Colossians 1:15 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”
Jesus Christ, the Son of God “is the image of the invisible God”; that is, when He came into this world He fully and accurately revealed “God” to His people. “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (Hebrews 1:3) revealed “God” to His people by the glorious things that He did and said. John calls Him “the Word”, telling us that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) and “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). The word “image” means a faithful representation of another, and the English word “Word” means an instrument of communication. The word “Word” is translated from the Greek word ‘logos’ which, in practice, means a ‘living voice’. Our Lord told “Philip” that “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9); meaning that He is the truly faithful represented presence of God to man. Thus, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior came into this world and revealed to us what God is, what His will is, what His motive is, what His love is, what His power is, and what His authority is. In addition to His physical appearance, He places of Himself in our “hearts”! We do not need a manmade image of Him; for, He (the “image”, the “Word”) lives within us. We are wonderfully told that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:5), He “hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (II Corinthians 1:22), and “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (II Corinthians 4:6). Thus, from the very instant of Spiritual Birth (John 3:1-8), we joyfully perceive the “image of the invisible God” and hear the Living “Word” communicating Himself, His Love, and His Will to us; “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” (I Peter 1:8). Paul calls it, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). His presence within us is also called “faith” which is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). While we cannot now see His physical form, His “image” and His “Word” is alive and well within us, clearly revealing God to us, and making us cry aloud, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28)!