Christ is all, and is in all. Colossians 3:11 (NIV)

Since Darwin and his theory of evolution in the mid 1800’s people have increasingly rejected the creation Story (Genesis 1-3). This rejection is the basis for secular humanism and why so many Westerners have a problem with Christ (1 Corinthians 1:23).

The theory of evolution is simply not true. Darwin didn’t have any evidence that it was true and since then the missing evidence (transitional fossils) has still not materialized. What is true is that Christ is preeminent in creation and the One through whom everything was created. There are six statements in Colossians that highlight Christ’s pre-eminence: He is the visible image of the invisible God and “the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15), created everything and made everything for Himself (Colossians 1:16), existed before anything was made and holds all creation together (Colossians 1:17).

It follows that because Christ is preeminent in creation He’s also preeminent in the Church. Christ is the origin, source, leader, and ruler of the Church. There are apostles, denominational leaders, elders, bishops, and so on, but Christ alone is preeminent (Colossians 1:18). All authority and power in the church centres in Christ. After the super apostles have had their say, after the mega-church guru’s have shown the way, and after the pastors and boards have held sway; at the end of the day “Christ is all that matters” (Colossians 3:11 CEV).

Take away Christ and there is no Church. If the head is removed, the body will be lifeless. For Christ alone is the life of the Church and in Him alone the Church finds life.

Christ is preeminent in the Church in four ways: He is the head of the church and first in everything (Colossians 1:18), has God’s fullness living in Him (Colossians 1:19), and reconciles everything to God by making peace, sacrificing Himself, bringing us into His presence, and making us holy, blameless and without fault (Colossians 1:20-22).

This to explain why you must “continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel” Colossians 1:23.