THE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST
THE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST
Here in Colossians as distinct from Ephesians, Christ takes pre-eminence in His own right. The place is not given Him, but He takes it as His own. He takes it because He is that which is here stated of [p. 258] Him. In Ephesians it is more the place as given Him in connection with the counsels of God. It is in ‘the Kingdom of the Son of God’s love’ that we have the connecting link with the Father. As man He takes Headship over all, and in this way all created things have a link with the Father whether they are in heaven or upon earth, visible or invisible. When Christ as Man takes dominion over thrones, principalities and powers, He will rule all and fill all to the complete satisfaction of God the Father, and they will then be entirely agreeable to Him. The Son of God’s love is also the beginning as Firstborn from the dead, that is He is the first-fruits in resurrection for God, the very beginning in that sense, and an entirely new departure. Who has right and title to rise from the dead? This is His alone, and as man He accomplished it! He went into death to abolish us, but He rose to present a new man to God in whom He could delight for evermore, a new and perfect creation! In this He is pre-eminent and first as Head of His body the church, and it is the pre-eminence of love, for the church is nothing without love, and this is her link with the Father. It is only as we appreciate the love of Christ and respond to it that we are near the Father. “The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me”, etc. The answer to our appreciation in loving His Son is that He makes Himself known to us. “If a man love me he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him”. Our hearts are called into this appreciation of the Son that we may know the Father, and it is the only way we are brought near to Him.