Christ Alone

I came across this quote from Charles Spurgeon the other day. “It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not even thy faith in Christ that saves thee, though that be the instrument. It is Christ’s blood and merit.”

It is Christ. The LORD Christ Jesus is everything. He is the heart and soul, the core of our life and discipleship.

“You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.” [Colossians 3:11 HCSB]

Christ is all and in all. All the things that we use to identify or distinguish ourselves, our ethnic identity, religious identity, social standing, political standing, economic standing, educational standing, all of that comes to naught in light of our renewal in Him. Christ is all and in all.

How far short we come in knowing and experiencing the all-sufficiency of Christ in us. How far short we are in being Christ-centered in our personal life (our relationship with Him) or even in our “religious” life (our ministry).

The last couple of years have sought to draw our attention away from this truth. We have been bombarded on every side with fear. The enemy of our soul and the world have joined forces to wrestle our peace, our attention, and our faith away from our Lord and Savior.

But, the truth is found in those three little words that Charles Spurgeon spoke long ago … “It is Christ.”

Alone, He is our all in all.

One day Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure. He told them in John 14 that there were many dwelling places in His Father’s House and when He left them (through His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection and ascension), He would come back again for them. He told them “You know the way to where I am going.” [John 14:4 HCSB]

It was then that Thomas spoke up and asked a question – probably a question that all were thinking but only He was bold enough to ask.  “Lord, we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way?”  [vs 5]

I am so thankful for Thomas’ boldness to speak up because Jesus’ response to that question has given hope and assurance to multitudes throughout every generation.  “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” [vs 6]

Jesus is “the” way to the Father, the “only way” to the Father. He was quite clear that “no one” comes except through Him. (Either He was telling the truth, or He was not. And if He was not, then there is no hope, no assurance of salvation.) Of course, the resurrection proved Christ was not just telling the truth, but is The Truth.

It is in Christ alone that our hope is based. He alone is our source of everything – the fullness of God in human flesh. He is our way, He is our truth, He is our life.

I rejoice today, not in my efforts, not in my goodness, not in my works, but in Christ alone.

(773) The Booth Brothers - In Christ Alone (Medley) [Live] - YouTube