The Preeminence of the Son

<span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%; mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; While Christian worship is surely trinitarian, it is also christocentric. One may question how both may be true; yet, considering Christ’s complete work in Christian life, an acknowledgement of the christocentricity of Christian worship becomes apparent. Subconsciously, perhaps, many people consider God solely as the Father without realizing the co-equal nature of the Son. Paul argues for Christ’s preeminence in his letter to the Colossians. As worshippers of the living God, the preeminence of Christ is vital to God-honoring worship. Here is what Paul writes: <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext">He is the image of&nbsp;the invisible God,&nbsp;the firstborn of all creation.&nbsp;For by&nbsp;him all things were created,&nbsp;in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether&nbsp;thrones or&nbsp;dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created&nbsp;through him and for him.&nbsp;And&nbsp;he is before all things, and in him all things&nbsp;hold together.&nbsp;And&nbsp;he is the head of the body, the church. He is&nbsp;the beginning,&nbsp;the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.&nbsp;For&nbsp;in him all the&nbsp;fullness of God was pleased to dwell,&nbsp;and&nbsp;through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven,&nbsp;making peace&nbsp;by the blood of his cross (Col 1:15-20). &nbsp; <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:200%;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext">The preeminence of the Son here is clear and should be considered in such a manner that Christian worship teaches and reveals the preeminence of Christ. With that mentioned, there are four constraints that must guide how Christian worship is employed.<span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">