Infinite Fellowship Ministries

The Preeminence Of Christ: Sermon By Apostle Gobanga

Preeminence means being great in importance, degree, or achievement. It is also high status importance owing to marked superiority. It is also a state where one has distinction, or eminence.

Jesus’ preeminence is due to His position/status of superiority, importance, and distinction He holds before the Father and creation together with that of achievement owing to His work on the Cross where He obtained redemption for humanity.

He is the image of the invisible God. Jesus is the exact copy and likeness and form of God. In other words, Christ is both the representation as well as the manifestation of God.

A representation is a creation that is a visual or tangible rendering of a person or something. Tangible is what you can perceive by your senses especially sense of touch. It is what is real, palpable or concrete. It is also a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image.

A manifestation is a public display, demonstration, expression, and reflection of a person or thing. It is a clear appearance of someone or something. It is an indication of the existence or appearance or nature of some person or something. It is an appearance in bodily form.

Hence, Christ is the idea or form of the invisible God.

Christ is the public display, demonstration, and expression of the invisible God. Christ is the reality of God, which is the truth about Who God is. He is the indication of the existence, appearance, and nature of God.

Christ is God’s appearance in bodily form (during His incarnation). He is the presentation to the mind in the form of the idea or image of God.

Christ is the Firstborn of all creation. Firstborn in this context denotes one who is given priority in time or rank. The word does not describe Christ as the first being created because Christ precedes creation and is the cause of all creation. The word ‘First’ speaks of Christ as the priority before creation and sovereignty over creation.

Firstborn in Hebrew culture does not imply first at birth, but rightful heir to the line of father being. Thus, being first born refers more to rank, position, and privilege than to order of birth. Since Christ is God, He is Supreme in rank over all creation.

Christ created all things. Not only did Christ create all things, but also everything was created for His purposes. The material/spiritual universe was created for His pleasure and glory. Thrones, dominions, rulers & authorities refers to both holy and fallen angels whom Christ created and exercises authority over. Yet, He isn’t the author of the evil nature of fallen angels despite their being made subject to His authority.

Christ is before all things/all things hold together in Him. Christ existed before the entire creation, and thus by definition, He must be eternal. Christ sustains the universe, maintaining power and balance necessary to life’s existence and continuity.

Christ is the Head of the Church, which is His Body. He provides leadership and oversight, controlling every part of the Church giving it life as well as direction. Christ through the Holy Spirit immerses/baptizes believers into the Church.

Christ is the Beginning and Firstborn from the dead. Chronologically, Christ is the first to resurrect from the dead, never to die again. Christ is the Source/preeminent. Through His sacrificial death on the Cross and resurrection, He gave life to the Church to become its Sovereign.

The fullness of God dwells in Christ. Fullness implies that the complete embodiment of God’s nature is vested fully in Christ. Being our intercessor, He stands in our place before the Father.

The fullness of Deity, that is the divine attributes and powers completely dwell in Christ. This is unlike the gnostic heresy perpetuating that divine attributes/powers were distributed amongst created beings.