"For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for
Him." (New King James Version)
Perhaps, what makes other think that the verse teaches "Christ created
the world" is the part which states "by Him all things were created".
Notice nevertheless that just before the statement, the Bible states,
"He (Christ) is - the firstborn over all creation" (Col. 2:15, Ibid.), which clearly indicates that Christ is one of those which were created and therefore not Himself the Creator.
The Bible unequivocally informs us who the one and only Creator is, Isaiah 44:24 records, thus:
"Thus say the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the
wombs: I am the Lord, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heaven
all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself". (Ibid.)
The "Lord" and "Redeemer" who made everything "all alone" and "by Himself" was further identified by the prophet Isaiah:
"Doubtless You are our Father - You, O Lord are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name". (Isa. 63:16)
Hence, as the prophet Malachi rhetorically asks, "Have we not all one
Father? Has not one God created us?" (Mal. 2:10, Ibid.). Clearly
therefore, the one God who "created the world" as taught by the Bible is
not Christ, but His Father who is the only true God (John 17:1,3).
So, why then does Colossians 1:16 state that "by Him (Christ) all
things were created"? That very verse itself provides the answer-the
last part of it explains, "All things were created through Him
(Christ)," Remember that one meaning of term "by" is the word "through"
and thus the two are synonyms (Microsoft Encarta 2006 Dictionary Tools).
But then again, in what sense "where all things created through
Christ"? The explanation is again found in that very same verse which
continuous, "All things were created through Him and for Him." That all
things were created for Jesus is further explained by Apostle Paul who
himself wrote Colossians 1:15, He pronounced:
"God did what
he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already
decided to complete by means of Christ. This plan, which God will
complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together,
everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head. All things are
done according to God's plan and decision ... based on what he had
decided from the very beginning." (Eph. 1:9-11, Today's English Version).
Notice that "from the very beginning", it had been the "secret plan" of
God that "when the time is right" He will "bring all creation together,
everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head." It is in this
sense that God created everything for Jesus.
It is clear
therefore that all things were created "by Christ" not in the sense that
He is Himself the Creator, but in the sense that all were created by
the Father through and for Him (Christ). Hence, other translations of
the Bible such the Today's English Version, Colossians 1:16 is rendered in this manner:
"For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth ... God created the whole universe through him and for him."