Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all… I. BY WHOM THIS TRUTH IS RECOGNIZED. 1. There are many to whom Christ is nothing; He scarcely enters into their thoughts. 2. There are others to whom Christ is something but not much. They are anxious to save themselves, and use the merits of Christ as a sort of make weight to their own slight deficiencies. 3. Others think Him to be much but not all, and so want to feel more, repent more, before they accept Him. 4. Some regard Christ as all in some things, in justification, e.g., but not sanctification, whereas it is said that He is "made unto us wisdom," etc. There is no point between the gates of hell and the gates of heaven where a believer has to say, Christ fails me here and I must rely on my own endeavours. 5. This is a truth which every believer recognizes, and on which the Church, in spite of its divisions, is one. The man who cannot say this is no Christian, the man who can is. II. WHAT THIS TRUTH INCLUDES. 1. Christ is all by way of(1) National distinction. As a man I may rejoice that I am an Englishman, but not with the same joy as that I am a Christian. A Christian foreigner is more allied to me than a godless Briton. (2) Subject for glorying. The Greek said, "We are a nation of heroes, remember Sparta"; but when he joined the Church he boasted of a nobler victory through the Cross. So the Jew laid aside his national traditions; the Scythian spoke the language of Canaan as correctly as his Greek brother; the slave was no longer a slave when he breathed the air of a Christian Church. (3) Sinful national customs. Each asked no more, What did my ancestors do? but what does Christ bid me do? 2. Christ is all to us — (1) Godwards. We need a Mediator; Christ is that. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?"(2) Before our enemies. Satan, and the world with all its vicissitudes. (3) Within ourselves. If we look into our inner nature we see all manner of deficiencies; but when we see Christ there we know that He will destroy the works of the devil and perfect that which He has begun in us. 3. Christ is all. (1) For us. "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." "He made Him to be sin for us," etc. (2) To us. We have no other hope but in His righteousness. (3) In us. Whatever there is in us that is not of Christ will have to come out. Christ on the cross saved us by becoming Christ in the heart. 4. Shift the kaleido scope; Christ is all. (1) The channel of all. All the love and mercy of God flow through Him. Other conduits are dry, but this is always full. (2) The pledge of all. "He that spared not His own son," etc. (3) The sum of all. When we travel we need only to take money which answereth all things. So Christ has the sub stance of all good. 5. Christ is all (1) we desire; (2) can conceive. III. WHAT THIS TRUTH INVOLVES. 1. The excellence of Christ. Of whom else could this be said? There are many good things in this world, but nothing that is good for everything. Some plants may be good medicine but not good cordial; but the plant of renown is good every way. Good clothing is not able to stay your hunger, but Christ is the bread of heaven and the best robe. 2. The safety and blessedness of the believer. Christ is all that he will as well as does want; but we are devoid of all when destitute of Christ. 2. A rebuke for the doubts of many seekers. "I have not this or that," but Christ has it if it be good for anything. 4. A rebuke for the coldness of saints, If Christ be all, how is it we prize and love Him so little? 5. A means of measuring young converts. We ought not to expect them to be philosophers or divines. Is Christ all in all to them? If so, welcome them. 6. A measure for ministers. Is Christ all in their preaching? 7. A help to estimate our devotions. IV. WHAT THIS TRUTH REQUIRES — the exhibition of a Christlike life. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. |
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