THE COSMIC CHRIST

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians we have the premier texts of the evolving concepts of the Cosmic Christ: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). Did you get that? The firstborn of all creation! So what happened in Him, and what it means to be born again, is to be born into this new experience. He was the firstborn and we are the second-born. “For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth” (Colossians 1:16). Here we have the Cosmic Christ. He is not just saying “human beings.” He is saying “all Creation” is included—Earth and animals, too. Now we have a Cosmic Christ. Now we have a notion of salvation that includes everybody and everything that exists on this planet. Finally history coheres. “In Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).