When Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians, he affirmed that Christ is the Creator, and He confronted a destructive heresy at the same time.

The false teachers in Colossae believed and taught that all matter was evil, including the human body. This was an extremely destructive heresy. It led either to asceticism or libertinism, with its license to commit any kind of immorality. After all, if the body is evil, why not let it be what it is?

These teachers taught that Jesus had been created. Paul made it clear that Jesus was not created but the Creator. This same heresy is active today with the same harm which comes from wrong beliefs.

Our belief will determine our behavior. For this reason (among many), it is imperative that we seek truth and right teaching and that we live accordingly.

Paul asserted that Christ is the exact representation of the invisible God. He is prior to the creation and preeminent over it. This is what the word “firstborn” meant (Colossians 1:15). In case that did not settle the argument, Paul gave us verse 16. He affirmed that “by Him all things were created. . . .All things have been created by Him and for Him.”

The Apostle John gave us the same truth: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:1-3).

As with the Father and the Spirit, Christ was preexistent and was active in the creation.

Paul gave the deep meaning of Christ’s work in creation: “And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).