“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” Colossians 1:18

1. He is the Head of the body, the Church. The word ‘church’ means ‘the called out ones.” It never pertains to a building, or organization, but an organism, a living body, of sinners saved by God’s electing grace, Christ’s redeeming blood, and the Spirit’s effectual calling out from the blindness, darkness, and deadness of the heart to the LORD Jesus. Christ is the head of the Church as the one in whom all those that God has purposed to save are name, whose names are written in Lamb's book of life from eternity, and for whom Christ came and has purchased with his blood. Upon completion of His obedience unto death, God did once for all justify (acquit or declare righteous) all for whom Christ died. All such He will, at last, present to himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle. He is the Head in that the Church lives, moves and has its being in Him, and is directed by Him, for Him and to Him in all things.

2. He is the Beginning. The Lord Jesus is eternal, John 1:1. Whatever beginning we can imagine, HE IS the beginning. He is the efficient cause of all things in Creation and Salvation. As Eve was from Adam, so is the church from Christ…Of Him, from Him, and to Him are all things

3. The Firstborn from the dead. Even as the firstborn is the heir, so Christ, in rising from the grave is the heir of all things. His inheritance is the whole number of elect sinners for whom He died. Because He lives, they shall live. He is the first fruits of them that sleep, and so the pledge and earnest of the future resurrection of His saints (justified ones).

What’s the conclusion of the matter? “That in all [things] he might have the pre-eminence”-or might be the first and chief over all. Our Lord Jesus not only has the preeminence by nature of Him being God, but as the God/Man Redeemer He earned the right. In summary, He died and rose again, that He might be Lord both of dead and living, and therefore, will have the pre-eminence in the affections of the hearts of those He has redeemed, justified and called out, and in the thoughts of our minds, the desires of our souls, and in the highest praises of our lips.