As Christians, our allegiance must always be first and
foremost to Jesus Christ Himself.
Any allegiance to country, culture, race, politics, personal
philosophy, family, group or tradition must be laid before His feet.
“And He is before all things, and in Him all things
consist….. that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:17-18
To be Preeminent means : “having paramount rank, dignity or
importance” Webster’s
The
Greek word prōteuō simply means:
1) to be first, hold the first place
Col
1:12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Col
1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed
[us] into the kingdom of the Son of His love,Col
1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation.Col
1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that
are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities
or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.Col
1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.Col
1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.Col
1:19 For it pleased [the Father that] in Him all the fullness should
dwell,Col
1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether
things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His
cross.