Colossians: Three Truths about Jesus

Colossians- The Preeminence of Jesus Christ

Lesson four: Three Truths about Jesus Christ

The preeminence of Christ (1:15-23)

The false teachers attacking the church at Colossae were undermining the supremacy of Christ. They were not denying that Christ was important but they were incorporating other things into their worship and compromising the place of Christ.

So Paul is going to remind and explain why Christ is the sole focus of our worship and our spiritual lives.

Jesus is the perfect image of God (1:15)

Colossians 1:15

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

“image of the invisible God”

The Greek word translated "image" (eikon) does not imply a weakening or a feeble copy of something (like a copy machine or picture). It implies the illumination of its inner core and essence.

The concept of "image" in the scripture seems to involve three things:

1.    Likeness - Christ is the exact likeness of God, a mirror image (Heb. 1:3)

2.    Representation - Christ represents God to us (Heb. 1:3)

3.    Manifestation - Christ makes God known to us (John 1:18)

While God made man in His image (Gen. 1:27), Christ is the image of God (cf. John 1:18; 14:8-9; 2 Co. 4:4).

“the firstborn of all creation”

This refers to His place of rank and authority. In the Hebrew culture the son referred to as the firstborn was not always the first son in birth order but was a phrased used of the son of first priority. Paul is saying that Christ is the One who should be of first priority and be the first authority in our lives.

It is important to point out what this verse does not intend to say. It does not mean that Christ was the first thing God created. The Greek word for first-born and first-created are different. Second, the following verses show that Christ is the One who created, and that all things were created through Him and for Him.

Jesus is the eternal Creator (1:16-18)

 1:16

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.

We see three things about Christ and creation in the verse:

1.    Christ is the originator of creation – It is “by Him” all things originated.

2.    Christ is the agent of creation – It is “through Him” that all things were created. He is the architect and the builder.

3.    Christ is the goal of creation – Creation is “for Him”.

One day all of creation will glorify God through the worship of His Son Jesus Christ (cf. Phil 2:9-11).

1:17

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

“He is before all things”

In context Paul is pointing out that Christ is before all things in two ways:

1.    Temporally in that He is preexistent and existed before creation

2.    Authoritatively in that He is in a place of authority before anything created

These truths show that Christ is no creature. If He were created, He would have had to create Himself. To do that He would have had to exist before He existed, which is impossible.

“in Him all things consist”

Not only is Christ not subject to creation He is actually the sustainer of creation.

1:18

He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

“He is the beginning”

Christ is the beginning of the Church because not only did He birth the Church, He is the “head” of the Church in authority and power, as well as the One who supplies it life and vitality.

“the firstborn from the dead”

This speaks to two things:

1.    Of the few people who have been raised from the dead Christ is the first-born, meaning He is the one with highest authority and importance.

2.    Christ is the first person to be resurrected from the dead and experience a glorified body, never to die again. Others could be viewed more as resuscitation than resurrection.

This resurrection and glorification is the basis of Him offering life to us. He promises that all who believe in Him will also be raised from the dead and glorified.  Because of this truth about Him and His promise to us, He is given preeminence in all things within in the Church.

Jesus is Preeminent in Redemption and Rewards (1:19-1:23)

1:19-20

For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,

It pleases God that His Son is supreme and that He is fully God and fully human on earth as a man. and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

“reconcile all things to Himself”

To reconcile means to have a change in relationship between two parties from hostility to harmony. The world is in disharmony with God because of sin. Christ, “through the blood of His cross,” made peace and harmony between God and man. Now, because Christ has paid for the sin of the entire world (1 Tim. 4:10), God can receive those who believe in Christ. Now that God and man are now in a state of harmony through the reconciliation of Christ man is now savable and can experience personal or individual reconciliation (cf. 2 Co. 5:18-21). Note- OT salvation was based on the yet future death of Christ that brings reconciliation- Ro. 3:23-25. 

Paul uses the truth of reconciliation to look forward to the believer’s presentation at the judgment seat of Christ, the time just before he enters the Kingdom. All believers will stand before God and receive the inheritance of their rewards (1 Co. 4:5). As we will see, the end goal of reconciliation is not salvation but sanctification that results in a holy presentation at the judgment seat of Christ.

1:21-22

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

As unbelievers they were “alienated and enemies” is two ways:

1.    In their mind – what the believed

2.    In their wicked works – how they lived

We thought and lived in rebellion of God yet the blood and death of Christ still brought the peace of reconciliation. He did this…

“in the body of His flesh”

Paul probably pointed this out because the beginning of Gnostic heresy stated that to be alive spiritually one must come through a spiritual being, not a human being. They were basically denying the deity of Christ, something Paul established just prior to this verse.

The point is that we have been reconciled for a reason. Christ has reconciled us not only for salvation but also for a holy presentation at the judgment seat of Christ, which requires our faith and hope in the resurrected Christ.

“to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight”

The key word is “to present.” Paul is speaking about our presentation at the judgment seat of Christ. Not our position in Christ but our presentation by Christ. This presentation is about the rewards we will receive based on our life here and now (1 Co. 3:10-15; 2 Co. 5:9-10).

Last week we looked at verse 1:12 and learned that positionally we have been qualified to be partakers of the inheritance because we have been saved through faith in Christ. Here we learn this includes a holy presentation at the judgment seat.

1:23

if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

The word “if” is a first class condition in Greek which is used to speak of a situation the author assumes to be true for the sake of the argument and therefore carries the idea of confidence.

Paul was confident that they will “continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast” and since it’s assumed they will do this (indeed) it’s assumed they will have a holy presentation.

Although all believers will be presented holy in position not all believers will be presented holy in practice. If we want to have a holy presentation and receive an increased inheritance we must continue in the faith, not being moved away from the hope of the gospel. Again we see the importance of the “hope of the gospel,” the assurance of eternal life, as the foundation for sanctification (cf. 1:4-5 and blog lesson two in this series).

The hope we have in the gospel is the sure promise of eternal life to all those who believe in Christ for it (Jn. 3:16). If we do not have this promise of the gospel the gospel will not produce the fruit of sanctification the way God has designed. If we do not have this hope there is no way we can be grounded and steadfast, and therefore be in danger of moving away from the faith that results in a holy presentation.

Because of whom Christ is and His place of authority, He should be the sole focus of our lives. Let us live in submission to Him as our head, as our authority, as the supreme person in our life. And in this way receive a “holy presentation” by Christ when we stand before God.