The Preeminence of Our Lord Jesus Christ

“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:18)

            It was Paul’s purpose in writing this letter to the Colossians to both set forth and defend the glorious Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ as the incarnate God. In this first chapter he declares Christ to be...

·      The King into whose kingdom we have been translated by the new birth, telling us in verse 13 that it is God almighty “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”

·      The Redeemer through whose blood we have redemption and the forgiveness of all our sins. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (v. 14). Redemption and forgiveness go hand in hand. All who have been redeemed by Christ’s precious blood have been forgiven by God’s free grace of all their sins, forgiven when redeemed of all sin, past, present, and future!

·      God incarnate and God the Creator of all things, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (vv. 15-16). He who is “the firstborn of every creature” is “the beginning of the creation of God,” not the first creature of God as some heretics say, but “the beginning of the creation of God,” that is to say the One from whom creation sprang! (See Revelation 3:14).

·      The eternal, self-existent God who upholds and rules all things in providence. — “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (v. 17).

·      The Head of his body, the church, and the first one to be risen from the dead to die no more. — “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (v. 18).

·      The One in whom all the fullness of God and all the fullness of grace resides. — “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell” (v. 19). — “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:9-10).

·      And that One in whom and by whom we are reconciled to God. — “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (vv. 20-22).

Having declared all these glorious truths about the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, the Apostle concludes that it is the purpose of the triune God “that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

      Preeminence belongs to only one person. Two people cannot be pre-eminent. And the three Persons of the eternal God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have determined that the Lord Jesus Christ, as the God-man, our Mediator, Surety, Substitute, and Savior, shall have preeminence in all things!

Meditorial Preeminence

It must be stressed that this universal preeminence has been given to Christ not as God the Son, the second Person of the holy Trinity, but as Christ our Mediator and Surety. As God it could not be given to him, for he is in every way one with and equal with the Father and the Spirit (1 John 5:7). It was as our Mediator and Surety, the One who would become incarnate to save us, that our Lord Jesus Christ was given preeminence in and over all things as the “appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2).

            Christ has this pre-eminence now. He has had it from everlasting. And he shall have it forever. It is his by indisputable right! In all things our Lord Jesus Christ is and forever must be preeminent. His Father decreed it. He fully deserves it. All his people desire it. His obedience and satisfaction as our Surety demand it.

Give Him Preeminence

Is it the will and good pleasure of the triune God that Christ have preeminence in all things? Then let us also give him preeminence in all things. Oh, may God the Holy Spirit ever flood our hearts with thoughts of our Savior’s greatness, his glory, and his grace, that we may ever give him preeminence!

How can we give our Savior preeminence in all things? Adore him and trust him as your Lord and Savior, ever acknowledging and gladly confessing that he is made of God unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. Glory in his cross (Galatians 6:14). Glory in him (Jeremiah 9:23-24). And give all glory to him alone. Let no flesh glory in his presence! Consecrate yourself to Christ alone. He is the Pearl of great price. Spirit of God, give me grace daily to sell all and buy him, without money and without price, that in all things he may have the preeminence!

Don Fortner

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