[HarleyD]

Why did you not also highlight “the firstborn of every creature” in the previous verse? How do you address the heretofore avoided Isaiah 42:1-7, especially verse 5?

Boatbum did a most excellent job in his post on Isaiah. There isn't much more to say towards this. But Paul thoughfully has given us a list of tests to ask ourselves to find out if we are in the faith and true believers of the living God. Here is Paul's test:

Col 1:16  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 

1) Do you believe all things were created by our Lord Jesus, both in heaven and earth?

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 

2) Do you believe our Lord Jesus is before all things?

3) Do you believe our Lord Jesus sustains all things?

Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 

4) Do you believe our Lord Jesus to be head of the Church?

5) Do you believe our Lord Jesus is the beginning?

6) Do you believe our Lord Jesus is the first to be raised to glory from the dead so that He might rule all?

Col 1:19  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 

7) Do you believe all the fullness of God the Father dwells in our Lord Jesus?

Col 1:20-22  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.  And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,  he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 

8) Do you believe that the only way to God is through the cross of our Lord Jesus dead and resurrection, asking forgiveness for our sinful transgressions?

9) Do you believe our Lord Jesus, and only He alone, will present us holy and blameless before God the Father

If you answer no to any of these questions the Apostle Paul gave, Paul gives this warning to us:

Col 2:4-8  And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 

[Zuriel]

**Boatbum did a most excellent job in his post on Isaiah**

Unless boatbums has gone trans, I think he is a she.

Well, actually boatbums simply pasted the passage from Isaiah 42:1-7. The matter was not addressed, especially vs 5, which shows that the creator is the one doing all the talking. He tells about his ‘servant’ for the first 4 verses, speaks of himself as the creator in vs 5, and speaks directly to his ‘servant’ in vss 6 and 7.

God the Father is the creator. He is in Christ. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. John the Baptist said that:

“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God given not the Spirit by measure unto him. For the Father loveth the Son, and hath given ALL things into his hand.” John 3:34,35

God the Father gave the Spirit unto the Son. God the Father gave ALL things unto the Son.

By trinitarian reasoning, how can one receive something he already has, such as: the ability to create?

By the same reasoning: the Son has been given all things, and therefore the Father might as well be in a spiritual coma.

**7) Do you believe all the fullness of God the Father dwells in our Lord Jesus?**

Yes. And if you believe that as well, you’ve just answered your questions 1 through 6. It’s the foundational fact I’ve been speaking of nearly the whole time on this thread.

**8) Do you believe that the only way to God is through the cross of our Lord Jesus dead and resurrection, asking forgiveness for our sinful transgressions?**

Yes. But that description is condensed. If you want to get detailed, we can go to the Lord’s detailed commissions to his disciples, and follow up on how they obeyed.

**9) Do you believe our Lord Jesus, and only He alone, will present us holy and blameless before God the Father.**

So in the trinitarian view, the Holy Spirit doesn’t get name recognition in there somewhere?

And Christ presents the church to himself (Eph. 5:27).

“Knowing that HE which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us BY Jesus, and shall present us with you.” 2Cor. 4:14

Where is the Father not at?

**..Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.**

Tradition of men: the phrase “God the Son”. Even a grammar teacher knows that that phrase is not saying the same thing as the phrase, “the Son of God”.