Di Kolose 1:15-17, Paul wrote that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, Yang Sulung dari segala makhluk; Sebab di dalam Dialah segala sesuatu diciptakan, yang ada di surga, dan itu ada di bumi, terlihat dan tidak terlihat, apakah itu takhta, atau kekuasaan, atau kerajaan, or power: segala sesuatu diciptakan oleh-Nya, dan untuk Dia,: Dan Dia ada sebelum segala sesuatu, and by Him all things consist of every creature. What did Paul mean that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, Yang Sulung dari segala makhluk?
Jesus is the image of the invisible God
Siapakah gambaran Tuhan yang tidak kelihatan, Yang Sulung dari segala makhluk: Sebab di dalam Dialah segala sesuatu diciptakan, yang ada di surga, dan itu ada di bumi, terlihat dan tidak terlihat, apakah itu takhta, atau kekuasaan, atau kerajaan, atau kekuatan: segala sesuatu diciptakan oleh-Nya, dan untuk Dia: Dan Dia ada sebelum segala sesuatu, dan oleh Dialah segala sesuatu ada (Kolose 1:15-17)
Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person (Ibrani 1:3). If you know Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Word that was made flesh, you know the Father. No one has seen the Father than Jesus Christ (A.O. Yohanes 1:18, 6:46). Hanya melalui Firman, you can get to know the Father (Baca juga: Apakah Yesus sepenuhnya menjadi manusia?).
Philip saith unto Him, Tuhan, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Sesungguhnya, sesungguhnya, Aku berkata kepadamu, He that believeth on Me, pekerjaan yang Aku lakukan akan dia lakukan juga; dan pekerjaan yang lebih besar dari ini akan dia lakukan; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, yang akan saya lakukan, agar Bapa boleh dimuliakan di dalam Putra. If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it (Yohanes 14:8-14)
Philip had spent so much time with Jesus and still, Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father. While Jesus was the reflection of the Father. The words, Jesus spoke and the works, He did were the words and works of the Father.
This shows, that as long as you remainthe old creation, it’s hard to believe and to see, comprehend, and understand the spiritual things of the Kingdom of God.
Only when you become born again in the spirit, you will enter the Kingdom of God and you will see the Kingdom of God and understand the spiritual things.
Jesus is the Firstborn of every creature
Pada mulanya adalah Firman, dan Firman itu ada bersama Tuhan, dan Firman itu adalah Tuhan. Hal yang sama juga terjadi pada mulanya dengan Tuhan. Segala sesuatu dijadikan oleh-Nya; dan tanpa Dia tidak ada sesuatu pun yang telah jadi, dari yang telah jadi (Yohanes 1:1-3)
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God (Wahyu 3:14)
Jesus is the Firstborn of every creature. Jesus existed before everything else was created. Nothing existed before Him. All things in the heavens and on the earth, the visible and invisible, apakah itu takhta, dominions, Kerajaan, atau kekuatan; all things were created by Him and for Him.
This shows us, the ultimate authority and highest power of Jesus Christ, above all other forces, powers, thrones, dominions, Kerajaan, dll.. There is no higher and greater power in the heavens and on earth, that stands above God (Efesus 1:20-23).
Since all things were created by Him and for Him, Jesus had to come to the earth. So that through Him, ciptaan baru; the new man could be created. There was no one, who could do that, than Jesus Christ, Firman yang Hidup. And so Jesus became the Firstborn of the new creation (Baca juga: Seluruh ciptaan diciptakan di dalam Yesus Kristus).
The new creation is the image of Jesus Christ
Untuk siapa Dia telah mengetahui sebelumnya, Dia juga telah menentukan untuk menjadi serupa dengan gambar Anak-Nya, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren (Roma 8:29)
Just like Jesus is the image of the invisible God, so shall those, who are called according to His purpose, by faith in Jesus Christ and regeneration in Him, be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
Itu, who are born again in Him and are justified by His blood and born of air and Spirit and have become a new creation, shall be the image of Jesus Christ on earth. They shall belong to Him and submit to Him and live according to the will of God.
They shall walk after the Spirit and have an experiential relationship with Jesus Christ and the Father and speak and do His words and His works, yes, even greater works, says Jesus, because He went to the Father, and they shall bear the same fruit.
And so they shall be witnesses of Jesus Christ on earth and in His Name preach the gospel and call the people to repentance and the removal of sin and deliver them from the powers of darkness.
Because of this, itu, who are born again in the spirit and are born of God and belong to Him and walk in the light shall distinguish themselves from those, who through natural birth belong to the devil and the world and walk in darkness.
'Jadilah garam dunia’
