paul and Timothy meant when they wrote that Christ was the firstborn over all creation. Finally, we will see the reality of how Christ is indeed holding everything in creation together even when He restores what was corrupted and saves what was lost.

Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause us to lose sight of both the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ, it is the mighty word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that will cause us to rejoice because he who created us all is able to sustain us all and is able to save us all.

I. The Image

- The visible of the invisible.

A. Throughout church history there has been issue upon issue when it came to this passage of scripture. As early as Arius and the Arians. Many have misunderstood what it means for Christ to be the image of God and what it means for Him to be the firstborn of all creation. This misunderstanding led them to believe that Jesus was an actual creation of God. Just a simple symbol of God and the very first thing God created. Let’s get it right today.

B. Eikon in the greek carries two different nuances. The first is that of simple symbolism. The image simply symbolized what the object pictured. It is helpful to see that this usage occurred often in the contexts of an image on a coin or a reflection in a mirror. If this emphasis were primary, Paul would have said Jesus was the symbol of deity. Paul would have meant that Jesus exactly symbolized God. Which is the way many have interpreted this passage and why they would conclude that Jesus was not God and was just an early creation.

C. But Paul is meaning the other way, which actually fits the Greek culture and context better. A culture that was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy. Instead of simple symbolism, it is understood as manifestation. When the term was used in this sense, it meant that the symbol was more than a symbol. The symbol consisted of the actual presence of the object. We see that J. B. Phillips translated it, “visible expression,” and by it Paul meant that Jesus brought God into the human sphere of understanding. In other words, he manifested God. We see the similar usage in Hebrews...

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

John 1:18 NLT

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

D. The point is that in Christ the invisible God became visible. He shared the same substance as God and made God’s character known in this earthly sphere of existence. The revelation of God in Christ is such that we can actually see him, even with all of our limitations.

II. The Firstborn

- The right and dignity of a firstborn.

A. At first, it would be natural to see this passage as implying that Christ was indeed the very first thing God created. Essentially, Christ was a created being, but the very first thing that God created. This was the conclusion of Arius’ heresy when he said that, “there was a time when he was not.” Arius also believed that Christ was the “created creator.” Believing that Christ did create all things after he was created. He was the greatest of all things in creation, but he was lesser than God Himself. I do have some sympathy for Arius, because what he was trying to do was to keep Christianity from falling into polytheism. As Arius mantle continues with the Jehovah’s witnesses today, we still have to deal with this passage of scripture.

B. One thing I love about the Greek is it gives clues that we don’t get so vivid in the English sometimes. It seems as emphasis should be given to the Pasays Kitiseo “over all creation” translation… this hints at the answer. Now watch this, the Greek prototokos is often understood as the first from the womb, this word is better understood as metaphoric for the preeminence of the first one to be born. The privileges rights, and honor given to the first born. For example… Israel is called God’s firstborn...

Exodus 4:22 NLT

Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.

- David is called God’s firstborn.

Psalm 89:27 ESV

And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

C. So you see it does not mean that it is the first to be created or born. It can be used in the sense of preeminence. Supremacy. Higher. They outrank. So you can see that the “over all creation” gives the clue that it is being used this way. Jesus is seen as being supreme over all creation. He has preeminence over all creation. He is higher than everything in all of creation. It carries both greek and Jewish understandings of the rights and privileges of the first born in the family.

D. In Japanese cultures, the first born gets everything without question or negotiation. This causes many of the second borns to leave Japan to find their own way and their own means of fortune.

Hendrickson writes, “the firstborn of every creature, that is, the One to whom belongs the right and dignity of the Firstborn in relation to every creature.”

E. And because He is the image of God and is the firstborn over all creation we can now understand the relationship of Christ and His creation. And Paul then gives the Colossians three way he relates to creation. By Him, Through Him, and For Him. These are vivid.

F. By Him we understand that all of the idea creation was conceived by Him. Jesus conceived of creation and all of its complexities. One commentator writes, “Creation was His idea.” Christ was the architect. And not only is Christ the architect of all the created order.

G. Creation came into existence through Him. Creation came to be through his power and ability. He is not just the architect and the brains of the operation, but he is also the builder of the operation. It came to be because of His skillful and powerful ability. He created it all by His mind and by His power. Everything visible and invisible everything that is matter and everything that is spiritual. Even all of the heavenly hosts. The scriptures and even jewish literature make it clear that thrones dominions rulers and authorities refer to the four different classes of angels. The the gnostic and greek neo-platonic false teachers at the time taught that Christ was just a part of the multiple emanations from the Abyss. Christ is not just a part but the actual whole of all creation and the one who conceived and created out of nothing…ex nihilo.

H. Christ is Creator of all! We are well aware of what this implies when we think of a universe which is millions of light-years across, but here on our earth it is astounding too. He created even the tiniest creatures. There are 800,000 catalogued insects, with billions in some of the species—all created by Christ.

I. But finally we see, that Christ is the end of all creation. He is the purpose for all creation. Christ is the goal of all creation. The literal rendering is “unto him.” Again, This means that Jesus is the goal of all creation. Everything exists to display his glory, and ultimately he will be glorified in his creation.

J. Paul’s argument in these verses may be illustrated by an artist who produces a sculpture. Originally the idea and details of the sculpture come from the mind of the artist. He builds the proportions, the perspectives, the figures, and the emphases desired from the statue. Then, the sculpture is constructed by the artist as he and he alone can “see” it. Finally, those who admire the finished work think of the artist who imagined, planned, and accomplished the work of beauty. As long as the sculpture stands, people remember and appreciate the artist. In the same way, Jesus is the central point of all of creation, and he rules over it.

K. Paul’s argument in these verses may be illustrated by an artist who produces a sculpture. Originally the idea and details of the sculpture come from the mind of the artist. He builds the proportions, the perspectives, the figures, and the emphases desired from the statue. Then, the sculpture is constructed by the artist as he and he alone can “see” it. Finally, those who admire the finished work think of the artist who imagined, planned, and accomplished the work of beauty. As long as the sculpture stands, people remember and appreciate the artist. In the same way, Jesus is the central point of all of creation, and he rules over it. And can do what He wants with it. All of creation is there for His own pleasure. We are here for his own pleasure.

Proverbs 19:21 ESV

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

III. Holds It All Together

- Holds it all together and restores what is destroyed.

A. Christ is the image of God. He is the Word made flesh and dwelt among us. He is the firstborn over all creation, He is supreme, and all of creation is by Him, through Him, and for Him. And everything, all of creation is held together in Him. He maintains it all and He sustains it all. He keeps it all together. He maintains the balance of the universe.

B. And because we think that things in our world are out of balance. Because there is evil always around this world. Because there are real atrocities happening. Because there are continued problems in the world we feel like it is out of balance. These things cause us to think that Christ cannot do something about it, or will not do something about it. This causes us to doubt the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. And in sin we act like the Israelites in the wilderness and think that God is not a good God and live in more and more unbelief.

C. In sin we cannot simply believe the scriptures, we are always second guessing. In sin we are always questioning in unbelief. We don’t need the devil to help us with this. In sin we are rebelling against the commands of God. In sin we take control and force control over our own lives. In sin, we reject His supremacy and His sufficiency. And we continue to destroy the creation. And we continue to be destroyed by creation. And in sin the wages is death. Death and destruction and eternal damnation is what is required of a Holy God.

D. But the Lord continues to bring wonderful reconciliation to what was corrupted. What was destroyed. Christ brings salvation to us all today. Yes. This is the gospel of Jesus.

E. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and he was buried and he was raised on the 3rd day according to the scriptures. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

F. He holds all things together. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If you confess your sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

G. Yes we can rejoice today. The scriptures today make it clear. Christ is the manifestation of God Himself so He is more than enough for all that we need for life and Godliness. The scriptures today make it clear that Christ is supreme over al creation. So He is in charge. He is Lord. And all of creation, us included, are for Him. Our purpose is for Him and for Him alone. All for His glory and His glory alone. This is what it means for us to be created in the image of God. And so we now know how to achieve human fulfillment. We are here to glorify God and to be fully fulfilled, we need to bring glory to God. In other words, fear God and keeps His commandments.