So that He Himself might come to have first place in everything” (Col. 1:18b). Such is the Father’s plan concerning His Son. In a few rich verses in Colossians 1, God sums up His design in creation and redemption, and His plan is eminently simple. He has purposed that—when all is said and done, when […]
The late Don Welborn defined a spiritual gift as: “A divine endowment and enabling of the sovereign Spirit of God in the life of the believer, given in grace for the express purpose of furthering the spiritual growth and development of other fellow saints to the glory of God.” Each line of this definition condenses […]
God’s preeminent revelation to man is in the person of His beloved Son. In human experience it is both joyful and humbling to see our personalities expressed in our children. They share our genes, character traits, and mannerisms. There are many of which it can be expressed “I know who your parents are” or “it’s […]
Most biographies are written after the subject has died. Or, in the case of an autobiography, it is written towards the end of the person’s life. However, the uniqueness of the Lord Jesus is such that His biography was written before He was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Of the countless references to Christ in […]
What a wonderful thought! You cannot think beyond the One who ever was, who ever will be. The theme of the central section of the opening chapter of Colossians is the supremacy of Christ. In verses 15-17, Paul emphasizes that the Lord Jesus is paramount in creation. He is the first-born over all creation. He […]
For the Christian, Christ is the superior One … and our place of security and completeness is in acknowledging Him and rejoicing in His supremacy. The letter to the Colossians has a number of features relating to specific problems facing the believers there. For example, there are warnings against teachings which would encourage angel-worship and […]
Throughout our lifelong journey of faith, the Lord is fully equipped to help us achieve the spiritual maturity He desires for us. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this exquisite portrait of Christ in Colossians 1 will keep us talking for eternity. But when we step back to view the whole chapter, […]
Predictions have power. They influence emotions, alter behavior, and even change social policies. During the 1960’s, it was predicted that the earth would become overpopulated within a few generations. It seemed there would be no end to the periodic doubling of the human population and the negative environmental impact this would bring. Rachel Carson’s 1962 […]
“…that in all things He might have the preeminence” Colossians 1:18 Reading through Colossians 1:15-20, we observe that the Lord Jesus is Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Head of the church, and the very Image of the Invisible God. If one holds to the truth of the Scriptures, Christ can only be perceived as the Preeminent One. […]