Daily Bible Reading 7th June 2025 // Colossians 1:15-19
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
The next thing to notice is Paul's emphasis on the supremacy of Christ over the 'powers and authorities' of the invisible spirit world (v 16). When Paul speaks of thrones, powers, rulers and authorities, he is referring to the invisible principalities and powers, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). These four classes of angelic powers are reckoned to represent the highest orders of the spirit realm in the Kingdom of darkness, the wicked and hostile forces of Satan. Paul's emphasis, then, is that even the evil host of Satan, the cosmic principalities and powers were created, unfallen, in Christ and are subject to Him, even now, in their malice and rebellion. The very fact that Paul makes such an emphatic statement about the supremacy of Christ over these cosmic powers seems to imply that he is combating something of the false teaching which is rife in Colossae (cf: 2:8, 15, 18). Paul's emphasis on the supremacy and Lordship of Christ in the realm of the invisible spirit world is surely just as necessary and relevant today when an unhealthy interest in the occult is, once again, so prevalent and widespread. In rejection of and in ignorance of the true Spirit, men dabble dangerously with the invisible powers which they believe can influence and govern the destinies of men. Seeking a form of spirituality they hope for supernatural experience and power. It is in the light of this troublesome deception and error that Paul exults in the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. While Paul recognised the danger and reality of this invisible world, his uncompromising affirmation is that Christ is Lord of all, even of this invisible world: Christ is supreme. There is nothing this evil host can do to the child of God. There is nothing these powers can do to influence or affect the destinies of those who are in Christ. They have no treasures to offer. They have no terrors to frighten the one who lives under the sovereignty of Christ.