I sure am glad I’m a Christian. For the last couple of days, I have been reading a number of books. Let me mention one particularly good set.

However, before I do that, let me engage in a hobby. I want to chase a rabbit. Folks, you ought to read. Don’t vegetate in front of a screen or smartphone all your life. People who grow read, and people who read grow. Especially, of course, read God’s Word.

Back to this special set. It’s a history of Western civilization written by the dynamic Christian scholar, the late Francis Schaeffer.[1] In his books, he lays out his opinions about why we’re in the mess many of us are in.

It seems that when our country was founded upon certain Christian principles and began to function according to Schaeffer, things ran smoothly for a while. But when the Christian principles upon which our country was founded were abandoned, the machinery began to grind to a halt. Schaeffer claims the beginning of the end comes when apathy sets in.

He indicated he was happy to see a rebellious period in the sixties because it showed that the young people of this country still thought there was hope. But the seventies brought something that made him cry, apathy. The young no longer had any hope. They tended to be concerned only with themselves.

Apathy takes two forms: #1 Leave me alone and mind your own business, #2 Gorge yourself with material things. All of this happens, according to Schaeffer, because the human race no longer has any absolutes to focus on, no longer has any awareness of the God who is infinite.

Schaeffer’s estimation of our country is essentially correct. Only a revival can guarantee the country’s survival. The first step in seeking revival is to begin focusing our attention upon the only hope for lost mankind, to once again make the Lord Jesus Christ pre-eminent in our lives.

Turn with me to Colossians 1.15, where we will see that Jesus Christ indeed deserves to be pre-eminent in our lives. When you find that verse, I invite you to stand for the reading of God’s Word:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 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:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 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.

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell

There are three reasons presented in this passage why the Lord Jesus Christ deserves to be number one in our lives, number one in your life:

THE FIRST REASON JESUS CHRIST MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS NUMBER ONE IN YOUR LIFE IS BECAUSE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.

Verse 15 states about the Lord Jesus Christ,

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.”

There are two statements here:

The first declares the Lord Jesus Christ to be the very image of the invisible God. The word “image” comes from the Greek word eἰkoon, which gives us “icon.” The term carries two connotations here: The first is the idea of being a representative of something. This would mean that Jesus Christ is the representative of Almighty God, which is true. The second connotation is of a manifestation or exposure of something. This idea is even closer to the Son’s relationship with His heavenly Father. Jesus Christ is the image of God in that He shows us the invisible, or more correctly, the unseen God. Turn to John 1.18:

“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared him.”

That which is to be seen of God can only be seen in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, because He is the very image of the invisible God. Turn now to Hebrews 1.3, where the Lord Jesus is described again for us:

“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of His power ....”

The Lord Jesus is not God’s image, like a 50-cent piece is the image of John F. Kennedy. Oh no. The Son of God is of the same essence and exact nature. He is God! The Lord Jesus is the perfect expression and representation of God, the Father. Without Him, we could not know God.

Not only is the Lord Jesus Christ the image of God, but it is also stated that He is the firstborn of every creature, prootόtokos. This is the verse that Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and modernistic preachers seize on to try to prove that our Lord Jesus is not God. The cultists say that if He is firstborn, then He must have been born. Such a conclusion results from an inadequate approach to Bible study and an ignorance of how a language’s use of idioms determines meaning. Let me illustrate. In response to the question “What is an idiom?” Grok responded,

“An idiom is a phrase or expression with a figurative meaning different from the literal meaning of its words, often specific to a language or culture. For example, ‘kick the bucket’ means to die, not literally kicking a bucket. Idioms are used to add color and convey ideas succinctly, but they can be confusing for non-native speakers due to their non-literal nature.”

With this in mind, there are two areas I’d like to develop: First, in Exodus 4.22:

“And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:”

Notice that in this verse, “firstborn” clearly refers to the nation of Israel as Jehovah’s firstborn. The term firstborn describes the intimate relationship between God and Israel as contrasted with His relationship with other nations. Undeniably, firstborn is an idiom that refers to being in first place in one’s affections.

I’d like you to notice next that this phrase “firstborn of every creature” distinguishes the Lord Jesus Christ from every creation of God. On our plane of existence, looking up to God, our Lord Jesus is the image of God. It is Him we envision in our hearts. But firstborn has a different meaning. Firstborn came to be recognized as a title of the Messiah by Jews not long before Christ. Firstborn, then, shows that the position of the Messiah would be exalted above all else. Firstborn shows the absolute pre-existence of Jesus Christ. Finally, the late J. B. Lightfoot concludes that firstborn shows Christ’s sovereignty over all creation.[2]

THE SECOND REASION JESUS CHRIST MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS NUMBER ONE IN YOUR LIFE IS SHOW IN VERSES 16 AND 17.

16 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:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

This passage shows His relationship to creation.

The Colossian heretics had a problem with angels. They believed the universe could be divided into seven spheres and on the lowest sphere lived the human race, inhabiting human bodies. Ours had to be the lowest, they reasoned, since matter was evil, by their way of thinking. In the six other spheres were angelic beings of various degrees of power and holiness with varying means of access to God. They felt that one should render devotions to these angels and pray to them, hoping they would mediate for you to God. It sounds like a predominant religious system if you substitute the word saint for angel.

Paul is cutting a wide swath through these false beliefs being taught. The apostle insisted that Jesus Christ created all things. Paul’s assertion demolished their belief that the Savior was a created being. He also pointed an accusing finger at them for not holding up Christ in proper reverence and worship. Understanding that Christ is dishonored when anything else is honored is essential. Further, Paul states that the Lord Jesus created things in heaven and on earth. If He created the heavenly angels they worshiped, He must be greater than they are. And if He is greater than they are and created the material universe, then matter must not be evil, as they had been teaching. Whether things be visible or invisible, the Lord Jesus created it. Jesus Christ created them, whether they be thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him.

But all this creation stuff is in the past. What about now? Turn your attention to verse 17:

“And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

Once again, the Apostle Paul sets forth the Lord Jesus as the preexistent one. But there is even more. I was trained as a mechanical engineer before I was a pastor. During the course of my many years in college, I have come across many interesting facts.

Fact: Everyone knows that there is a thing called gravity, but no one knows how it works. Fact: Opposite charges attract while like charges repel. It is this behavior of matter that makes electricity possible. But no one knows how it works; they know it works and use it.
Fact: The simplest atom is a Hydrogen atom. One electron orbits one proton. The next simplest is the Helium atom. Two electrons orbit two protons and two neutrons.

1. The neutrons have no electric charge. They are neutral. They just sit there.

2. The protons have positive charges. They repel each other when they get a chance.

3. What holds these protons together? No one knows. It is the strongest force of nature that, when unleashed, is called a nuclear reaction.

You want to know something? I know what causes gravity. And I know what holds protons together by the strongest force seen in nature. You want to know what it is? Paul wrote,

“And by Him all things consist.”

Not only did the Son of God create all things in ages past, but the very existence of the universe is dependent upon Him. This word “consist,” sunistάw, means to stick together, to cohere.[3] It is the power of the Son of God that keeps creation from flying apart in the most massive explosion this universe has ever seen. But don’t worry. He’ll hold on to things till He’s finished what He has started.

THE THIRD REASON THE LORD JESUS SHOULD BE, MUST BE, NUMBR ONE IN YOUR LIFE IS BECAUSE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEW CREATION.

18 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 pre-eminence.

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.

What does it mean to be the head of the body, the Church? Please do not think Paul is suggesting that the Lord Jesus Christ is, in a manner of speaking, the physical head that sits atop a physical body representing a congregation. That is most definitely not what Paul’s language suggests. I urge you to use the handout given to you and read Charles Hunt’s book, The Body Of Christ, Metaphor Not Myth. Notice the two diagrams showing Christ as Head over the Church as body. The diagram on the left is not the word picture suggested by the Apostle Paul. Instead, the word picture on the right fits Paul’s Greek construction throughout his New Testament references to the body of Christ, as here.

Another thing to note is the appositive in this verse. Do you remember what an appositive is?

“Apposition is a grammatical construction where two elements, usually noun phrases, are placed side by side, with one element identifying or explaining the other. For example, in ‘My friend, the doctor, is visiting,’ ‘the doctor’ is in apposition to ‘my friend,’ providing additional information.”[4]

The words in apposition in this verse are “body” and “church.” More clearly than any other place in the Bible, here, the Church is shown to be a body. It must therefore function like a body. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. He is sovereign and must be obeyed. The Word of God contains the revealed will of the head to the body. Our response to the Lordship of Christ must be based upon the truth of the Word of God, not personal preference.

He is also the firstborn from the dead. This refers to the fact that He rose from the dead, and through His victory over death, we who know Him shall also be raised in resurrection glory. Too often, this verse is mistranslated. Who here has heard of Frederick K. Price, who used to be on television on Sunday mornings? Years ago, I heard him misinterpret this verse on two successive Sundays as meaning that Jesus Christ was the first person ever to be born again. Not only wrong, but heretically wrong. To be born again is to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, the result of which is being saved and having your sins forgiven. The Lord Jesus was not born again because He had no sins to forgive, #1, and because He was never spiritually dead and in need of being made spiritually alive, #2. This phrase, “the firstborn from the dead,” asserts the Lord Jesus Christ is pre-eminent because of His glorious resurrection. He was the first, and we will follow in resurrection glory.

In verse 19, Paul wrote,

“For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.”

The Gnostic heretics troubling the Colossian Christians generally believed that the Lord Jesus was only a man, and if He was the divine Christ, it was only temporary. They felt the Christ came upon this man named Jesus and indwelt Him until He was crucified, at which time the Christ left Him. This might sound good to some people, except for one thing. It ain’t true. The Bible doesn’t teach any of this sort of thing. Paul teaches here that the fullness of God’s deity dwelt in this one called Jesus, the Christ. Fulness means that whatever it is about God that makes Him God, the Lord Jesus had all there was. Not only that, but the word dwell, katoikέw, drives another nail into the burial coffin of the Colossian heresy. The word means to abide in a place permanently.[5] Whatever quality it is that makes Almighty God Almighty God, the Lord Jesus had it and does to this day have it, because that essence of divine nature forever has and forever will remain permanently in His person.

Why should Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, have the preeminence in my life? Why should all worship go to Him? Why should I live my total life in such a way as to please Him? Why should I always try to glorify and bring honor to Him?

There are three reasons He is to be pre-eminent.

He is the Pre-eminent One because of His relationship to the Triune Godhead. He is the very image of the unseen and otherwise unknowable God.
He is the Pre-eminent One because of His relationship to natural creation. All things that were made were made by Him. Whether they be visible or invisible, whether they be in heaven or on the earth, they were created by They were created for Him. Not only that, but the universe’s very existence is the direct result of His omnipotent sustaining power.
The third reason He is the Pre-eminent One is His relationship to the new creation. If you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior, then you are a part of the new creation. You are prepared for eternity. If you do not, then you do not have that one relationship required to save a lost soul from an eternal Hell, and you are unprepared for eternity.

Why do we study all these things? Why do we go to Church? Why do we witness to people? Why do we give our money to God’s work? Why do we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ?

SO THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MIGHT HAVE THE PRE-EMINENCE. THAT IN EVERY SINGLE AREA OF YOUR LIFE, IN EVERY SINGLE AREA OF MY LIFE, HE MIGHT HAVE THE PREEMINENCE. HE MIGHT BE NUMBER ONE!

__________

[1] Francis A. Schaeffer, The Complete Works Of Francis A. Schaeffer, Volumes 1-5, (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, Second Edition, 1985)

[2] J. B. Lightfoot, St. Paul’s Epistle To The Colossians and to Philemon, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, revised 1979 edition), pages 146-150.

[3] Ibid., page 156.

[4] Grok response to “What is apposition?”

[5] Rogers, Jr., Cleon L. and Rogers III, Cleon L., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key To The Greek New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: ZondervanPublishingHouse, 1998), page 461.

The Preeminence Of Jesus Christ