The revelation concerning Christ in Colossians is both all-inclusive and extensive. Colossians reveals that Christ is everything. Christ is the Firstborn both of the old creation, the universe, and of the new creation, the church (1:15, 18). The new creation is not as extensive as the old creation, the universe. The church is all-inclusive, but it is not extensive. For Christ to be the Firstborn of both the original creation and the new creation means that He is both extensive and all-inclusive. In the new man there is room only for Christ; Christ is all and in all (3:11). This shows His all-inclusiveness. However, the fact that He is the Firstborn of all creation indicates His extensiveness. In the words of Ephesians 3, Christ is the breadth, length, height, and depth.
The revelation of the all-inclusive and extensive Christ is found adequately, fully, definitely, and clearly in the Epistles of Paul, in particular in the book of Colossians. In 1:25 Paul says that he became a minister according to the stewardship of God to complete the word of God. Colossians was written to complete the word of God, to complete the divine revelation in the Scriptures. Without Colossians, the divine revelation in the Scriptures would not be complete.
The completion of the Word of God found in Colossians is the mystery of God’s economy—Christ in us, the hope of glory (1:27). This means that without Christ in us as the hope of glory, God’s revelation would have no completion. We thank the Lord that His revelation is completed, recorded, and presented to us.
The revelation of the all-inclusive and extensive Christ is found adequately, fully, definitely, and clearly in the Epistles of Paul, in particular in the book of Colossians. In 1:25 Paul says that he became a minister according to the stewardship of God to complete the word of God. Colossians was written to complete the word of God, to complete the divine revelation in the Scriptures. Without Colossians, the divine revelation in the Scriptures would not be complete.
The completion of the Word of God found in Colossians is the mystery of God’s economy—Christ in us, the hope of glory (1:27). This means that without Christ in us as the hope of glory, God’s revelation would have no completion. We thank the Lord that His revelation is completed, recorded, and presented to us.
