‘that in all things He may have the preeminence’ Colossians chapter 1 verse 18
Suggested reading: Colossians chapter 1 verses 9-19
If we had lived in the 1st century city of Colossae in the Roman Empire, we would have come across many false teachers, who did all they could to discredit the Person of Jesus Christ and undermine the fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith. Broadly, they divided themselves into three groups:
- JUDAISERS – they believed that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was not sufficient for salvation. They proclaimed that the rituals commanded by God in the Old Testament were still required to save a person e.g. circumcision, the observance of holy days, observing restrictions on food and drink
- GNOSTICS / PHILOSOPHERS – they stressed the importance of the unseen world. They acknowledged that Christ occupied a place of importance in the hierarchy of that world but angels should also be worshipped and trusted; indeed, they taught that they also acted as mediators between God and men, whereas the Bible teaches that there is ‘one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for ALL’, 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 5-6.
- A combination of the two + Christianity
The subtlety of these false teachers was that they gave Christ a PROMINENT place but they did not accept that He was PRE-EMINENT. The test as to the reliability of all Christian doctrine is the position that it gives to JESUS CHRIST.
We have words in the English language that are often confused with each other; therefore they can be inappropriately used, particularly in relation to the Person of Christ. Two such words are PROMINENT and PRE-EMINENT.
- PROMINENT means, ‘standing out in a way that is easily noticed’
- PRE-EMINENT – ‘surpassing all others; unique; above all people and things’
Certainly, Christ was PROMINENT as He moved through the land of Israel but He was much more than that. He was PRE-EMINENT! A failure to accept this will lead us, like the teachers in Colossae, into serious error concerning His Person and work.
To be continued