◄ What Does Colossians 1:18 Mean? ►

Christ is the Sovereign Creator through Whom all things were made, and by Whom all things in heaven and on earth (both visible and invisible), hold together. He is the uncreated God Who willingly took upon Himself human flesh so that through His shed blood we might receive redemption of our bodies and the forgiveness of sins.

But Christ is also the Head of the Body, which is the Church, and His headship over the Church is one of our Saviour's many beautiful and glorious roles; a role which means so much to all who have been saved by grace through faith in Him.

For ages and generations, this glorious mystery of the Church (which is the Body of Christ), was kept hidden from both human and angelic understanding. But through the teachings of Paul, we understand that every believer in Christ is a member of His spiritual Body (which is called the Church), and Jesus Christ is the Head of that Body.

Just as Adam was the first member and federal head of the human race, so Christ is the first member and federal head of the 'new creation in Christ' (which is the Church). As humanities representative, Adam's sin was imputed to the whole of the human race. In the same way, as the representative of the Church, Christ's righteousness has been imputed to every member of the Church.

Christ is the Source of the Church, the Leader of the Church, the Federal Head of the Church, and the Originator of the Church. And Christ has promised to build His Church: "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against her."

As the Federal Head of the new creation and the Founder of the Church, Jesus Christ is also: "The Firstborn from the dead." Oh, there were others that had been brought back to life through the power of Almighty God, in both the Old and the New Testaments, but their lives on earth would ultimately end in death. But the glorious Resurrection of Christ to eternal life, is unique in the history of mankind and magnifies His distinctive position in the human race as the second Man, the last Adam, the federal Head of the new creation, His Body, the Church.

Without Christ's Resurrection there could be no resurrection from the dead for you or for me. But as members of His Body, we are in Christ, such that His death became our death and His Resurrection became our resurrection. Because we died in Christ, we are also raised in Him. If Christ had not risen from the dead, there would be no imputed righteousness, no new creation, no Head of the Church, and no resurrection of the Body: "For if Christ has not been raised, our faith would be worthless and we would still be in our sins."

But thanks be to God, for Christ HAS been raised from the dead and is the Firstfruits of all who are in Him, both asleep and awake. Thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who justly deserves first place in everything by the power of God. To Him be all honour and glory, for ever and ever.

Heavenly Father, what a glorious truth that in Christ alone my hope is found, and by His death and Resurrection, I have an assurance that I too will be raised incorruptible from the dead. Thank You that by grace through faith in Him, I have been imputed with His righteousness and have been made a new creation in Christ. Thank You that I am a member of His Body and that through His Resurrection, I too will be raised. In Jesus' name, AMEN.