The Church of the Firstborn
Among the designations Christ has for His body of believers and followers are those found in Hebrews 12:22-24: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”
“You have come…” the writer says, contrasting this new body of people with the previous body of people, assembled at Mount Sinai to receive the law of Moses and become God’s people. Under the law of Christ, the writer’s audience has “come to…” Then he gives different designations that are somewhat parallel: Mount Zion, the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, an innumerable number of angels, the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, to God, to the spirits of the righteous, and to Jesus.
The term “firstborn” is used eight times in the New Testament: Luke 2:7, Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:15, 18, Hebrews 1:6, 11:28, 12:23, and Revelation 1:5. Luke 2:7 clearly refers to Jesus being Mary’s firstborn. Jesus is the “firstborn” among many brothers (Romans 8:29). He is the firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15) and the “firstborn” from the dead (Col. 1:18). That shows that the resurrection certified Jesus’ rank as Son of God, Messiah, and Savior.
Jesus is the firstborn who came into the world (Heb. 1:6). He is the faithful witness, the “firstborn” of the dead, and the ruler of the kings on earth (Rev. 1:5).
Two of these passages use “firstborn” in the plural. Hebrews 11:28 says, “By faith he [Moses] kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn ones might not touch them.” The reference is obvious as it refers to the Passover celebration in Exodus 12.
Then we come to Hebrews 12:23 – “and to the assembly [church – ekklesia] of the firstborn ones who are enrolled in heaven…” First, notice these are on earth because they are enrolled in heaven.
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“Enrolled” is a perfect, passive participle. The “perfect” denotes this enrollment is permanent. “Passive” shows that it was God who did the enrolling, by His grace. The enrollment is in the Lamb’s book of life, a very old biblical concept (Exo. 32:32; Psa. 69:28; Phil. 4:3; Dan. 12:1; Rev. 21:27).
There is only one Firstborn – Jesus Christ – preeminent over all by virtue of His Messiahship, Sovereignty and resurrection, ascension, and authority from heaven. But, just as Christians are saints (Heb. 6:10) because we are in the Holy One (Acts 3:14), just as we are beloved (Heb. 6:9) because we are in the Beloved (Matt. 3:17), just as we are chosen (1 Thess. 1:4) because we are in the Elect One (Luke 9:35), so we all are also “firstborn” – all on equal footing with one another – as we are in the Firstborn.
Do not live below your privileges.
-Paul Holland
