| The Preeminence of the Lord Jesus |
In the great chapter which begins the Epistle to the Colossians, after that
blessed description of the Son of God, stands the word which has come so
often of late to our heart: "that in all things He might have the pre-
eminence." Colossians 1:18. But who can tell out what the pre-eminence of
the Lord Jesus Christ is? Some day we shall see Him in all His glory. He,
Himself, will lead us into the Holiest of the Third Heaven to behold the glory
the Father has given Him (John 17:24); Then we shall know His pre-
eminence fully. And yet from Scripture we can learn even now the pre-
eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In all eternity the Son of God was the object of love and glory.
Son of God, the Father's bosom
Ever was Thy dwelling place.
He ever subsisted in the form of God. In all creation Christ has the pre-
eminence. This is made known to us, as it could only be made known, by
revelation. We accept this in faith.
Hebrews 11:3: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things
which do appear." And all which was called into existence was created by
Him and for Him. Colossians 1:15-17: "Who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of 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: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
What a marvelous survey! What power and glory belong to the blessed Son
of God!
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing
made that was made.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the
world knew him not.
He has the pre-eminence in sustaining His creation. All things consist by
Him. He upholds all things by the Word of His power. (Hebrews 1:13).
In the Revelation of God, He has the pre-eminence. Both books, the book
of Nature, and the Book of all books, the Written Word of God, the Bible,
tell out His glory. The Bible may be compared to a living organism, like the
human body. Every book in the Bible has a specific place and service like
the members of the Body; the life in that marvelous divinely constructed
organism of the revelation of God is the Son of God. Apart from Him there
is no revelation from God and no manifestation of God. He reveals God.
Throughout the Bible, in every part, He holds the pre-eminence.
Greater still is His pre-eminence in redemption. Redemption would be an
eternal impossibility without Him. He came from the Father’s bosom to
redeem us; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the
Father but by Him. He gives eternal life. Furthermore, as the first-born from
the dead, He is the head of the body. That body is the Church and every
believing sinner is a member in that body. Each is united to Him and
possesses His life. This body with its many members He keeps, nourishes,
builds up, sanctifies and ultimately glorifies. In all the great and glorious
redemptive work He has the pre-eminence.
As the glorified Man, He is the Heir of God and as such He holds the pre-
eminence in Heaven. He has been made so much better than the angels, as
He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they. Far above
all the angelic beings, higher than the archangel is the Lord Jesus Christ-- the
Man in Glory!
There is a future pre-eminence for Him. The day of His visible Glory and
power is approaching. Now He is rejected; then He will be enthroned. Upon
the holy hill of Zion, He will be the King of Glory. His glory will cover the
heavens and His knowledge the earth. He will be King of kings and Lord of
lords. He will rule as the only potentate and every knee must bow before
Him. The song must at last rise in Heaven and on earth: "Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength,
and honor, and glory, and blessing."
Such is, briefly sketched, the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yea, in
ALL things He hath the pre-eminence.
Can we do anything less than to give Him the first place in all things? He
is worthy of it. He died for us. He drank the cup of wrath in our stead. His
own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. How great has been and
still is His love for us, the love, which passeth knowledge! He is worthy of
the first place every moment of our loves. He is worthy of possessing all that
we have and are. We are bought with a price; we are not our own; we
belong to Him.
What unspeakable grace from God the Father that He has brought us into
fellowship with Him to Whom He has given the pre-eminence! We please
the Father as we delight ourselves in the Son and walk in that blessed
fellowship. We must honor Him Whom the Father has honored, and as we
serve the Lord Jesus Christ and accord Him the first place, the Father will
honor us. (John 12:26). Our hearts, too, can never fully know the blessed
peace of God and rest of faith till we give our Lord the first place. Anything
less than that will mean dishonor to Him. "Not I-- but Christ" must be the
constant cry of our hearts. "Not I -- but Christ" in our service. Oh! that we
might realize our great and holy calling, our wonderful privilege which is
ours for but a little while longer: to live Him and live for Him, Who has in all
things the pre-eminence.
Nothing save Him, in all our ways.
Giving the theme for ceaseless praise;
Our whole resource along the road,
Nothing but Christ-- The Christ of God.
Written by Dr. A.C. Gaebelein
Our Hope Magazine, December 1909.
Transcribed for the web by
©2008 Cobblestone Road Ministries
All Rights Reserved
----------------------------------------------------
Further Reading:
The King of Glory! - Bible Study on Jesus as King
In Him - The Fulness of God
In Him - The Treasures Of Wisdom and Knowledge
Honour and Glory Unto Him by ACG
His Final Triumph
blessed description of the Son of God, stands the word which has come so
often of late to our heart: "that in all things He might have the pre-
eminence." Colossians 1:18. But who can tell out what the pre-eminence of
the Lord Jesus Christ is? Some day we shall see Him in all His glory. He,
Himself, will lead us into the Holiest of the Third Heaven to behold the glory
the Father has given Him (John 17:24); Then we shall know His pre-
eminence fully. And yet from Scripture we can learn even now the pre-
eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In all eternity the Son of God was the object of love and glory.
Son of God, the Father's bosom
Ever was Thy dwelling place.
He ever subsisted in the form of God. In all creation Christ has the pre-
eminence. This is made known to us, as it could only be made known, by
revelation. We accept this in faith.
Hebrews 11:3: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things
which do appear." And all which was called into existence was created by
Him and for Him. Colossians 1:15-17: "Who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of 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: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
What a marvelous survey! What power and glory belong to the blessed Son
of God!
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing
made that was made.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the
world knew him not.
He has the pre-eminence in sustaining His creation. All things consist by
Him. He upholds all things by the Word of His power. (Hebrews 1:13).
In the Revelation of God, He has the pre-eminence. Both books, the book
of Nature, and the Book of all books, the Written Word of God, the Bible,
tell out His glory. The Bible may be compared to a living organism, like the
human body. Every book in the Bible has a specific place and service like
the members of the Body; the life in that marvelous divinely constructed
organism of the revelation of God is the Son of God. Apart from Him there
is no revelation from God and no manifestation of God. He reveals God.
Throughout the Bible, in every part, He holds the pre-eminence.
Greater still is His pre-eminence in redemption. Redemption would be an
eternal impossibility without Him. He came from the Father’s bosom to
redeem us; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the
Father but by Him. He gives eternal life. Furthermore, as the first-born from
the dead, He is the head of the body. That body is the Church and every
believing sinner is a member in that body. Each is united to Him and
possesses His life. This body with its many members He keeps, nourishes,
builds up, sanctifies and ultimately glorifies. In all the great and glorious
redemptive work He has the pre-eminence.
As the glorified Man, He is the Heir of God and as such He holds the pre-
eminence in Heaven. He has been made so much better than the angels, as
He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they. Far above
all the angelic beings, higher than the archangel is the Lord Jesus Christ-- the
Man in Glory!
There is a future pre-eminence for Him. The day of His visible Glory and
power is approaching. Now He is rejected; then He will be enthroned. Upon
the holy hill of Zion, He will be the King of Glory. His glory will cover the
heavens and His knowledge the earth. He will be King of kings and Lord of
lords. He will rule as the only potentate and every knee must bow before
Him. The song must at last rise in Heaven and on earth: "Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength,
and honor, and glory, and blessing."
Such is, briefly sketched, the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yea, in
ALL things He hath the pre-eminence.
Can we do anything less than to give Him the first place in all things? He
is worthy of it. He died for us. He drank the cup of wrath in our stead. His
own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. How great has been and
still is His love for us, the love, which passeth knowledge! He is worthy of
the first place every moment of our loves. He is worthy of possessing all that
we have and are. We are bought with a price; we are not our own; we
belong to Him.
What unspeakable grace from God the Father that He has brought us into
fellowship with Him to Whom He has given the pre-eminence! We please
the Father as we delight ourselves in the Son and walk in that blessed
fellowship. We must honor Him Whom the Father has honored, and as we
serve the Lord Jesus Christ and accord Him the first place, the Father will
honor us. (John 12:26). Our hearts, too, can never fully know the blessed
peace of God and rest of faith till we give our Lord the first place. Anything
less than that will mean dishonor to Him. "Not I-- but Christ" must be the
constant cry of our hearts. "Not I -- but Christ" in our service. Oh! that we
might realize our great and holy calling, our wonderful privilege which is
ours for but a little while longer: to live Him and live for Him, Who has in all
things the pre-eminence.
Nothing save Him, in all our ways.
Giving the theme for ceaseless praise;
Our whole resource along the road,
Nothing but Christ-- The Christ of God.
Written by Dr. A.C. Gaebelein
Our Hope Magazine, December 1909.
Transcribed for the web by
©2008 Cobblestone Road Ministries
All Rights Reserved
----------------------------------------------------
Further Reading:
The King of Glory! - Bible Study on Jesus as King
In Him - The Fulness of God
In Him - The Treasures Of Wisdom and Knowledge
Honour and Glory Unto Him by ACG
His Final Triumph
