Welcome to week four of my Preeminence of Christ study. Next week will be yet another week off, as one of my ladies is going on vacation and I decided to suspend the class at church a week for her. I do not want to post my studies online before they're presented at church. Therefore week five won't be available until November 7th.
Lord Jesus, please help Your church come to know You in a magnificent way. Open our eyes to Your deity. Reveal Your beauty. Show one and all that we come to Christ for more of CHRIST, and not for the blessings You bestow. May we love the Giver more than the gifts, and focus our lives on You alone. Wean us from this world, and make us fit for Heaven. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
If you've missed the previous studies, you can find them here:
THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST – Week Four – Colossians 1:18
By: Becka Goings
Colossians 1:15-20:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
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“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.”
~~Colossians 1:18
In the glorious exposition of Christ’s deity found in Colossians 1:15-20, the Apostle Paul has been building his case that the Lord Jesus Christ is God incarnate. In verse 15, we are told that Christ is the image of the invisible God. In verse 16, we learn He is not merely the image of God, He IS God, for He created it all, and by Him, through Him, and for Him are all things. In the 17th verse, Paul makes it clear that not only is the Lord Christ our eternal Creator, He is also the Sustainer of the universe. Each one of these points builds off the other, until we get to Paul’s theological crescendo in verse 18. Even within this verse, Paul continues to build his picture of Christ, by describing Him first as the head of the body, which is His church.
The metaphor of the head and the body was a favorite of the Apostle Paul. He used the analogy in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 1:21-23, Ephesians 4 & 5, and Colossians 2:18-19. As metaphors go, this one is brilliant in its simplicity. A body has many members, and each member has its own job. Yet not apart from the other members. And it is the head that moves them all. Our unity with each other comes through our unity with Christ, and by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit within us.
The Holy Spirit ensures that Christ’s presence remains on earth through His church even though Christ Himself has ascended bodily up to Heaven. The very same Spirit indwells all of Christ’s children, and because of this, we are in union with each other, thus making the church one united body. Christ Himself is the one who sent His Spirit to do this miraculous work, and it is the Father who appointed Him as Head of the body. Ephesians 1:22-23 says:
“22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
I love the wording in this verse, that God the Father gave Christ as head over all things to the church. Christ, by the mere fact He is God, is already head over all things. However, by His work on the cross and His victory over death, He has also purchased His right as Head of all things. Christ’s finished work on the cross has proven Him worthy of this right. He has given Himself two witnesses to His ownership of the universe – by creation and by purchase. The reason why I love the wording of this verse in Ephesians is that God gave Christ to His church. He is ours, sisters. He is ours! This magnificent God-man has given Himself for us – and to us – in eternal union. It’s almost too much to comprehend. Once we come to see and know how high He is compared to our low estate, it is truly humbling to realize this glorious God went to such great lengths to save us from the power of sin and death. And more than that, He has given us Himself, the greatest Treasure and richest Reward that can ever be had.
The Holy Spirit unites us with Christ, and because of this, each individual member, no matter how weak, is vital to the church. Consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:21-22:
“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable”
The Holy Spirit unites us with Christ, and because of this, each individual member, no matter how weak, is vital to the church. Consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:21-22:
“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable”
How would we scratch an itch if we didn’t have fingernails? How could we eat solid food without teeth? How could we protect our eyes without eyelids? It’s kind of funny to think about, but this is what Paul was getting at, that even the small members of the body have important jobs to do. God has not created any inconsequential members of our physical bodies, and neither are there inconsequential members of the Body of Christ. And while we are His Body in one corporate whole, each believer is individually directed by the Head of the church, just as our pinky fingers and little toes are directed by our own head. Christ is intimately involved in directing the lives of every single member of His church.
In fact, Christ is so united to His body, that He considers what’s done to us as done to Him. We know this from texts like Acts 9:4 where the Lord appears to Saul of Tarsus, who, prior to his conversion, was well-known for persecuting and executing Christians, and asks him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” We see this again in our Lord’s own words regarding the sheep and the goats judgment of Matthew 25:40 & 25:45, that what they did or didn’t do to His brethren was done to the Lord Himself. This point is further driven home by Paul in Ephesians 5:28-30:
“In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.”
In fact, Christ is so united to His body, that He considers what’s done to us as done to Him. We know this from texts like Acts 9:4 where the Lord appears to Saul of Tarsus, who, prior to his conversion, was well-known for persecuting and executing Christians, and asks him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” We see this again in our Lord’s own words regarding the sheep and the goats judgment of Matthew 25:40 & 25:45, that what they did or didn’t do to His brethren was done to the Lord Himself. This point is further driven home by Paul in Ephesians 5:28-30:
“In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.”
This text is a mandate for men to love their wives as Christ loves His church as His own body. Husbands and wives are considered one flesh by God (Ephesians 5:31), and Christ and the believer are one by His Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). Therefore, we are ambassadors of Christ on this earth (2 Corinthians 5:20). When our Lord purchased us upon His cross, He not only purchased the rights to our souls, but to our bodies as well. One day, we shall be glorified, and our mortal bodies will be like His glorious body (Philippians 3:21). This is why Paul tells us many times to honor the Lord in our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20), not to be joined with prostitutes (1 Corinthians 6:15-16), and not to be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14). The body of a Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19). This isn’t metaphorical, but a reality. We are not merely influenced by the Spirit of God, He dwells within us, and it is through this spiritual union with Christ that Christ considers us of His own body.
What interests me about the “Body of Christ” is that there are a few applications. First, as we have already explored, we agree with Paul that His body is His church. Second, we take in Christ’s body by the bread of communion. Third, we look to events in the Gospels that happened to Christ’s physical body.
With regards to communion, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:17:
“Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”
What interests me about the “Body of Christ” is that there are a few applications. First, as we have already explored, we agree with Paul that His body is His church. Second, we take in Christ’s body by the bread of communion. Third, we look to events in the Gospels that happened to Christ’s physical body.
With regards to communion, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:17:
“Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”
At communion, a single loaf of bread is broken for all to eat a piece. Eating of the bread makes us one body, because many people eat of the same single loaf. This is a metaphor for Christ Himself, as we all partake of the True Bread from Heaven as well, likewise making us one body in Him.
In thinking more on Christ’s physical body, I have to wonder if God also meant for us to look on Him and see His church hidden within. We are told many times in Scripture that we will suffer (John 16:33), to expect suffering (1 Peter 4:12), and to rejoice in suffering for His name’s sake (Matthew 10:22, Philippians 1:29, James 1:2, 1 Peter 3:13-17, 1 Peter 4:12-19). Christ obviously suffered bodily. In that, we share suffering with Him. The Apostle John also recorded that Scripture was fulfilled on the cross in John 19:36:
“For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”
In thinking more on Christ’s physical body, I have to wonder if God also meant for us to look on Him and see His church hidden within. We are told many times in Scripture that we will suffer (John 16:33), to expect suffering (1 Peter 4:12), and to rejoice in suffering for His name’s sake (Matthew 10:22, Philippians 1:29, James 1:2, 1 Peter 3:13-17, 1 Peter 4:12-19). Christ obviously suffered bodily. In that, we share suffering with Him. The Apostle John also recorded that Scripture was fulfilled on the cross in John 19:36:
“For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”
Now, this was not a prophecy, rather, John was quoting from Exodus 12:46 and Numbers 9:12 that none of the bones of the Passover lamb were to be broken. Since Christ is the Lamb of God, crucified on Passover, His bones were not broken either. During crucifixion, the Romans would break the legs of those condemned to die to make their demise all the faster. We see they did so in John 19:32 to the two thieves flanking Christ on Calvary. Yet they did not break Christ’s legs because He was already dead. This is a very important detail. If Christ’s church is His body, then God did not want His physical bones broken in any way. If any of Christ’s bones had been broken, it might be argued by our enemy, the Accuser, that some in His church could be lost to Him, or broken beyond repair. Christ suffered more in His body than we can ever know; we even say of the bread at communion, “this is His body, broken for you”. But none of His bones were physically broken. Not even one.
Then, we see at His resurrection, our Lord Christ has been given a new, eternal body. This is not a different body than the one He had in life, it is His same body, glorified. He retained His scars, His disciples were able to touch Him, and He could eat physical food, so we know He was raised bodily and did not return as a spirit (Luke 24:39-43). Those of us who are in union with Him by His Holy Spirit, will also have our same lowly bodies transformed into a glorious body, one that is like His in every way (Philippians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 John 3:2). These very bodies will one day walk the streets of gold in eternal bliss. Praise God!
Paul’s next line in Colossians 1:18 says, “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead”. Just as in our previous study of verse 17, notice in verse 18 the verb tense “he is”, again solidifying Christ’s eternal nature as God. Yet while verse 17 says, “He is before all things”, in the very next verse, Paul says, “He is the beginning”. It sounds very similar, but we have to be careful here, because this is not the Apostle repeating himself.
In verse 17, Paul explains that Christ existed before anything was created. In verse 18, he makes it known that everything has its beginning in Him. Christ literally IS the beginning of all things. Remember as the Apostle John stated in John 1:3, “Without Him was not any thing made that was made.”
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” ~~John 1:1
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” ~~Genesis 1:1
“He is the beginning.” ~~Colossians 1:18
Then, we see at His resurrection, our Lord Christ has been given a new, eternal body. This is not a different body than the one He had in life, it is His same body, glorified. He retained His scars, His disciples were able to touch Him, and He could eat physical food, so we know He was raised bodily and did not return as a spirit (Luke 24:39-43). Those of us who are in union with Him by His Holy Spirit, will also have our same lowly bodies transformed into a glorious body, one that is like His in every way (Philippians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 John 3:2). These very bodies will one day walk the streets of gold in eternal bliss. Praise God!
Paul’s next line in Colossians 1:18 says, “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead”. Just as in our previous study of verse 17, notice in verse 18 the verb tense “he is”, again solidifying Christ’s eternal nature as God. Yet while verse 17 says, “He is before all things”, in the very next verse, Paul says, “He is the beginning”. It sounds very similar, but we have to be careful here, because this is not the Apostle repeating himself.
In verse 17, Paul explains that Christ existed before anything was created. In verse 18, he makes it known that everything has its beginning in Him. Christ literally IS the beginning of all things. Remember as the Apostle John stated in John 1:3, “Without Him was not any thing made that was made.”
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” ~~John 1:1
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” ~~Genesis 1:1
“He is the beginning.” ~~Colossians 1:18
Paul is relentless in this Colossians 1 passage, again and again solidifying the doctrine of Christ’s deity as the image of the invisible God, the Creator God, the Sustainer God, the Eternal God, the Sovereign God. He is not second in command to the Father, He is the One seated on the Throne of Heaven, co-equal and co-eternal, and He has been given as Head over all things to the church.
He is the beginning, Paul says, and the firstborn from the dead. Here again we see the word prōtotokos (pro-TAHT-oh-koss) for “firstborn”. Paul uses the same word as he did back in verse 15, that Christ is the firstborn of all creation, yet he uses it to describe the firstborn from the dead. However, this can be somewhat confusing, as we know during Christ’s ministry, and from some stories in the Old Testament, that Christ Himself was not the first person to rise from the dead. He raised not only Lazarus (John 11:1-44), but also Jairus’s twelve-year-old daughter (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56), and the widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17).
Again, notice Paul’s wording here, that Christ is the firstborn from the dead, not of the dead. This is an important distinction, and one of the many reasons why Bible translations faithful to the original texts are quite important when studying Scripture. There are two differences in Christ’s resurrection that no other resurrection before it could boast. The first is quite obvious; Christ was able to raise Himself from the dead. No one who has ever died can self-resurrect. The second is that He is the first to be raised in an incorruptible, immortal body. In this way, He is the firstborn from the dead. Everyone else who had been raised in the Bible would eventually die again. Not Christ. And since He is the Head of the body, the church, our one-in-Spirit union with Him ensures that we too shall one day rise from the dead at the Resurrection of the Saints. Where the head goes, the body follows.
Our resurrection from the dead is the completion of our salvation (Philippians 1:6), and our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Every person is born in sin and dead in sin until we are reborn by the power of Christ’s Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1, John 3:3). Our rebirth as children of God is our spirit’s resurrection to life in His name, with our bodily resurrection to follow upon Christ’s return. Romans 8:30 is sometimes referred to as the “golden chain” of our redemption. Notice the progression of all these things are past tense. What He has begun in us, He will be faithful to complete:
“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
He is the beginning, Paul says, and the firstborn from the dead. Here again we see the word prōtotokos (pro-TAHT-oh-koss) for “firstborn”. Paul uses the same word as he did back in verse 15, that Christ is the firstborn of all creation, yet he uses it to describe the firstborn from the dead. However, this can be somewhat confusing, as we know during Christ’s ministry, and from some stories in the Old Testament, that Christ Himself was not the first person to rise from the dead. He raised not only Lazarus (John 11:1-44), but also Jairus’s twelve-year-old daughter (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56), and the widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17).
Again, notice Paul’s wording here, that Christ is the firstborn from the dead, not of the dead. This is an important distinction, and one of the many reasons why Bible translations faithful to the original texts are quite important when studying Scripture. There are two differences in Christ’s resurrection that no other resurrection before it could boast. The first is quite obvious; Christ was able to raise Himself from the dead. No one who has ever died can self-resurrect. The second is that He is the first to be raised in an incorruptible, immortal body. In this way, He is the firstborn from the dead. Everyone else who had been raised in the Bible would eventually die again. Not Christ. And since He is the Head of the body, the church, our one-in-Spirit union with Him ensures that we too shall one day rise from the dead at the Resurrection of the Saints. Where the head goes, the body follows.
Our resurrection from the dead is the completion of our salvation (Philippians 1:6), and our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Every person is born in sin and dead in sin until we are reborn by the power of Christ’s Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1, John 3:3). Our rebirth as children of God is our spirit’s resurrection to life in His name, with our bodily resurrection to follow upon Christ’s return. Romans 8:30 is sometimes referred to as the “golden chain” of our redemption. Notice the progression of all these things are past tense. What He has begun in us, He will be faithful to complete:
“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
Scripture calls the indwelling Holy Spirit the “earnest of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14), or in other words, the promise of our coming resurrection.
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." ~~Romans 8:11
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." ~~Romans 8:11
If we have the Spirit of God indwelling us, then He is our guarantee that our bodies will finally and fully resemble our sanctified spirits – and on That Day of our glorification, we’ll finally and fully resemble Christ to perfection.
Here is where we come to the crescendo of Paul’s careful exposition throughout this entire Colossians passage. He has built truth upon truth for the identity of Jesus Christ, making it clear that He is before all things, that He is the beginning, and that He is the firstborn from the dead. For what purpose? To illustrate that in all things, He might be preeminent. No one above Him, no one before Him, no one beside Him.
Not only is Christ first in the universe by way of being God, but He has placed Himself first in the grand story of redemption. He is the Head of the church, and the firstborn from the dead, that He might be the firstborn of many brothers (Romans 8:29). It is His image to which we are conformed, and He is the One who deserves glory for it all.
Scripture has told us time and again that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5). Christ Himself claimed He was humble at heart (Matthew 11:29). Let’s take a moment to consider this. No one would argue that Christ was the most humble man to ever live. And yet how much does this confuse us, knowing our God is a humble God? God is Almighty, and His power is beyond compare. In our minds, we have a hard time figuring out why such a Being would exalt humility. Why is the Kingdom of God seemingly backwards? The last shall be first. Persecution is blessing. Affliction perfects faith.
To our fallen humanity, strength is found in our exaltation. But Christ says no, when you are weak, then you are strong. Why? Because we are leaning on Him – on His strength – in faith. In all these “backwards” ideas of Christ’s Gospel, He teaches us to let go of this world and look solely upon Him. Humility fills us with the praises of God, not the praise of ourselves. All these things that make the Christian life so difficult for us are serving to make Christ preeminent in our lives. If we can view persecutions and afflictions as our Lord preparing us for glory, then we can rejoice in our pain.
Ultimately, pride steals glory from God. Pride is glorying in oneself. Pride is puffing up ourselves to look good in the eyes of others. Jesus tells us in Matthew 23:12 that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. As Christians, we are to hold up Christ and show His beauty to the world. And in His own life, Jesus has given us a splendid example of how to live a humble life. Never did He boast in Himself; He did everything for the glory of His Father. Imagine how far God stooped in the Person of Christ. He left His glorious Throne to be united with our flesh forever. He humbled Himself, even to death upon a wooden cross. He literally became a curse for us. Philippians 2:3-8 says:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Here is where we come to the crescendo of Paul’s careful exposition throughout this entire Colossians passage. He has built truth upon truth for the identity of Jesus Christ, making it clear that He is before all things, that He is the beginning, and that He is the firstborn from the dead. For what purpose? To illustrate that in all things, He might be preeminent. No one above Him, no one before Him, no one beside Him.
Not only is Christ first in the universe by way of being God, but He has placed Himself first in the grand story of redemption. He is the Head of the church, and the firstborn from the dead, that He might be the firstborn of many brothers (Romans 8:29). It is His image to which we are conformed, and He is the One who deserves glory for it all.
Scripture has told us time and again that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5). Christ Himself claimed He was humble at heart (Matthew 11:29). Let’s take a moment to consider this. No one would argue that Christ was the most humble man to ever live. And yet how much does this confuse us, knowing our God is a humble God? God is Almighty, and His power is beyond compare. In our minds, we have a hard time figuring out why such a Being would exalt humility. Why is the Kingdom of God seemingly backwards? The last shall be first. Persecution is blessing. Affliction perfects faith.
To our fallen humanity, strength is found in our exaltation. But Christ says no, when you are weak, then you are strong. Why? Because we are leaning on Him – on His strength – in faith. In all these “backwards” ideas of Christ’s Gospel, He teaches us to let go of this world and look solely upon Him. Humility fills us with the praises of God, not the praise of ourselves. All these things that make the Christian life so difficult for us are serving to make Christ preeminent in our lives. If we can view persecutions and afflictions as our Lord preparing us for glory, then we can rejoice in our pain.
Ultimately, pride steals glory from God. Pride is glorying in oneself. Pride is puffing up ourselves to look good in the eyes of others. Jesus tells us in Matthew 23:12 that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. As Christians, we are to hold up Christ and show His beauty to the world. And in His own life, Jesus has given us a splendid example of how to live a humble life. Never did He boast in Himself; He did everything for the glory of His Father. Imagine how far God stooped in the Person of Christ. He left His glorious Throne to be united with our flesh forever. He humbled Himself, even to death upon a wooden cross. He literally became a curse for us. Philippians 2:3-8 says:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
We know God exalts the humble. Our exaltation, therefore, comes from God alone, and how stunning is that truth? I know of no Christian who wouldn’t want their glory to be solely found in God glorying over them. Can you even imagine the honor of God On High exalting you before heaven and earth? And this is exactly what He’s done for our Lord. There has been no greater humbling in history than the humbling of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, there is no greater exaltation than what He has received at the hand of our Heavenly Father. Philippians 2 continues in verses 9-11:
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Christ’s is the name above all names. To Him, every knee shall bow. To Him, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He is, in all things, preeminent. This day is coming, and what a glorious day it will be! However, these verses reveal something quite shocking if we take a step back and consider the weight of these words.
There is one place in this universe where Christ is not preeminent. There is only one place in all of creation that shuts Him out. This barren, lifeless place is in the hearts of mankind. Even the demons believe – and shudder (James 2:19). But depraved humanity, lost in sin, denies Christ’s very existence. They do not, can not, and will not bow the knee to Him. Our sin nature is so pervasive and prevalent, that even for believers, God has made it a command to make Him preeminent in our lives. It is very telling that the First Great Commandment of God is to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. What pitiful, rebellious creatures we are, that God must make for us a command what is quite obvious to all heavenly creatures.
In fact, looking back to the Fall in the Garden, our fore-parents’ first sin was mistrust of God, and a desire to be like Him, just as Satan wanted for himself. They idolized what the forbidden fruit would give them, and were not thankful for the bounty they already had in God. They believed God held back something good from them, and thus turned away from Him to obtain it. Humanity’s ultimate Fall into sin, therefore, was not having the Lord God preeminent in their hearts, and that is still the root of all sin and rebellion today.
Is Christ preeminent in your life? Is He truly? Take a moment to examine yourself. Do you seek Him? Do you have a deep love for reading His Word? Do you have a drive within you to know Him no matter the personal cost to you? When you have a quiet moment to yourself, where do your thoughts fly? Do you meditate on Scripture? How often do you pray? Are your prayers formal or intimate? Do you avoid God when you sin? Do you love His people? Do you obey His commands? Is His Word stored up in your heart? Is your Christianity the most obvious thing about you? Do you adore Christ above and beyond your spouse, children, family, friends, and pets? If you lost everything tomorrow, would Christ be enough for you? Would Christ be enough through adversity? Pain? Tragedy? Persecution? Do you long to be with Him? Do you cry out for His return?
Hear me when I say this: Christianity is the adoration and exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Great Object of all our affection, all our strength, all our thoughts, and all our souls. We don’t come to Christ for His blessings alone. We come to Christ for Christ! Does your faith resemble Judas Iscariot or Mary of Bethany? Are you hanging around Him for what He can give you, only to leave Him when He doesn’t follow through? Or do you adore Him unashamedly without a care for who sees you weeping at His feet? Is your love for Christ a surface love, one that admires Him only? Or is your love for Him a vast ocean you are lost in, with no shore, no bottom, and no limits? How beautiful do you find our Lord Jesus Christ? Are you merely grateful for all He’s done for you, or do you stand stunned before His Throne, in awe that Someone So High could look upon you at all? Have you spoken of Him, or His name, in vain, or have you wept like Isaiah that you have unclean lips before this Glorious, Almighty God?
If you feel cold toward Christ at all, I implore you – ask Him to help you love Him. Even if we adore Him more than our own lives, we should strive to love Him more than we do. He should be the One who defines us. In Him is where we find our identity, before anything else. Christ is infinitely better than anything this world can offer. He is worth leaving everything to follow Him. Every single sinner who encountered our precious Lord in Scripture left their sinful lives behind to pursue Him. They found in Him something greater and more marvelous than their identity as a prostitute, as a tax collector, or even as a Pharisee. He told them, “Go, and sin no more” and each one of them rose up to follow Him in the beauty of holiness.
Have you seen Christ’s beauty in this way? Has He so captivated you that you would lay everything down, absolutely everything in your life, to find yourself in Him? Like the Apostle Paul, have you counted it all as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ? Have you counted these things as dung, as rubbish, to be tossed aside, in order that you may gain Christ? (Philippians 3:8) If not, cry out to Him for the grace to see Him high and lifted up. He is infinitely worthy of all our praise. The great glory of a Christian’s life is a holy preoccupation with Christ. Lord, help us to place You first in our hearts and first in our lives, that in all things to us, You might be preeminent. Amen.
1.) True or False - Christ is so united to His church, that He considers what’s done to us as done to Him.
2.) Husbands and wives are considered one __________ by God (Ephesians 5:31), and Christ and the believer are one in ___________ (1 Corinthians 6:17).
3.) What does Paul mean when he says Christ is the “firstborn from the dead”?
4.) Where is the one place in all of creation where Christ is not preeminent?
5.) Complete this sentence: The great glory of a Christian’s life is a _____ _____________ with Christ.
There is one place in this universe where Christ is not preeminent. There is only one place in all of creation that shuts Him out. This barren, lifeless place is in the hearts of mankind. Even the demons believe – and shudder (James 2:19). But depraved humanity, lost in sin, denies Christ’s very existence. They do not, can not, and will not bow the knee to Him. Our sin nature is so pervasive and prevalent, that even for believers, God has made it a command to make Him preeminent in our lives. It is very telling that the First Great Commandment of God is to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. What pitiful, rebellious creatures we are, that God must make for us a command what is quite obvious to all heavenly creatures.
In fact, looking back to the Fall in the Garden, our fore-parents’ first sin was mistrust of God, and a desire to be like Him, just as Satan wanted for himself. They idolized what the forbidden fruit would give them, and were not thankful for the bounty they already had in God. They believed God held back something good from them, and thus turned away from Him to obtain it. Humanity’s ultimate Fall into sin, therefore, was not having the Lord God preeminent in their hearts, and that is still the root of all sin and rebellion today.
Is Christ preeminent in your life? Is He truly? Take a moment to examine yourself. Do you seek Him? Do you have a deep love for reading His Word? Do you have a drive within you to know Him no matter the personal cost to you? When you have a quiet moment to yourself, where do your thoughts fly? Do you meditate on Scripture? How often do you pray? Are your prayers formal or intimate? Do you avoid God when you sin? Do you love His people? Do you obey His commands? Is His Word stored up in your heart? Is your Christianity the most obvious thing about you? Do you adore Christ above and beyond your spouse, children, family, friends, and pets? If you lost everything tomorrow, would Christ be enough for you? Would Christ be enough through adversity? Pain? Tragedy? Persecution? Do you long to be with Him? Do you cry out for His return?
Hear me when I say this: Christianity is the adoration and exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Great Object of all our affection, all our strength, all our thoughts, and all our souls. We don’t come to Christ for His blessings alone. We come to Christ for Christ! Does your faith resemble Judas Iscariot or Mary of Bethany? Are you hanging around Him for what He can give you, only to leave Him when He doesn’t follow through? Or do you adore Him unashamedly without a care for who sees you weeping at His feet? Is your love for Christ a surface love, one that admires Him only? Or is your love for Him a vast ocean you are lost in, with no shore, no bottom, and no limits? How beautiful do you find our Lord Jesus Christ? Are you merely grateful for all He’s done for you, or do you stand stunned before His Throne, in awe that Someone So High could look upon you at all? Have you spoken of Him, or His name, in vain, or have you wept like Isaiah that you have unclean lips before this Glorious, Almighty God?
If you feel cold toward Christ at all, I implore you – ask Him to help you love Him. Even if we adore Him more than our own lives, we should strive to love Him more than we do. He should be the One who defines us. In Him is where we find our identity, before anything else. Christ is infinitely better than anything this world can offer. He is worth leaving everything to follow Him. Every single sinner who encountered our precious Lord in Scripture left their sinful lives behind to pursue Him. They found in Him something greater and more marvelous than their identity as a prostitute, as a tax collector, or even as a Pharisee. He told them, “Go, and sin no more” and each one of them rose up to follow Him in the beauty of holiness.
Have you seen Christ’s beauty in this way? Has He so captivated you that you would lay everything down, absolutely everything in your life, to find yourself in Him? Like the Apostle Paul, have you counted it all as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ? Have you counted these things as dung, as rubbish, to be tossed aside, in order that you may gain Christ? (Philippians 3:8) If not, cry out to Him for the grace to see Him high and lifted up. He is infinitely worthy of all our praise. The great glory of a Christian’s life is a holy preoccupation with Christ. Lord, help us to place You first in our hearts and first in our lives, that in all things to us, You might be preeminent. Amen.
STUDY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.) True or False - Christ is so united to His church, that He considers what’s done to us as done to Him.
2.) Husbands and wives are considered one __________ by God (Ephesians 5:31), and Christ and the believer are one in ___________ (1 Corinthians 6:17).
3.) What does Paul mean when he says Christ is the “firstborn from the dead”?
4.) Where is the one place in all of creation where Christ is not preeminent?
5.) Complete this sentence: The great glory of a Christian’s life is a _____ _____________ with Christ.
Questions for Personal Reflection
Have you ever thought about your union with Christ being so personal, that He considers whatever happens to you as happening to Him?
How can this deeply personal union with Christ help you live your life for His glory?
Do you know your place in the Body of Christ? What is it that you absolutely love to do? What has He gifted you with? Sanctify it and use it for the glory of Christ and there is your place in His Body.
Are you hanging around Christ for what He can give you? Or do you adore Him unashamedly without a care for who sees you?
Examine yourself. Is Christ truly preeminent in your life? If not, ask Him to help you place Him first in your heart.
Colossians 1:18 – Session Four – Song Playlist:
- Name Above All Names – Sovereign Grace Music – Risen Album
- Song of the Beautiful Bride – Paul Wilbur – Your Great Name Album
- Living Hope – Phil Wickham – Living Hope Single
- Resurrection Power – Chris Tomlin – Resurrection Power Single
- He Rose Again – The Vigil Project – Vigil (Series One) Album
- First Love – Petra – On Fire Album
- Count It All – John Waller – As for Me and My House Album
Scripture References for Further Study:
1.) Romans 12
2.) 1 Corinthians 12
3.) Ephesians 1:21-23
4.) Ephesians 4 & 5
5.) Colossians 2:18-19
6.) Ephesians 1:22-23
7.) 1 Corinthians 12:21-22
8.) Acts 9:4
9.) Matthew 25:40
10.) Matthew 25:45
11.) Ephesians 5:28-30
12.) Ephesians 5:31
13.) 1 Corinthians 6:17
14.) 2 Corinthians 5:20
15.) Philippians 3:21
16.) 1 Corinthians 6:20
17.) 1 Corinthians 6:15-16
18.) 2 Corinthians 6:14
19.) 1 Corinthians 3:16
20.) 1 Corinthians 6:19
21.) 1 Corinthians 10:17
22.) John 16:33
23.) 1 Peter 4:12
24.) Matthew 10:22
25.) Philippians 1:29
26.) James 1:2
27.) 1 Peter 3:13-17
28.) 1 Peter 4:12-19
29.) John 19:36
30.) Exodus 12:46
31.) Number 9:12
32.) John 19:32
33.) Luke 24:39-43
34.) Philippians 3:21
35.) 1 Corinthians 15:52
36.) 1 John 3:2
37.) John 1:3
38.) John 1:1
39.) Genesis 1:1
40.) Colossians 1:18
41.) John 11:1-44
42.) Matthew 9:18-26
43.) Mark 5:21-43
44.) Luke 8:40-56
45.) Luke 7:11-17
46.) Philippians 1:6
47.) Colossians 1:27
48.) Psalm 51:5
49.) Ephesians 2:1
50.) John 3:3
51.) Romans 8:30
52.) Ephesians 1:14
53.) Romans 8:11
54.) Romans 8:29
55.) Proverbs 3:34
56.) James 4:6
57.) 1 Peter 5:5
58.) Matthew 11:29
59.) Matthew 23:12
60.) Philippians 2:3-8
60.) Philippians 2:3-8
61.) Philippians 2:9-11
62.) James 2:9
