Every year on the 4th of July, I’m reminded how much I love this country. Growing up in Florida, our church would host fireworks at Russell Baptist Church. It was hot—150 degrees, sweat dripping as I stood there in jorts with a snow cone in hand, Chris Stapleton’s version of the Star-Spangled Banner echoing while fireworks burst overhead. I love the freedom we celebrate.
As Christians, one of the greatest freedoms we enjoy is the ability to say out loud: Jesus Christ is number one. Bringing glory to him is the priority of my life.
But here’s the question I’ve been wrestling with: we have the freedom to say it—but are we living it? Because in our lives, everything either glorifies God or competes with his glory. Functionally, what we dream about, what we run after for security, what we believe will finally make us happy—those desires often expose whether Jesus is truly first.
That’s why Colossians 1 is such a gift. It resets our hearts by reminding us of who Jesus is and why he deserves to be first.
Jesus, the Image of the Invisible God
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”—Colossians 1:15
Colossians is the most Christ-centered book in the most Christ-centered book in the world. And right from the start, Paul points us to this truth: Jesus is the image of the invisible God. “Image” means both representation and manifestation.
- Representation: Whatever God is like, we see in Christ. Hebrews 1:3 says Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being.
- Manifestation: Jesus doesn’t just show us what God is like; he is God. The second person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit—one God in three persons.
In other words, Jesus is our window into who God really is.
Firstborn Over All Creation
Now, Paul says Jesus is also the firstborn of all creation. This is where we must be careful. In the 4th century, Arius taught that Jesus was a created being—a heresy that survives today in groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses. But the Council of Nicaea rightly clarified: Jesus was “begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.”
So “firstborn” doesn’t mean Jesus was created: it means Jesus holds the position of authority. In the Bible, “firstborn” often points to status, not birth order. Think: Abel over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, David over his older brothers.
Jesus wasn’t a religious leader from the elite class. He was a carpenter. Yet he was declared first. That’s the point: Jesus is not one priority among many. He is the priority.
Nothing Beside Him
And that presses the question: Do we honor him as first? Or do we line him up beside the 401k, our kids’ success, our marriage, our career, our vacation plans?
Imagine if I told my wife, Anna, “I see a lot of women, but you’re my best girl.” That would not go over well! She isn’t at the top of a list—she is the list. In the same way, Jesus doesn’t accept being one of many priorities. He stands in a different category altogether. Everything else—work, family, hobbies, and even dinner tonight—exists to serve what is first: Christ.
The Priority Question
Here’s a convicting thought: for hundreds of years, the word priority was singular. It meant “the thing that is first.” Only in the last 50 years have we turned it into a plural—priorities. But how can there be multiple “firsts”?
So, let’s ask honestly: is Jesus first in my life? Of course, we work, raise kids, and enjoy hobbies. But are those things flowing from the desire to honor Christ? Or do they compete with him?
Colossians 1 reminds us: Jesus is not just important; he is preeminent. He is the image of God, the firstborn over all creation, the one who must be first in our hearts.
Bringing it Home
Ask yourself:
- What do your time, money, and dreams reveal about what’s “first” in your life?
- Are there good things you’ve allowed to compete with Jesus instead of serve Jesus?
- How would your daily decisions look different if Jesus wasn’t just on the list, but was the list?
Colossians 1 lifts our eyes to the glory of Christ—but it also calls us to respond. Don’t just admire these truths; let them shape your life.
Andrew Hopper
