The First Born

Colossians 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”

Much discussion has been made regarding Jesus, who He was, where He came from, and what was His mission. Because there are so many cults that have tried to redefine Jesus, the confusion among their millions of followers has brought a diminished understanding of the King of kings.

A classic label given to Jesus is the “Firstborn of Creation”.

Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”

Does this mean that Jesus was a created being? Some cults will tell you that Jesus was born through an incestuous relationship of God with Mary, while others will declare Jesus nothing more than an angel in disguise. Some label Him as a prophet, good teacher, or rabbi, but to declare Jesus as God is to step into a realm that invokes blasphemy for many of these false religions.

What we will see in scripture is how the title of “Firstborn” is a spiritual title and not a traditional role within a family.

Symbolic or Sacred?

When examining the Word of God, you will notice a trend. The firstborn son was in a position of inheritance. A double portion of the estate was allotted to the firstborn son as well as leadership if the father became incapacitated. Upon the father’s death, the firstborn son cared for his mother and provided for his unmarried sisters.

In biblical times, the firstborn was given certain unique rights, responsibilities, and privileges. The nation of Israel was identified as God’s “firstborn” in the Bible; (Exodus 4:22, Jeremiah 31:9); which gave Israel a special place of privilege and blessing among the nations. So in regard to Jesus, the position and privilege as First Born is a description of honor, not a human birthright.

Genesis 41:51-52 “Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Notice that Ephraim was born as a second son to Joseph? Manasseh was technically the first born of Joseph’s household and yet when we look at the writings of Jeremiah, we witness how God viewed Ephraim.

Jeremiah 31:9 “They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.

Although Ephraim by birth was the second son of Joseph, he was regarded as a first born son to God, receiving the promised spiritual inheritance of God’s blessing upon Israel.

We can see that the title as “First Born” is not a distinction of a son in human terms, but a spiritual title in God’s Kingdom. Jesus didn’t first appear as a child to Mary, nor was he conceived by human interaction, He has always been and will always be God.

Hebrews 1:6 “And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

No man deserves worship. Jesus wasn’t just a man, He was God incarnate. He came for a purpose, to redeem mankind back to Himself. Sin corrupted man’s relationship to God and made him an enemy to His throne. By offending God’s Moral law, mankind positioned himself as opposed to God’s rule and reign. The wages of sin is death, and no one on earth was immune to the consequences.

The Sacrifice of the First Born

The fact that everyone on earth had sinned, and no one stood justified before God, the necessity of a Savior was paramount. So that everyone wouldn’t be condemned to Hell for eternity, Jesus had to come down and redeem His people from death.

Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

The authority of the Father was to send the Son as a sacrifice for sin. Jesus came to save all who would believe and receive His grace. The Lord knows who would follow and yet the call went out to everyone.

Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus’ title as First Born, is a title of honor. He alone deserves all the praise and glory, for not only was all of Creation formed through Him, but He is the One who redeemed it back to Himself.

Revelation 1:5 “and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood”

Jesus’ inheritance is His people.

Romans 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

The same Spirit that was in Christ Jesus, is the same Spirit that now dwells among the saints. Everyone who has believed in faith, is recognized by God as a son and daughter of God. The Spirit confirms their faith by entering into the hearts and sealing His people for eternity.

To be filled with the Spirt, is to be called a saint of God.

The Inheritance of the Saints

For all who have been adopted into an inheritance of faith, they are given the same privileges as Jesus.

John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.   Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

When a sinner is called by God, they are called to repentance. The humility needed for those who turn from human pride toward a contrite spirit is the condition God finds in those who are ready to receive His grace.

When the lost are found, they are born again to an inheritance that does not fade away, a spiritual inheritance passed down from Abraham to God’s church.

Hebrews 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”

God the Son came down to redeem a people for Himself. In His sovereignty He established a Kingdom of kings and priests to the Lord of Hosts (Rev.5:10). That Kingdom is still growing by the day. Everyday, people are turning from sin and accepting the grace of God in Christ alone. The sacrifice was great, the revealed glory of God divine and the power of satan was destroyed.

Hebrews 2:17 “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

Jesus was no mere man. He was not an angel sent from Heaven nor was He alone in His endeavors. The Father sent Jesus to earth and the Spirit of God was sent by Jesus upon His return.

Today, every path of righteousness leads directly back to Jesus. The Spirit of God seals the saints of God, sanctifies them by His power that they might resemble Christ who was the First Born of Creation. The Spirit leads and manifests His attributes through the people of God everyday.

The Honor of the King

When Scripture refers to Christ as the “firstborn,” the message is that Christ’s supremacy, sovereignty, and priority extend over all things and all other beings. For those who confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in their hearts that He rose from the dead in power and glory, they have been adopted into God’s Kingdom.

For those reject the name of Christ, some through unbelief and others by twisting the name of Christ to fit their distorted view of God, their inheritance will be death in Hell forever.

One day, every knee will bow before Him…some to an everlasting inheritance and others to everlasting shame.

Isaiah 45:22-25 “Look to Me, and be saved,
All you ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
I have sworn by Myself;
The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness,
And shall not return,
That to Me every knee shall bow,
Every tongue shall take an oath.
He shall say,
‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength.
To Him men shall come,
And all shall be ashamed
Who are incensed against Him.
In the Lord all the descendants of Israel
Shall be justified, and shall glory.’ ”

God’s people will receive the spiritual inheritance of the First born Son. Jesus will not only reward His people for their belief, but will give reward for their works of righteousness as well.

What is your inheritance? Will you be counted among the redeemed?

Repent of your sins, believe in your heart, and you will be saved.

That is the promise of the First Born.