Contradicts Jesus having no power, authority, rule, etc until AFTER it was given to him. Don't lose sight of all of the disqualifiers for the deity of Jesus that we just recently went over. You're misunderstanding the context because you don't read context, but rather zero in on singular verses that seem to support your theories when isolated.
For example, Colossians 1:15 quite bluntly places Jesus within the creation and proves that he isn't the invisible God, but that the only God is invisible according to Paul in 1 Timothy 1:17. You're saying that someone who isn't God is the creator of the universe which totally contradicts the context. Jesus being the co-creator of the church makes sense. Creator of the universe? No way, no how. Scripture explicitly states God is a singular person who created alone numerous times throughout the Bible. You grossly misrepresent context.
Totally ignoring and bluntly denying scripture
Really?
Col 1:16–17 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Runningman
Refers to the context of the church. Keep reading.
He is Christ, not the church
Col 1:16–17 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Christ not the church created all things in the heavens and the earth
and of course we have continued reference to Christ
Colossians 1:18–20 (NASB 95) — 18
He is also head of the body, the church; and
He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, so that
He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in
Him, 20 and
through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of
His cross; through
Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Seriously?
Hebrews 5:7–10 (NASB 95) — 7
In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and
He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although
He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10
being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Clearly not the Father but Christ
Runningman:This refers to Jesus' God, not Jesus.
Again read the text
Hebrews 1:6–12 (NASB 95) — 6
And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.” 7 And of the angels He says, “WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.” 8
But of the Son He says, “
YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. 9 “YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.” 10 And, “YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 11 THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, 12 AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.”
and as for
Colossians 1:15 (NASB 95) — 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
The first thing we see is Christ is the image of the invisible God
The second thing is your assumption that firstborn means created and cannot reference degree or refer to the incarnation of Christ's previous being
David was called the firstborn here
Psalm 89:27 (NIV84) — 27 I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
As for Christ's existence
Christ himself clearly states
John 17:5 (NASB 95) — 5 Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
God clearly states of Christ
And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain
