Title:
Christ is All
Text:
Colossians 3: 11
Date:
November 25, 2012
Place:
SGBC, New Jersey
I want
to speak on my favorite subject. If all your hope rest right here then you
shall be saved. Three words in Colossians
3: 11: Christ is All.
Religious men had come into the church at Colossi, just like men come and sit
to hear the gospel in our day. But they were will-worshippers and
philosophers. They had begun to tell believers
there that Christ is not all. I’ve actually had religious men say those very
words to me, “Christ is not all.” If Christ is not all to you then Christ shall
profit you nothing—you are a debtor to keep the whole law of God.
Proposition: Christ is All
In
Colossians 3: 9, the apostle Paul says, believers have “put off the old man with his deeds, By the “old man” is meant the
corrupt nature of our first birth, we put of that man, with his deeds. The natural man thinks fleshly things makes
him to differ from another. The natural
man thinks he makes himself accepted with God.
Believers, by the Spirit of God, have put off the old man.
Colossians 3: 10: And have put on the new
man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
By the
"new man" is meant the new nature created of God the Holy
Spirit—Christ in you the hope of glory.
The new
man is not in a sinner by our first birth, but only when a sinner is born again
of the Spirit of God, only when Christ is formed in us and made all unto us.
That is
how the new man is renewed in the knowledge of God, created in the righteousness
and true holiness of Christ: as opposed to our first birth which was in sin, as
opposed to a pretended, righteousness and holiness by some work man thinks he
has performed.
Colossians 3: 11: Where…in the new man there
is neither Greek nor Jew,…
Those
born of God are taught of God that man’s first birth, his race, has nothing
whatsoever to do with his salvation? Such
vain distinction are the deeds of the old man.
In the new man, in Christ, there is neither Greek nor Jew.
Colossians 3: 11: there is neither circumcision
nor uncircumcision,…
Those
recreated after the image of God are taught of God in the heart that true
righteousness and true holiness is not in the externals of religion: not by a
pretense of keeping the law, not by
outward morality, no religious deeds
make a man righteous. That is the old
man and his deeds which we put off.
2 Corinthians 5: 17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18: And all things are of God,
who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,…21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who
knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
In the
new man, where Christ is made unto us All, there is neither circumcicision nor
uncircumcision.
Colossians 3: 11: There is
neither Barbarian, Scythian,…(the Barbarian and Scythian were looked down
upon as unwise, unlearned, uneducated, crude and uncivilized.) In the new man
in Christ we are not looking to our wisdom.
A man
cannot bring himself to Christ by educating himself into the kingdom of God, it
matters not how well a man speaks, or how much he knows. Those are distinctions the old man makes by
which he thinks he has made himself to differ.
We put
off the old man with his deeds. In Christ there is neither Barbarian or
Sythian.
Colossians 3: 11: There
is neither bond nor free:
In the new man, in Christ, a man’s standing is not based
on civil law: if he is bound under civil law, spiritually he is Christ’s free
man; if he is free under civil law, spiritually he is Christ’s willing bond
servant.
All
those things are all fleshly, carnal distinctions which natural men regard. Such
distinctions natural men think they are righteous in themselves and despise
others.
Colossians 3: 11: But CHRIST IS
ALL, and IN ALL.
I. CHRIST IS ALL BECAUSE HE IS GOD
Paul’s
objective in writing the letter to the Colossians is mine to you. He wanted them to ignore will-worshippers and
philosophers who claimed Christ is not all.
Application: Believer, ignore every man who insists that except a
believer add to Christ and his work we cannot be saved. That is the old man and his deeds that the
grace of God makes the believer to put off.
Believers are saved by the grace of God alone, by Christ alone, through faith
alone, apart from our works. So Paul
begins the letter declaring Christ is All by declaring Christ is God: the Head
of all Creation and the Head of his Church.
Colossians 1: 15: Who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn [Creator] of every creature: 16 For by him were ALL THINGS
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL
THINGS were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before ALL THINGS,
and by him ALL THINGS consist. 18
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead; that in ALL THINGS he might have the
preeminence. 19 For it pleased the
Father that in him should ALL FULNESS dwell;
Application: Satan is subtle.
Naturally religious men may speak very highly of Christ but the old
nature will not have Christ to reign over him.
To the natural man, Christ can be much, but Christ cannot be all. Can you imagine saying to God that God is not
all? What ignorance! What arrogance! What shame!
II. CHRIST IS ALL BECAUES HE IS ALL THE
BELIEVERS SALVATION
Colossians 1: 20
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile ALL THINGS unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be
things in earth, or things in heaven. [by all things he means the elect of
God—some were already in heaven when he went to the Christ by virtue of his
being their Surety from the foundation of the world] 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to
present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded
and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel,…27:…which
is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Notice
how Paul keeps using the word “all” when speaking of Christ.
Colossians 2: 2
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto
ALL RICHES of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of
the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid ALL THE TREASURES of wisdom
and knowledge….8 Beware lest any man
spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth ALL the fulness of the
Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in
him, which is the head of ALL principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13: And
you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you ALL trespasses;…
In regeneration, Christ made all unto us
1 Corinthians 1: 30: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption: 31 That, according as it is
written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
“He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all
of one for which cause he is not ashamed to the call us brethren.”
Christ is all the believers acceptance with
God
He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. (Eph. 1:6, 7).
The love of God toward his elect is all in
Christ
“who shall separate
us from the love of God in Christ?”
So Paul
says, put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man where those man-made
distinctions are nothing but Christ is All and in all.
Christ is the believers High Priest and
our Lamb
Hebrews 2:17: Wherefore in all things it behoved him to
be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high
priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the
people…4:14 Seeing then that we have a
great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold fast our profession.
Christ is our Advocate with the Father and our
Propitiation
1 John 2: 1: My little children, these things write I
unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2: And he is the propitiation for our sins:
and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Christ is
The Way, the Truth, the Life
John 14: 6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Christ is our Bread of Life
John 6:35: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of
life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me
shall never thirst.
Christ is the Door of the Sheep
John 10: 7: Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8: All that ever came
before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9: I am the
door: by me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out,
and find pasture.
Christ is the Good Shepherd
John 10: 11: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd
giveth his life for the sheep.
Christ is the Resurrection and the Life
John 11:25: Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection,
and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Christ is the believers Master and Lord
John 13: 13: Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well;
for so I am.
Christ is the Vine
John 15: 5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He
that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for
without me ye can do nothing.
Christ is the Light of his people no matter
where they are in the world
John 8:12: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am
the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life.
Christ is the One Thing Needful, the Good
Part
Luke 10: 41 And
Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled
about many things: 42 But one thing is
needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away
from her.
Philip Henry wrote a book about
how Christ is All to his people. Each
chapter is a sermon. Here are the
titles. You can put “Christ is” in front
of each of these words: Christ is our Foundation, Food, Root, Raiment,
Head, Hope, Refuge, Righteousness, Light, Life, Peace, Passover, Portion,
Propitiation, Freedom, Fountain, Wisdom, Way, Ensign, Example, Door, Dew, Sun,
Shield, Strength, Song, Horn, Honor, Sanctification, Supply, Resurrection,
Redemption, Lesson, Ladder, Truth, Treasure, Temple, Ark, Altar, . . . Christ
is All in All.
III. SO WHAT DOES THE SCRIPTURES INSTRUCT US TO DO CONCERNING
CHRIST?
Seek
him while he may be found. Come unto him. Believe on him. Rest in him. Abide in him. Take up
your cross and follow him, Let nothing
turn you from him. Watch and be
ready for his return. In that last
day be found in him, not having our own righteousness which is by our works of
the law.
1 John 5: 11 And
this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in
his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath
life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
If Christ
is all, then the loss of anything in this world, is really no loss at all is
it? If Jesus Christ is all, then I am
dead to the world and the world is dead to me.
Nothing can be added and nothing can be taken away. “Christ is all!” If
Christ is all, when death comes, I will rejoice for to be “absent from this body and to
be present with the Lord.”
“Christ, all and in all!”
Amen!