The final aspect of the supremacy of the Lord Jesus that Paul identifies in Col. 1:19-23 is His work of redemption. He says that Jesus is the Savior of the cross. The greatest and most glorious aspect of the identity of Christ lies in Paul’s next two statements. He talks about the incarnation of the Lord Jesus. He then appropriates the redemptive work of Jesus to the believers in Colossae (vv. 21-23).
He Reveals the Father to Us (1:19)
This is how Paul describes the incarnation of the Lord Jesus. “For God was please to have all his fulness dwell in him.” The word “dwell” speaks to the reality of God’s presence as when He chose to abide in the tabernacle and the temple in the Old Testament (Exodus 29:44-46; Ps. 68:16.). Jesus is truly “Immanuel,” God with us (Matthew 1:23). We remember Paul’s words in Col. 2:9, “For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ.”
Matthew Allen, in “Colossians, A Workbook Commentary With 21st Century Application,” writes the following,
“When Paul asserts that all the fullness of God dwelled in Jesus, we might see this as a direct response to the false teachers residing in the Lycus valley who taught true fulness could only be found through their philosophy and rules Paul asserts here that the fullness they were seeking is to be found only in Christ.”
Paul is ultimately reiterating the truth of the deity of Christ we saw in verse 15 as the “image” or physical manifestation of God. This is significant because it was only as God that Christ was able to provide the suitable sacrifice that Paul goes on the describe in verse 20.
Concerning Col. 1:19, David Lipscomb writes the following,
“After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus said to His disciples: “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.” (Matt. 28:18). John said: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.
From these. Passage it is evident that God committed all authority to his Son Jesus Christ in redemption and the salvation of the world. (Matthew 28:18-20.)
He Reconciles Us to the Father (Col. 1:20-23)
The deity of Jesus highlights Christ alone as the exclusive Mediator who can “reconcile everything” cf. 2 Tim. 2:5. Paul also specifies how the reconciliation with God is made possible. He says that redemption is only possible “through His blood.” (Heb. 9:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19.)
Concerning verse 19, David Lipscomb wrote the following,
“Jesus shed His blood that God “might Himself be just, and the justifier of him that hat faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). His blood was shed for the remission of sins, as the following shows: “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (I John 1:7)
Here Paul glories in the grand scope of Christ’s work of redemption of a universe out of harmony with God. It was God who planned the reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18, 19) that was carried out by the Son (Eph. 2:1
Believers are instructed to offer their lives as living sacrifices, “holy and pleasing to God,” (Rom. 12:1). Paul’s confidence is ultimately in the life-changing power of “the gospel” (verse 23) that has. Transformed them, produced fruit throughout the world (1:6), and was being “proclaimed in all creation under heaven” (verse 23). Just as Epaphras had done on their behalf (1:7), and now Paul shows by his example. He is challenging the Colossian Christians to dedicate themselves to be servants of Christ.
Christ Must Be First in Our Witness
The final aspect of the supremacy of the Lord Jesus means that we must always put Him first in our lives. James DeForest Murch, in his song, “The World All About Me,” writes:
“In all that I say, in all that I do, throughout the word of toil and strife, I’ll put Jesus first in my life.”
Later, the epistle in Col. 4:5, Paul challenges the Colossians, “Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.” We must embrace this same challenge today. We must always be found living out our salvation. Matthew Allen writes:
The fact that God, working though Christ, has done so much for us brings with it a tremendous responsibility. We must continue to abide in the faith. We work as God and Christ work. We are in a relationship together. Our works are a demonstration of our changed heart and newfound allegiance to Christ.”
“The faith” as used here has to do with the gospel delivered to them by the apostles. This was the tur faith…unlike the false teaching many around them were peddling. Those who teach a different gospel stand condemned before God. (Gal. 1:6-9)