What Does It Mean for Christ to Have First Place?

By Bryan Kessler

Paul wrote that God’s eternal purpose is for Jesus Christ “to have first place in everything” (Col. 1:18).

But what does that actually mean?

It means more than believing correct doctrines about Jesus. It means more than singing worship songs about Him, knowing facts about Him, or building ministries that claim to represent Him.

For Christ to have first place means that He becomes the center, source, authority, life, and goal of everything.

Jesus has first place in God’s eternal purpose. He must also have first place in our hearts, families, churches, and ministries, even in our understanding of Scripture.

Christ Has First Place in God’s Eternal Purpose

Before time and creation, the Father loved His Son with an indescribable love. Jesus spoke of this when He prayed, “You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

Overflowing from the Father’s love for His Son, the Godhead established an eternal blueprint that revolves around Christ. Jesus is not one part of God’s plan. He is the center of it.

Paul unveiled Christ as:

• The image of the invisible God
• The Creator of everything in heaven and on earth
• The One who existed before all things
• The One who holds everything together
• The Head of the church
• The embodiment of the fullness of deity
• The One in whom all wisdom and knowledge are hidden
• The Head over every ruler and authority

Everything was created through Him and for Him. Everything in heaven and on earth will eventually be gathered under His headship.

The Father has determined that His Son will have preeminence, and nothing will stop Him.

The Things of Christ Can Replace the Person of Christ

It is possible to become deeply involved in the things of Christ while slowly drifting from the person of Christ.

We can become consumed with doctrines, spiritual gifts, revival, evangelism, miracles, church growth, prophecy, missions, discipleship, Israel, cultural influence, or social justice.

These things are certainly biblical and important. But when they become our central passion, they can replace Jesus in His own house.

I learned this the hard way. When I first discovered the gifts of the Spirit, I became fascinated with prophecy and supernatural ministry. I wanted to hear God clearly, reveal hidden secrets, and demonstrate that God was real. Though I still believe we should pursue spiritual gifts, my focus had shifted from the Giver to the gifts. Eventually, I began placing me at the center rather than Jesus.

The Lord mercifully interrupted this out-of-priority pursuit and brought me back to a love relationship with His Son.

This danger is not limited to spiritual gifts. Anything associated with Jesus can become a substitute for knowing Jesus.

We can love theology more than Christ.

We can pursue revival more than Christ.

We can defend truth without deeply loving the One who is Truth.

We can build a ministry in His name while quietly building our own reputation.

For Christ to have first place, the person of Jesus must remain greater than everything connected to Him.

Christ Must Have First Place in the Church

The church belongs to Jesus. He said, “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). Yet we often act as though the church depends upon our charisma, talent, strategies, technology, leadership principles, creativity, and church-growth methods.

The true foundation of the church is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Not merely revelations about the many things of Christ, but the one supreme revelation of the Person of Christ.

When the beauty, glory, and supremacy of Christ are unveiled, everything changes. We begin to count our greatest achievements as loss compared to the surpassing value of knowing Him.

Jesus does not need us to make Him relevant. He does not need to be supported by human wisdom, marketing brilliance, or spiritual entertainment. He builds His church by revealing Himself.

Much of the church has exalted the things of Christ above Christ Himself. It is time to place Him back at the center and make Him King again in His own house.

Christ Must Have First Place in Our Hearts

Christ having first place must move beyond a theological truth and become an inward reality that governs our hearts, desires, decisions, and lives. Paul said that believers are to “grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head” (Eph. 4:15).

This means becoming increasingly submitted to Jesus in our thoughts, motives, words, relationships, plans, and actions. We often want Jesus to bless our lives without becoming the absolute Lord of them. We ask Him to fit into our plans rather than surrendering our plans to Him.

But Christ will not compete with our other lovers, idols, and ambitions—including the idol of self.

Paul prayed that Christ would dwell in the believers’ hearts through faith (Eph. 3:17). The word translated dwell carries the idea of settling down and making a permanent home.

Christ already lives within every born-again believer’s spirit. But He desires to fill their hearts with His presence. He wants the place of our deepest beliefs, motives, affections, and choices to be governed solely by His Spirit.

For Christ to have first place means that He is no longer confined to one religious area of our lives. He becomes the permanent occupant and ruling authority of our hearts.

Pride must yield to His humility. Self-will must yield to His obedience. Bitterness must yield to His forgiveness. Fear must yield to His peace. Self-promotion must yield to His glory.

The Holy Spirit works jealously to remove every rival so that Christ’s life can fill us without hindrance.

Christ at the Center Brings Everything into Balance

Giving Christ first place does not mean abandoning every other biblical truth or spiritual activity. That would simply swing the pendulum to the opposite extreme. It means bringing everything into its proper relationship with Him, so that He remains the center, source, and goal of it all.

When Christ is at the center, spiritual gifts find their proper purpose. Worship becomes focused upon His worth. Evangelism introduces people to Him. Missions advance His inheritance among the nations. Doctrine reveals His nature and ways. Prophecy testifies of Him. The kingdom expresses His government.

Christ at the center brings balance to spiritual gifts, theology, worship, spiritual warfare, eschatology, Israel, revival, blessings, missions, and church growth.

Without Christ at the center, even good things can become distorted. Spiritual gifts can exalt people and build personal kingdoms. Doctrine can produce pride and division. Revival can become an event that elevates personalities and platforms. Church growth can reduce people to projects and turn ministry into the building of personal empires.

But when Jesus has first place, everything serves His glory.

Christ Must Become Our Life

Ultimately, Christ having first place means more than placing Him at the top of our priority list. Jesus is not supposed to be first among several competing priorities—as though God comes first, family second, church third, and work fourth.

Christ is meant to become our life.

He is to fill our relationship with God, our family, our work, our ministry, and every other part of our existence. Paul said, “Christ is all, and in all” (Col. 3:11).

He is the Way who brings us into the Father’s fellowship. He is the Life implanted within us. He is the pattern into which we are being conformed. He is the Bridegroom preparing His bride. He is the King beneath whose headship everything will eventually be gathered.

To give Christ first place is to surrender the throne of our lives to Him. It is to love Him above everything else and draw our life from Him. It is to allow His nature to replace our self-life and make His purpose our purpose.

God has determined that Jesus Christ will have first place in everything.

Will you give Him first place in your life starting today?

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