Welcome to the sixth and final week of my six-week series on the Preeminence of Christ! For those who have been following along, thank you for reading, and I hope these studies have touched your life and your relationship with Christ for the better. Eternal life is knowing the truth of our great and glorious God, and the Lord Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3).
Lord Jesus, it is my prayer that You have moved mightily through this study to reach those who otherwise would not be reached, all over the world. And may they know it was by Your power and Holy Spirit that they have come to sit at Your feet and learn of You. Thank You for everything You give us, and for every opportunity to praise Your great name!
To You be the glory forever! AMEN!
THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST – Week Six – Colossians 1:20
By: Becka Goings
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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~~Colossians 1:20
I want to start this final study by looking back at last week’s verse, because it’s tied to this one. These two verses together tell us of God’s plan to redeem not only humanity, but the whole of creation. We’ll go into more depth regarding verse 20 in a bit, but I think it’s important to read them both together to get a fuller picture of what God has accomplished through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here are the two verses together:
“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” ~~Colossians 1:19-20
It sounds confusing, but notice how the entire Trinity is present here. The fullness of God in the Holy Spirit is in Christ, so that through the Son, God the Father is able to reconcile all things to Himself. This is a beautiful display of the union of the Godhead. The Father wills and decrees redemption, the Son does the work of redemption, and the Spirit applies redemption to His children. There isn’t a member of the Trinity who isn’t present and active in our redemption unto God.
Notice also the mystery of this phrase, “and though him to reconcile to himself all things”. Christ wasn’t merely a man that God indwelt as we are indwelt; the Apostle Paul pens this phrase as reflexive upon itself, as if one were to say, “I did the dishes myself.” We’d get the idea if they merely said, “I did the dishes” But the fact that “myself” is added means it’s a reflexive pronoun that I alone did the dishes. Another example would be, “She made herself dinner.” Reflexive pronouns causes the verb to reflect back on the subject. In other words, “to himself” at the end of our phrase reflects back upon the “through him” previously in the same phrase. This connects both “him” and “himself” as being the same Person. Therefore, the subject of the phrase is the same as the object of the verb ‘reconcile’. This reflexive pronoun refers both to Christ and to God in the same breath: “and through him to reconcile to himself all things”. Here is a nerdy linguistic way of proving our Lord Jesus Christ as God!
However, the work of redemption was much more costly and painful for God than creation itself. At the moment of creation, God spoke, and all things came to be. Yet at the moment of redemption, the wages of sin had to be paid. God Himself had to step into our flesh, live our life, sweat, bleed, and die on our behalf. As the Puritan Thomas Watson said in his famous book, Body of Divinity:
“It cost more to redeem us than to create us. In the creation there was but ‘speaking a word,’ (Ps. 148:5). In the redeeming us, there was shedding of blood (1 Pet.1:19). The creation was the work of God’s fingers (Ps. 8:3); redemption was the work of His arm (Isaiah 53:1, John 12:38).”
Let’s take a look at why we needed no less than God Himself to redeem us. In Genesis 3, we read of Adam and Eve and the Fall of humanity. God had given Adam one law: “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” ~~Genesis 3:3. But along came the serpent and deceived Eve, telling her she would not surely die (Genesis 3:4). The serpent convinced her that God was holding back wisdom, the knowledge of good and evil, and that she wouldn’t surely die. Sure enough, she did not die in the moment when she touched and ate it. She even offered some to Adam (Genesis 3:8), who did nothing, by the way. He allowed the serpent to deceive his wife and decided to disobey God on his own.
What neither of them understood was that they had died upon touching and eating the fruit. They died spiritually. They could no longer walk with God in the Garden – they hid from His presence. When God found them, He knew what had happened, and cursed all three of them, Adam, Eve, and the serpent. Interestingly enough, God curses the serpent first, and in Genesis 3:15, before He curses the man and woman, He gives the first prophecy of Messiah, the seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head. In essence, God told Satan immediately that even though God’s holy justice against sin demanded a curse upon His creation, Satan’s mischief would not prevail, and he would be crushed. This is also a bastion of hope for Adam and Eve, to hear from God’s own mouth that one of their children would crush that lying, evil serpent once and for all.
God then curses the woman, increasing her pain in childbirth, and making her desire contrary to her husband, with his rule being over her. Many women still rail against this curse, but submission to our husbands is God’s created order. However there is grace even in this, sisters, for in Christ, we are able to submit with a grateful and thankful heart, as Christ submitted Himself to His Father.
Then, God turns to Adam. God had given Adam and Eve dominion over the whole of His creation in Genesis 1:28. Because Adam had listened to Eve, fallen into sin, and essentially had cursed himself, God curses creation as the consequence. A corrupted king cannot rule a perfect creation, thus creation itself became corrupted. Adam and Eve would still have dominion, but they would have to work by the sweat of their brow to have any food or shelter for themselves. Now, not only would Adam and Eve eventually die, so, too would everything else. Before this moment, death did not exist. Because all of us are offspring of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited this nature of sin. None of us are exempt; we are all conceived and born in sin (Psalm 51:5).
Scripture calls us dead in our trespasses and sins in Ephesians 2:1 & 5. Not only could we no longer come into the presence of God, our bodies would now truly die, as the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Since everyone sins, everyone dies. And because everyone sins, no one can come into God’s presence. Therefore, everyone who dies would die apart from God.
But God did not leave humanity without hope, and all throughout the Old Testament, He prophesied the coming of Messiah, who would bear our sins upon His own shoulders (Isaiah 53:5). The Apostle Paul calls Christ the “last Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:45, meaning, what Adam had failed to do – live righteously unto God – Christ triumphed over mightily. He writes this in Romans 5:15-17:
I want you to notice what I’ve underlined in this passage. Humanity, billions and billions of us from the dawn of time, have been cursed by Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden. Many died through one man’s trespass. One single sin. Just one. One sin doomed the entire human race. Wrap your head around this for a moment. One sin is enough to damn us to Hell for all eternity. Think of your own life. How many sins have you committed in all your years? How many Hells do you deserve?
Now notice what Paul goes on to say. The grace of the one man Jesus Christ has abounded for many. The free gift is NOT like the trespass. It is much, much greater. If one single sin brought damnation, the free gift of grace covers a multitude of sins and has brought justification. Can you grasp how mind-blowing this is? We are lost upon the judgment of one sin. But we are found upon the abounding grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has covered our entire lifetime of sins!
Our text in Colossians 1:20 says that Christ reconciles all things to Himself, and that ‘all things’ refers to things both on earth and in Heaven, and this peace is made by the blood of His cross. Being without sin, He was the perfect sacrifice for sin, and the only way for which sin could be atoned. The book of Leviticus lays out very specific laws and ceremonies concerning the sacrificing of animals to pay for sin. These priests would have to time and again sacrifice rams, bulls, lambs, goats, pigeons, and doves, and their work was never done. As one continues in life, one continues in sin, therefore every day offerings were made unto God, shedding the blood of animals without blemish as substitutes for sinners. Even in this gruesome depiction of the cost of our sin, there is grace from our Lord. Those who had sinned and offered an animal in their place were forgiven their sin and restored. But these sacrifices were only temporary, and the people kept the priests quite busy.
Not only was this bloody, this was costly, as it’s no little thing to bring a spotless animal from your herd to the priest. There’s a breeding time, a gestation period, a time when the animal has to grow from a baby, and an inspection that must happen to make sure it is without blemish before it is offered up to God. These animals were essential to life, as beasts of burden, suppliers of milk, and meat for their tables. Therefore to offer one of these beasts for sin would have been a great expense for many. And in this, again, there is grace from our God, as He provided a way for the poor to atone. The poor did not have bulls, but they could bring a goat or a lamb. If they did not have those animals, they could offer pigeons or turtle doves. If they could not bring any birds, they could bring an offering of fine flour. Every one of these sacrifices the Lord accepted, depending on their status in life (Leviticus 5).
I believe the Lord wanted atonement to be costly, considering the cost He was to pay in His Son. He wanted the people to feel the sting of it, to be repulsed by it, to realize how grievous it is to sin against so holy a God. Killing these animals was ghastly. Their blood needed to pour out around the altar. Their fat and organs were also burned on the altar while the rest of the animal was cut up and burned outside the camp. But again, God is gracious in this, for it is by the sacrifices of the people that the priests had food.
This never-ending work of atonement was finally and forever finished in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17), and Hebrews 1:3 and Hebrews 10:12 both say that after making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. He is seated in the heavenly places according to Ephesians 1:20. There is no more work to do, Christ has done it all. Through Him, God has reconciled all things to Himself.
Now, the cross of Christ is where we are redeemed and made righteous in Him. We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that He was made sin who knew no sin. This is the Great Exchange, that Christ would take our sin so that we would possess His righteousness. He is the only sinless man to ever live, and because of that, death has no hold on Him. Remember, death is the wage of sin. If He had no sin, it would not be just for Him to die. But in becoming our substitute and having our sins laid upon Him, He willingly became the perfect, unblemished sacrifice and humbled Himself to death (Philippians 2:8). Because our sins were in Him when He died, our sins are now dead forever. Because He rose again, He proved death could not keep Him in the tomb, and those of us who are in Him shall be raised one day as well. If our sins died with Christ, then likewise death has no hold on us either. Upon Christ’s return, His entire church shall be resurrected and glorified in the blink of an eye, to ever be with the Lord.
Where Christ is seated, we are seated also, as Ephesians 2:6 says He has raised us up with Him and are seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. There is no more work for Christ to accomplish, and in Christ, there is no work for us to do for righteousness. Christ has not only restored humanity and crushed the serpent’s head, He has given humanity an amazing, magnificent glory. He has elevated us high above Adam and Eve’s estate by uniting our lives with His Life, therefore ensuring that those who are His children will one day be like Him and see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). Did you know there are angels in Heaven who cannot even look upon the Lord of Glory? In Isaiah’s famous vision of Isaiah 6, verse 2 tells us the seraphim surrounding God’s Throne each had six wings, two covered their faces, two covered their feet, and two they used to fly. Yet we, who are made of lowly dust, will be glorified in such a way that we will be able to see Him as He is. These angels must marvel at this – that Christ On High has united Himself with us forever! We will be able to see the very One they magnify by crying out day and night, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!”
Not only that, hear what Christ Himself says to us in Revelation 3:21:
Let’s take a moment and soak that in. We who are in Christ will not only see Him as He is, we will be seated with Him upon His Throne. The words in Ephesians 2:6 are not figurative, they are not some mystical imaginings of the Apostle Paul simply because we are “in Christ” and HE sits there. Our Lord says quite specifically and deliberately that He will grant us to sit with Him on His Throne.
This does not mean we become as God or even little gods, rather, we are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and what He inherits, we inherit. Remember, we are united with Him by the power of His Holy Spirit through His death and resurrection. He is the Head of the Body, which is the church, and where the Head goes, the Body follows. He has already shown us in Genesis that by giving Adam dominion over His earth, He is willing to share His reign with humanity. And this, I believe, is the fullness of our inheritance in Christ. We will be elevated high above the angels to know God in a way no other being before us ever could. We shall never come close to the glory that belongs solely to God, but we will be the closest we can ever come to deity by our union with the Lord Jesus Christ. He will forever remain the Mediator between God and man, and because He Himself was made a man, He has therefore made a way for His children to rule and reign with Him forever.
The cross has also accomplished the redemption of all creation. Now that those in Christ shall one day stand before Him in perfection upon their glorification, no longer can we have dominion over a fallen creation. In the book of Revelation, Christ shall make a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1), thus lifting forever the curse He placed upon creation when Adam fell. Death is the final enemy defeated (1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-55) and, praise the Lord, it shall be no more (Revelation 21:4).
Therefore we come to see how the cross of Christ was the most pivotal event to ever happen in all of human history. Through His cross, He has redeemed for Himself a people who shall one day be glorified to rule and reign with Him. Through His cross, He has also purchased redemption for creation, which is why the Apostle Paul says creation groans in Romans 8:20-23:
In order to lift the curse on humanity, Christ had to became a curse for us. In Galatians 3:13-14, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23:
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
Christ became the curse, and then killed the curse in His body. The Apostle Paul says it this way in Colossians 2:13-15:
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him”
The mention of the “uncircumcision” in this text refers to the Gentile believers. That’s how Paul usually differentiated between Jews and Gentiles – circumcision or uncircumcision. But notice what this passage is saying. We who were dead in our trespasses and sins were made alive together with Christ. How was this done? By canceling the curse, nailing the record of all our sins to the cross. When Romans crucified criminals, they wrote their crimes above their heads so that all who walked by could see and know what they were dying for. Our Lord famously had “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” written on the board above His head in Aramaic, Greek, and Latin (John 19:19-20).
But Paul says our record of debt was nailed to the cross. In essence, as Christ hung there, God placed the record of all our lifetime of sins on Him as if He had committed them. When Jesus died, so too did this debt and we were made free. Christ brought open shame upon Satan and his demons, by uniting Himself together with His Bride, and thus giving her life in His name.
This is how peace can be had between Heaven and earth. Ephesians 2:14 says He Himself is our peace and He has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility. Those who believe on Christ will never face the wrath of God. Jesus has already borne it for them and has given them freedom to enter into His Kingdom with thanksgiving and praise.
It is only the sons and daughters of Christ who shall have this peace with God. Those who no longer have the record of debt standing against them shall be the only ones left standing at Judgment. Peace with God can only be had through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
With these wondrous truths in mind, it is with one voice we can lift our eyes to Heaven and say with bold and Spirit-filled confidence, “Amen! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
Yes, Lord. Come quickly and whisk us off to Glory. Amen and Amen.
STUDY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. True or False? All three members of the Trinity are present and active in our redemption unto God.
2. God created all things _________ _______, and also, _________ _______, reconciled all things to Himself.
3. Who did God curse first in the Garden of Eden?
4. True or False? It takes many sins to be condemned by God.
5. Eternal life is _______ with Christ which allows us to partake in His eternal life.
Questions for Personal Reflection
Have you ever thought about the fact the entire Trinity is involved in salvation - The Father wills and decrees redemption, the Son does the work of redemption, and the Spirit applies redemption to His children?
God On High spoke a word and the vast expanse of this universe was spun into being. Yet in order to make a sinner a saint, the Lord of Life had to shed His blood and die. Have you ever thought long on the glorious love of God to go through such suffering, pain, and death on behalf of His children?
Did you ever think that our being “seated with Christ in heavenly places” was merely mystical or figurative language rather than a reality?
How will the knowledge that He shall truly allow us to sit with Him on His throne shape your view of your future in Glory with Christ?
Looking back throughout the course of these studies on the Preeminence of Christ, how has beholding God’s glory in our Lord Jesus Christ grown your relationship with Him?
Colossians 1:20 – Session Six – Song Playlist:
- Victor’s Crown (Live Radio Version) – Darlene Zschech – Worship Anthems Inspired by A.D. The Bible Continues Album
- Until My Voice is Gone (Live) – Travis Ryan – You Hold It All (Live) Album
- He is Exalted – Twila Paris – The Millennium Collection The Best of Twila Paris Album
- Mighty and Glorious – Paul Wilbur – Your Great Name Album
- O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus – The Enfield Hymn Sessions – Resolved Music, Vol. 1 Album
- In Christ Alone – Keith & Kristyn Getty – Live at the Gospel Coalition Album
- All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name Live – Keith & Kristyn Getty – Live at the Gospel Coalition Album
Scripture References for Further Study:
1.) Colossians 1:19-20
2.) Colossians 1:16
3.) Psalm 148:5
4.) 1 Peter 1:19
5.) Psalm 8:3
6.) Isaiah 53:1
7.) John 12:38
8.) Genesis 3:3-4
9.) Genesis 3:8
10.) Genesis 3:15
11.) Genesis 1:28
12.) Psalm 51:5
13.) Ephesians 2:1, 5
14.) Romans 6:23
15.) Hebrews 9:22
16.) Isaiah 53:5
17.) 1 Corinthians 15:45
18.) Romans 5:15-17
19.) Leviticus 5
20.) Hebrews 2:17
21.) Hebrews 1:3
22.) Hebrews 10:12
23.) Ephesians 1:20
24.) 2 Corinthians 5:21
25.) Philippians 2:8
26.) Ephesians 2:6
27.) 1 John 3:2
28.) Isaiah 6:2
29.) Revelation 3:21
30.) Romans 8:17
31.) Revelation 21:1
32.) 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-55
33.) Revelation 21:4
34.) Romans 8:20-23
35.) Galatians 3:13-14
36.) Deuteronomy 21:23
37.) Colossians 2:13-15
38.) John 19:19-20
39.) Ephesians 2:14
40.) John 14:6
