In God's old creation, Christ is the Firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15b). He is the first item of God's creation. Christ as God is the Creator. However, as man, sharing the created blood and flesh (Heb. 2:14a), He is part of the creation, having the preeminence in all creation.
In God's new creation in resurrection, Christ is the Firstborn from among the dead (Col. 1:18b). Christ is the first in resurrection as the Head of the Body, having the first place in the church. Some may argue that we cannot say that Jesus was the first in resurrection because others in both the Old and New Testaments were resurrected before Him (2 Kings 4:32-37; John 11:41-44). But all these other resurrections were not something that involved divinity. Those resurrected people, such as Lazarus, died again. But Jesus, once resurrected, will live forever; He will never die again. Therefore, He has the preeminence. Christ as the firstfruit of resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20) is the Firstborn from among the dead to be the Firstborn among many brothers (Rom. 8:29) and the Head of the Body (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:20-23).
We can also see the preeminence of Christ in God's exaltation.
Christ has been exalted to the right hand of God in the third heaven (Acts 2:33a). It took a tremendous amount of power to land a man on the moon, but that was very insignificant compared to the power it took to raise Christ from among the dead and seat Him at the right hand of God (Eph. 1:19-20).
In God's exaltation of Christ, He has been given to be the Head over all things (Eph. 1:22b). Jesus today has been ordained and appointed by God to be the Head of the entire universe.
God has also given Him the name above every name (Phil. 2:9b). Since the Lord's ascension, there has never been a name on this earth above the name of Jesus. Even the entire human race is under the calendar of Jesus. According to history, the one whose calendar you use is the one to whom you are in subjection. If anyone used the calendar of a certain king, he would have to be under the rule of that king. People today refer to our calendar as an international calendar, but actually it is the calendar of Christ. In this way they unconsciously admit that He is their ruler. He is the One whose name is above every name.
Christ has the preeminence in the church, being the Head of the Body, the church (Col. 1:18a). Christ is the unique Head, and the preeminence belongs to Him only.