The Preeminence of Christ in Salvation

“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)

The Lord Jesus Christ is preeminent in the whole affair of our salvation. When you think of God’s salvation, never limit it to your experience of grace. Salvation is the whole work of grace, by which we are brought from the gates of hell into the gates of glory. It includes far, far more than any of us have ever imagined. But of this we are assured: — In the whole work of salvation Christ is preeminent (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).

I repeat; none of us has ever imagined all that is involved in the saving of our souls. But there are at least ten things clearly revealed in the Scriptures as different aspects of salvation. And in all ten of these things Christ is preeminent.

1.    Election — We were chosen in Christ unto salvation (Ephesians 1:4).

2.    Predestination — In love God predestinated us to be conformed to Christ (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:29-30).

3.    Redemption — We have redemption through his blood (Ephesians 1:6). With his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:12).

4.    Justification — We are justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ (Romans 3:23-28).

5.    Forgiveness — Redemption, justification, and forgiveness go hand in hand. It is impossible to have one without the other two; and all are in and by Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14).

6.    Regeneration — The new birth is having Christ formed in you by the power and grace of his Spirit (2 Peter 1:4; Colossians 1:27).

7.    Sanctification — Christ is our sanctification. We were set apart in him in divine election as the objects of God’s grace to be made holy (Jude 1). We were declared to be holy when Christ washed away our sins at Calvary (Hebrews 10:10, 14). And we have our Savior’s holy nature imparted to us in the new birth (2 Peter 1:4).

8.    Preservation — Christ keeps and preserves his chosen, redeemed, called sheep in the arms of his almighty grace. Our preservation by him secures our perseverance in him (John 10:27-30).

9.    Resurrection — When Christ comes again, we shall be raised up from the dead by the power of God. Every chosen, redeemed, regenerate sinner shall be raised up to glory in the last day (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

10. Glorification — When we have been raised up from the dead, all God’s elect shall be glorified together, transformed into the very image of Christ, and made to possess that very glory that he now possesses as our glorified Mediator (John 17:5, 22).

Don Fortner

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