“THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST!”

 “The Preeminence of CHRIST!”

Colossians 1:15-20                              (ESV)

“15 HE is the image of the invisible GOD, the firstborn of all creation.

16 FOR BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM.

17 And HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, and in HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER.

18 And HE is the head of the body, the church. HE is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything “HE MIGHT BE PREEMINENT”.

19 For in HIM all the fullness of GOD was pleased to dwell,

20 and through HIM to reconcile to HIMSELF all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of HIS cross.”

In my English Standard Version of the HOLY BIBLE there are subtitles every so often.  This paragraph begins with the subtitle “THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST”!  Being one who is intrigued by the meaning of words used, I often look at the word and for what meaning was meant to be placed in the context of how the word was used.  The word “PREEMINENT” (root word of PREEMINENCE) is reported to mean “the quality of being superior. It's a type of high status or distinction for anything considered to be the best at something; SUPERIOR”!  

Since we KNOW that the TOTAL CONTROL of the universes, and everything within them, is not chance nor circumstance, Colossians 1:16 is the easiest verse in the BIBLE for me to accept as TRUTH!  Watching people we love suffer with a disease before going to Heaven and leaving us here doesn’t seem like a very loving GOD though?  Seeing so called “NATURAL DISASTERS” cause so much turmoil and destruction seems the last thing that a loving GOD would allow happen to HIS People?  Isaiah 55:8-9 states VERY PLAINLY (for those who have EARS TO HEAR) “For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways and MY thoughts than your thoughts.”  

Admitting that ‘WE ARE NOT GOD’ is an “uncomfortable” position to accept.  Each of us have a “nature” that wants us to be the center of our universe.  Look at a baby, when it is hungry, it cries!  When it is wet, it cries!  Every time something goes against the baby’s wishes, it expresses its displeasure with emotions.  That “nature” MUST be broken for the child to mature and grow into an adult.  There are plenty of middle aged people who are still children socially, still wanting to be their own god, AND GET THEIR OWN WAY! 

What we should be focusing on is NOT doing anything OUR WAY, but “THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST”!  The SPIRIT OF GOD (Romans 8:9-11) lives in me, so why do I want to do what I want, when our CREATOR is controlling my future?  Sure, suffering will come (James 1:2), but we should rejoice that we are allowed to be used by HIM as an instrument to GLORIFY HIMSELF! James 4:10 says that we should “Humble yourselves before the LORD, and HE will exalt you”, not visa versa!  Being a mature Believer is submitting to “THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST”, knowing that HE knows what is best for you!