Colossians 1:1523

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Colossians 115-23 The Preeminence of Christ
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Colossians 115-18
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all
things were created that are in heaven and that
are on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all
things consist. 18 And He is the head of the
body, the church, who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead, that in all things He
may have the preeminence.
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Colossians 119-22
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the
fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to
reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether
things on earth or things in heaven, having made
peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And
you, who once were alienated and enemies in your
mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to
present you holy, and blameless, and above
reproach in His sight--
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Colossians 123
23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded
and steadfast, and are not moved away from the
hope of the gospel which you heard, which was
preached to every creature under heaven, of which
I, Paul, became a minister.
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Misconceptions in the Colossian Heresy

• Denial of Deity of Christ
• Created being
• Below Angels - which elevated
• Not eternal
• God did not create the world directly - but by
  a series of emanations.

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Col 118 And He is the head of the body, the
church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.

• Preeminent
• to have first place (Kubo)
• to hold the first place...Christ is first with
  Paul in time and in rank (Robertson)
• In All Things
• In material creation (vv. 15-17)
• In spiritual creation (v. 18)

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Christ is Supreme
Deity (v. 15a, 19)
Creation (vv. 15b-17)
Church (v. 18)
Sinner (vv. 20-23)
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Colossians 115-23 The Preeminence of Christ
I. Relationship to Deity (vv. 15a, 19)
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...To Deity (vv. 15a, 19)
A. To the Father (v. 15a)

• Invisible God Father (Jno. 118 537)
• Image
• - essentially and absolutely the perfect
  expression and representation of the
  Archetype, God the Father (Vine)
• - Jesus is the very stamp of God the Father
  (Robertson)

Representation
Manifestation
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...To Deity (vv. 15a, 19)
A. To the Father (v. 15a) B. To the Godhead
(v. 19)
(Col. 29)
Fullness of Deity dwells in Christ
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Fullness
A recognized technical term in theology,
denoting the totality of the Divine powers and
attributes (Lightfoot). It is an old word from
pleerooo (NT4137), to fill full, used in various
senses as in Mark 820 of the baskets, Gal 410
of time, etc. The Gnostics distributed the divine
powers among various aeons. Paul gathers them all
up in Christ, a full and flat statement of the
deity of Christ...All the divine attributes are
at home in Christ. (A. T. Robertson)
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This is to us a most precious truth. We have a
Saviour who is in no respect deficient in wisdom,
power, and grace to redeem and save us. There is
nothing necessary to be done in our salvation
which he is not qualified to do there is nothing
which we need to enable us to perform our duties,
to meet temptation, and to bear trial, which he
is not able to impart. In no situation of trouble
and danger will the church find that there is a
deficiency in him in no enterprise to which she
can put her hands will there be a lack of power
in her great Head to enable her to accomplish
what he calls her to. We may go to him in all our
troubles, weaknesses temptations, and needs, and
may be supplied from his fullness-just as, if we
were thirsty, we might go to an ocean of pure
water and drink. - Albert Barnes,
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Colossians 115-23 The Preeminence of Christ
I. Relationship to Deity (vv. 15a, 19) II.
Relationship to Creation (vv. 15b-17)
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...To Creation (vv. 15b-17)
A. Firstborn of every creature (v. 15b) B. In
him - all things created (v. 16) C. By him - all
things created (v. 16) D. For him - all things
created (v. 16) E. Before all things (v. 17) F.
By him all things consist (v. 17)
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Christ Is

• The beginning of creation
• The end of creation
• The power who holds creation together
• Creator
• Sustainer
• Final Goal

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Colossians 115-23 The Preeminence of Christ
I. Relationship to Deity (vv. 15a, 19) II.
Relationship to Creation (vv. 15b-17) III.
Relationship to Church (v. 18)
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...To Church (v. 18)
A. Head of the body - authority B. The beginning
- source / origin C. Firstborn from the dead -
Res.
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Colossians 115-23 The Preeminence of Christ
I. Relationship to Deity (vv. 15a, 19) II.
Relationship to Creation (vv. 15b-17) III.
Relationship to Church (v. 18) IV. Relationship
to Sinners (vv. 20-23)
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...To Sinners (vv. 20-23)
A. The change (vv. 20-22)
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Reconciled
Aliens Enemies Wicked
Holy Blameless Irreproachable
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...To Sinners (vv. 20-23)
A. The change (vv. 20-22) B. How?

• Body (v. 22)
• Blood (v. 20)

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...To Sinners (vv. 20-23)
A. The change (vv. 20-22) B. How? C.
Conditional (v. 23)
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Colossians 115-23 The Preeminence of Christ
I. Relationship to Deity (vv. 15a, 19) II.
Relationship to Creation (vv. 15b-17) III.
Relationship to Church (v. 18) IV. Relationship
to Sinners (vv. 20-23)
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Christ is Supreme
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