The Preeminence of Christ Our Great Consolation

“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)

In Colossians 1:15-20 we are given a picture of our Savior, drawn by the pen of the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. What a glorious picture it is! Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Redeemer, our Savior, our Friend, our great King holding all things in his almighty hand. He who loved us and gave himself for us has got the whole world, the whole universe in his hand! He who died upon the cross knows the most distant star by name. He not only knows it, he fuels its light by his constant command. Still better, he who holds the universe in his hands guides it and controls it with such absolute, sovereign power that he makes it serve the interests of his people (Romans 8:28). Nothing can more effectually comfort and challenge the believer’s heart than the knowledge of Christ’s preeminence. The fact of Christ’s preeminence assures us of four things.

            1. The Lord Jesus Christ is an all-sufficient Savior. As in our day, there were many in Paul’s day, especially at Colosse, who taught that Christ is not enough. They taught that Christ alone was insufficient, inadequate, and incapable by his own merit and grace to save sinners. To dispel this heresy, Paul simply declares that Christ is preeminently all-sufficient as our Savior (Colossians 1:9-13).

            2. Our blessed Redeemer is an all-sufficient Savior; and he is a sovereign Savior. He who died at Calvary rules all things absolutely. Nothing can ever separate him from the people he loves. No harm shall ever befall those who are loved of him who rules all things. No evil shall happen to the just (Proverbs 12:21). We shall never perish! To the fearful, trembling, anxious, fretful believer, Colossians 1 says, “Let not your heart be troubled. Christ is preeminent.”

            3. Our all-glorious, ever-gracious Christ is a rich and bountiful Savior. He has all things; and he freely gives all things to all his people. Yet, his riches are never diminished. To you who worry about your daily needs, to you who fret about the lean years that may lie ahead, to you who fear you will have no pension in your old age, the Holy Spirit says, “Be content with such things as you have. Christ is preeminent.”

            4. This great Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is a Savior worthy of our hearts’ trust and devotion. You can safely trust this great God, our Savior, in all things and give him the devotion of your heart. He is preeminent in all things and over all things. He who owns the universe does not need me. If he accepts me into his kingdom, if he receives any love, honor, service, gift, or praise from me, it can only be because of his love and goodness to me. He to whom God the Father has given preeminence should have the place of preeminence in our hearts.

Don Fortner

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