Lesson Eight

The Preeminence of Christ

Preeminence -- highlights Christ's unmatched authority, glory, creative power, and role in God's plan for humanity.

Preeminence as our Creator:
Eph. 3:9 God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Col 1:15-16 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn (having preeminence over) every creature:
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:
1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Christ the Word is God; one with God.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Col. 2:9 For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Christ is the "head" having preeminence over the church -- His followers, His people,
Col. 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning.
Eph. 5:23 "Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph. 5:27 That he might present it (His church) to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

He holds preeminence in the role of our salvation:

The name of Jesus:
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Preeminence concerning the resurrection:
1 Cor. 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept
Col. 1:18 the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
1 Cor 15:17-18 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

There were resurrection prior to Jesus resurrection -- but ALL resurrections and life itself comes only through Jesus, who is:
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

He holds preeminence in righteousness:
Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Romans 5:21 so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Question asked in Thursday's lesson (lesson eight):
What is the reconciliation that comes through Christ and His death upon the cross?
How comprehensive is it?

Colossians 1:19 For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; 1:20 and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say , whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.

Col. 1:21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 1:22 yet now has he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:

This reconciliation is the work of God. It's not that of a lessor being, but One who was with God, and was God, one with God. The fullness of God was in Christ. All the boundless love, goodness, holiness, of God was fully revealed in Jesus. Only thus was He able to redeem and transform alienated, enemies and bring them before God without spot or blemish, holy, willingly rejoicing and praising God..
Only thus are the doubts about God which were created by Lucifer (Satan) forever dispelled in the minds of all intelligent beings in the universe.