Colossians 1:15-20

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:15-20).

Question:

I'd like to understand the metaphysical interpretation as well as the Unity view of Jesus. Do we see Him as God come to earth or just some guy who was really good as working in Christ Consciousness?

Comment:

To truly understand this beautiful passage, it's essential to differentiate among three terms that are too often used interchangeably, as if they all mean the same thing. They do not. 'Christ' is the term we use to describe the Presence of the Divine that is the true identity of each of us. It is who we are in Truth. 'Jesus' is the man from Nazareth who both taught and demonstrated the Christ in an earthly ministry. 'Jesus Christ' is the full expression of his own Christ energy that Jesus achieved, and which he calls us to achieve as well. We are as fully the Christ in potential as Jesus was; we are not yet as fully the Christ in expression. That is our spiritual work to do. In Truth, then, we are all "God come to earth." Jesus was able to know himself as God so completely that there was no distinction between his human identity and his spiritual identity. We are in the process of achieving that same Oneness.

So it is the Christ Paul is describing in the first two sentences here. The Christ—what the Gospel of John calls “the Word”—is the firstborn of all creation. It is the Christ as Jesus—Jesus Christ—who is "firstborn from the dead," in that he walked through the illusion of death to demonstrate the Truth of eternal life. It is his example that Paul wants us to follow—not because he was unique, but precisely because his example will lead us to the realization of our own Christ identity.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed