When Christians talk about God creating the world, our minds normally go to the person of God the Father. But Scripture teaches that the Son was at the Father’s side during creation, and that the Father created the world by or through him. Listen to what Colossians 1:16 has to say about the Son’s involvement in creation:

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

In this passage, Paul explicitly said that creation was accomplished “by” the Son, or as some translations put it, “through” him.

You know, when we read the New Testament, we find so many surprising things, and we read the Old Testament in a whole new light. One of the things we discover, for instance, from the prologue to the Gospel of John, is that Christ is there from the beginning. Christ is in every verse of the Old Testament. But we go all the way back to creation, and John tells us that it was Christ, the Word, the Logos of God, who was the creative agent through whom God made the worlds. [Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.]

The Bible consistently teaches that the purpose of creation is to serve as God’s special kingdom. And the New Testament makes it clear that this kingdom is to be ruled by God’s special Son, through whom and by whom creation was accomplished. We might even say that the Son’s creative work was an expression of his kingship and authority. He has authority over creation because he created it. And therefore, every created thing is obligated to submit willingly and obediently to God the Son as its king.

Notice that in Colossians 1:16, Paul emphasized thrones, powers, rulers and authorities. In the Bible, creation isn’t just about existence. It’s also a matter of political power. The world exists in order to become God’s special kingdom, under the authority of his special Son. We see the same connection in these words from Hebrews 1:2:

[God] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

Here, the author of Hebrews connected the idea that God the Son was active in creation with the fact that he was the “heir of all things,” that is, that he was the king that would inherit ownership and rule over the entire creation.

One of the intriguing truths of the Christian faith is that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ not only redeems us, but he had a vital role in the creation of the universe. This has a number of significant implications for us. One is that it reminds us just how great our Savior is; the Creator of all. It also makes sure that we will never be misled to think that the Son is somehow less than the Father, but a full participant in the creation of this mighty and amazing universe. [Dr. Glen Scorgie]