2:15 For
to make in Himself of (the) twain one new man.
3:9
Hid
in God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ.
4:24 The
new man ... created in righteousness.
Col. 1:16
By Him were all things created.
16
All
things were created by Him, and for Him.
3:10 The
new man ... the image of Him that created him.
These references fall into the following pattern:
Ktizo `to create' in the Prison Epistles
A
Eph. 2:10.
B
Eph. 2:15.
New man.
doctrinal.
Created
C Eph. 3:9.
`all things'.
in
Ref. To Mystery.
Christ Jesus.
B
Eph. 4:24.
New man.
practical.
B
Col. 1:15,16.
Image.
Creator.
C Col. 1:16.
`all things'.
Ref. to Body the Church.
B
Col. 3:10.
Image.
created.
It is evident that in the Prison Epistles, creation is mainly concerned
with the Mystery and things relating to the Mystery, and the attempt to make
Colossians 1:16 bear the burden of universal reconciliation is seen to be ruled
out by the limitation of the context, and the evidence of the concordance.
There are some teachers, who, because they have recognized the utter
impossibility of good works ever being admitted as a procuring or a qualifying
cause of our acceptance, seem to have developed an antipathy to good works
altogether, as though Paul had not continued `not of works ... unto good works'.
Works are the visible fruit on the tree, making it evident that the invisible
root is alive and active. `By their fruits ye shall know them' is a principle
true for all time. Just as balance is exhibited in the epistle as a whole, so
is it in its parts. To emphasize the complete exclusion of works as a cause of
salvation is right; to omit reference to the need to produce good works after
salvation is wrong. The only thing that is true is proportionate emphasis upon
both doctrines. This quality of balance may be seen in other of the apostle's
writings. What can be clearer than the following?
`Not of works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His
mercy He saved us' (Titus 3:5).
Yet in the next verse or so comes the balance:
`This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly (insist strenuously), that they which have believed in God
might be careful to maintain good works' (Titus 3:8),
which is a complete parallel with Ephesians 2:9,10:
`Not of works ... unto good works ... ordained that we should walk in
them'.
Both in our words and our works we may deny the Lord:
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