But Christ is all in all
This sermon was preached on March 21, 1640.
But Christ is all in all.
Colossians 3:11 (latter end of it).
It is not long since (as some of you may remember) that in this place, the subject was discussed about the saints' enjoyment of God, to be all in all, from 1 Corinthians 15:28. And then I told you that we had such an expression in Scripture but only twice: applied to God in the happiness of the saints' enjoyment of Him in heaven, and applied here to Christ, of what Christ is to them for the present. That which was discussed about God being all in all is the end; this that is to be delivered concerning Christ being all in all is that which brings the soul to that blessed end. Wherefore then, as Christ Himself says,
John 14:1, "Ye believe in God, believe also in me." So I say, as God shall be all in all eternally to the saints, do you believe in that?
Believe also in this, that I am to deliver to you this day, that Christ, He is all and in all.
The Apostle Saint Paul was a chosen vessel to bear the name of Christ, to carry it up and down in the world: and indeed, his spirit was full of Christ; he desired to know nothing but Christ, to preach nothing but Christ, to be found in none but Christ; the very name of Christ was delightful to him. He seeks in all his Epistles to magnify
Christ, and in these words (that I have read unto you), he does
magnify Christ; he makes Him not only great but makes Him all.
There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all: that is, there is no privilege in the one to commend them to God, and no lack of anything in the other to hinder them from God; let men be what they will in their outward respects, what is that to God? Let them be never so mean in regard to all outwards, that cannot hinder them from the enjoyment of God. For God looks not at these things, but Christ is all and in all to them; so far as God sees Christ in any, He accepts them: if Christ be not there, whatever they have, He regards them not. Christ is all in all, even in the esteem of the Father
Himself: He was the delight of the Father from all eternity, Proverbs 8:30, and the Father took infinite contentment in Him upon His willingness to undertake this blessed work of the redemption of mankind. God the Father is infinitely satisfied in Christ; He is all in all to Him. Surely, if Christ is an object sufficient for the satisfaction of the Father, much more then is He an object sufficient for the satisfaction of any soul.
But that which is the main scope here of the Holy Ghost in this high expression of Christ's transcendent excellency (that I may come presently to it), I shall deliver it in this doctrinal proposition: That Christ is the only means of conveyance of all good that God the Father intends to communicate unto the children of men, in order to eternal life; He is all and in all. This that I am now to preach unto you, namely, God's communicating of Himself in His mercy to mankind, through a mediator, it is the very sum of the Gospel, the great mystery of godliness. It is the chief part of the mind and counsel of God, that He would have made known to the children of men in this world. This is the great embassage that the ministers of the Gospel have to bring unto the sons and daughters of men, and it is the most absolutely necessary point in all Divinity.
I suppose that upon first hearing this, everyone acknowledges its truth. You will say, "It's true; we can have no good from God except in and through Christ." Well, there is much significance in what you say when you affirm that all must come from God in Christ. In all your prayers and petitions, you usually conclude them with "through Jesus Christ." However, often this is spoken without fully grasping the glory of God contained in such an expression. What I shall strive to do today is to reveal to you some of the glory of God shining in the truth that God communicates Himself through a mediator, through His Son. This is a crucial point of theology that is absolutely necessary to know for eternal life. It is possible to be ignorant of many other truths and still be saved, but there must be some knowledge of this, or there can be no salvation. Misunderstanding this very thing is the downfall and eternal undoing of countless souls.
Many believe that they need and can only be saved by God's mercy, a conviction that even the light of nature can instil. But that God communicates His mercy through a mediator, this they are unaware of, and they fail to grasp the reality of this truth. As a result, they perish eternally, praying to God for mercy but not coming to Him through a mediator. This is the essence of the Gospel and the most supernatural truth revealed in the entire Bible. It is a truth that remained hidden from much of the world for many ages. Scripture states that "the Princes of the world knew it not." It is a truth that we cannot comprehend through the light of nature. In 1 Corinthians
1:21, we read, "The world by wisdom knew not God," meaning that by all their arts, sciences, and natural wisdom, they did not truly know
God; they did not know God in Christ. There are no traces of this truth in all the works of creation or providence. Thus, in Ephesians
3:8, Saint Paul says he was appointed to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. These riches have no traces; that's the meaning of the word "unsearchable." There are no traces of the riches of the Gospel in creation. Therefore, you cannot discover it there. While
many other religious points have traces in creation, and much can be discerned about God through the light of nature – such as the idea that all our good comes from communion with God, that when we have offended God, we must seek His pardon and mercy – the fact that God communicates Himself through Christ, and that not one drop of mercy concerning eternal life can come from God except through Christ the mediator, not a single trace of this truth is found in all of God's works.
This is what is so supernatural that it surpasses perfect nature. Adam knew nothing of this in his perfect state. Yes, this is what the angels themselves desire to investigate, considering it a profound mystery.
In 1 Peter 1:12, it is stated that the angels "stoop down" (for that is the meaning of the word) as if to peer into a deep pit. Imagine something lying in a deep pit, and when someone wants to see it, they bend down with their bodies to peer into the pit; that is the essence of the word. So the angels perceive a profound depth in the mystery of the Gospel, and they stoop down to examine it, seeking to understand what it entails. Furthermore, this requires a work of the Spirit that goes beyond the ordinary work of the Spirit of God to reveal it to the soul. In 1 Corinthians 2:10, when addressing the mystery of the Gospel, the Apostle says, "The Spirit that searcheth the deep things of God," reveals this; it is the extraordinary work of the Spirit of God, as He searches the deep things of God, that discloses this truth to us. Therefore, since it is so, it should not be taken lightly. You might say, "It is true; all must come through Jesus
Christ." Well, you see a glimpse of it initially, but there is much more to this truth than we realise. This truth is the most beneficial of all the truths found in the Bible. There is no growth in godliness until we come to know God in Christ. Knowledge of God provides something to work on the heart, and many struggle against their sin because they see it as against God's law and engage in duties because
God requires them, which is commendable. However, until they genuinely understand the mystery of the Gospel, of God revealing
Himself to His people through a mediator, they fumble in their pursuit of godliness; they do not thrive and grow in it. Thus,
Christians living under a ministry where, despite receiving many good truths, they have little understanding of the mystery of Christ as the mediator, their Christian walk remains shallow, and they do not sanctify God in their conduct. I recall a statement by Erasmus when he was urged to write against Luther, with the promise of a great bishopric as a reward. He replied, "Luther is greater than I can argue against, for I have learned more from one small page of Luther than from the entire work of Thomas Aquinas, the great Scholastic theologian." Therefore, understanding even one truth, one sentence about the mystery of the Gospel, in this manner of God's selfcommunication through Christ, instructs the soul and causes it to thrive and grow in godliness far more than thousands of sermons on mere moral principles. There is an excellent passage that illustrates this in Ephesians 3:17 and beyond, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." Note what follows, "That ye might be filled with all the fullness of God" (verse 19). By coming to know God in Christ, that is, understanding that Christ is the means by which God communicates
Himself to us, we become filled with all the fullness of God. Many Christians have spiritually impoverished and empty hearts because they know so little of God in Christ within this mystery of the Gospel.
Lastly, there is no truth revealed in all the Scriptures by which we can honour God as much as by this one. Indeed, this is the greatest honour that God desires in the world—to be honoured in His Son and in the grand design He has of bringing forth glorious things
through His Son. Therefore, even if we know a great deal about God and wish to honour Him solely as the Creator of heaven and earth,
God does not accept that honour; it is merely honouring Him in a natural way. We do not truly know how to honour God correctly, so as to be accepted by Him, until we come to honour Him in an Evangelical way, to honour Him in His Son. Yet, for the most part, even in the Church of God, many offer honour to Him merely in a natural way, rather than through this spiritual Evangelical service of God. Now you see the importance of this point; let us delve into it.
First, I will demonstrate the truth of it in Scripture.
Second, I will explain how it is that no good can be communicated to us from God for eternal life except through Christ.
Third, I will elucidate how Christ becomes the means and conduit for all good from His Father to us.
Fourth, I will provide examples of some significant matters, great things in which most of God's goodness is conveyed to us, and demonstrate how in these matters, Christ is all in all to us.
Fifth, I will present the reasons why God has chosen this method of communicating Himself to us through His Son, why He does not communicate Himself to us directly, but through a mediator. These are the five aspects of the doctrinal part.
Regarding the first point, the Scripture consistently supports this notion, particularly in the New Testament. Consider the words of Christ in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." It is clear that there is no approach to the Father except through Christ, and Christ is the way.
In 1 Corinthians 3, towards the end of the chapter, the Apostle
asserts, "All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours." How is this so? Note, "All are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." God the Father is the source of all goodness; everything primarily emanates from Him. However, it does not come directly from Him. He does not say, "All are yours because you belong to God, and therefore everything is yours." Instead, He says,
"All are yours, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God."
Thus, you can see how Christ intercedes between you and God.
All good resides in God; that is true. However, how can we partake in that goodness? There is such a vast separation between these two terms, "yours" and "God's," that if Christ were not in the middle, they would never unite. Christ's intervention and connection bring them together, and then all things are yours because you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. To understand this better, consider God the Father as the source of all goodness and Christ as a cistern, and from Him, pipes are conveyed to every believer. Faith acts as the mouth that attaches to each pipe, drawing from God, but this goodness flows from God through Christ. The Father fills the Son with all goodness, and it reaches the soul of every believer through the Son by faith. Although this analogy may be too simplistic for the profound mystery we are about to explore, it conveys the Holy
Spirit's intent.
We find another remarkable expression of this mystery in the Epistle to the Ephesians, particularly in chapters 2 and 3. In chapter 2, verse
12, after stating that they were once without hope and without God in the world, the Apostle goes on to say in verse 13, "But now in Christ
Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." It is through the blood of Christ that you have any connection with God. Ephesians 3:12 continues to elucidate this
truth, stating, "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him." Here, "in whom" refers to Christ. In Christ, we gain boldness and access to God. "Boldness" implies the freedom to speak openly before God, and "access" refers to being led by the hand of Christ to the Father. There is no approach to the Father except through Christ, and Christ takes a believer by the hand and leads them to the Father, granting them boldness. It is as if a traitor were banished from the court and the prince, serving as a mediator, took the traitor by the hand, saying, "Come, I will lead you to my father. Though you have offended him, being in my hand, you need not fear, and you can go before him with boldness and confidence." This illustrates the meaning of the text: "In Christ, we have boldness and access with confidence." Although there was once a dreadful rift between the Father and us, being led by the hand of Christ grants us access and the freedom to speak. The truth is evident throughout the Gospel.
Now, if you wish to understand how it is that even though God, in His nature, is infinitely merciful and the fountain of all goodness, there seems to be an obstacle preventing even a single drop of this mercy from being communicated to humanity except through this specific way, let me explain. This situation arises due to the breach of the initial covenant God made with humanity. Only humans and angels, human and angelic natures, are capable of entering into a covenant with God, speaking of a covenant in the strict sense. Since they are capable of this way of interaction with God, God initially established a covenant with them and intended to convey and share
His goodness with them through that covenant. However, since this covenant was broken, resulting in a rupture between God and humanity, there is a blockade due to that breach. Consequently, no goodness can now be obtained through the first covenant, which has
been broken, and unless there is a second covenant, no goodness can be expected at all.
Furthermore, there exists an infinite gap between God and us, making it impossible for us to come together. This gap is not so much due to God's inherent excellence and our lowly status as it is due to the vastness of His holiness and our impurity and sinfulness; this is what creates the divide.
Additionally, there is the formidable influence of the law. The curse of the law hangs over every soul by default, acting as a barrier. The curse of the law is akin to a vessel sealed so tightly that not a drop of liquid can be poured into it. It stands between us and mercy, particularly as God views us merely in our natural state, without considering His Son.
Then, there are the demands of infinite Justice against humanity, which must be satisfied. Until Justice is appeased, mercy remains dormant unless it can provide satisfaction to Justice. So, when you consider these factors—the breach of the initial covenant, the chasm between God's holiness and human sinfulness, the grip of the curse of the law on humanity, and the cries of divine Justice that will not be silenced until satisfied—it becomes evident that receiving mercy from God is a distant possibility, despite Him being an infinite source of mercy. Unless there is an extraordinary means of conveying it to us, we remain far from receiving His mercy. We know from God's dealings with the fallen angels that there is no way to extend mercy to them; they are left to perish forever. If thousands of angels who fell from God were to cry out for mercy for thousands of thousands of years, they would not receive a single drop. Why?
Because there is no mediator between God and them. Our fate would have been the same as theirs if there had not been a mediator
between God and us. Many people think that if they acknowledge their sins and believe in God's infinite mercy, they will be fine.
However, I must emphasize that even though God is infinitely merciful, if you have no connection to Christ, you may be lost forever.
But how is Christ all in all to us in God's communication of good to us?
The first foundation of all this is the covenant established by God the Father with His Son from all eternity. Therefore, in Titus 1:2, the Apostle speaks of "the promise of life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." This promise can only refer to the covenant between the Father and the Son. Thus, the Apostle declares in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." In this passage, the Spirit of God in the Gospel unveils the eternal thoughts and intentions of God concerning us, as well as the dealings between the Father and the Son regarding humanity before the world existed. With the covenant in place between the Father and the Son, and the Father's requirement within this covenant for satisfaction of infinite divine justice, Christ willingly complies with this requirement.
Therefore, in the second place, Christ becomes the means of conveyance by taking on our human nature. He makes us reconcilable to God by uniting human nature closely to the divine nature of the second person in the Trinity. This union results in only one person, a personal union, which is a profound mystery of the Gospel. There are two great mysteries in the Gospel: the first is the mystery of the Trinity, where there are several persons in one nature,
and the second is the mystery of the hypostatic union, where there are multiple natures in one person. So, when Christ took human nature into such a close union with Himself, it was a significant preparation for God to consider peace with human nature rather than with the angels. Christ's humility in this act carries meritorious efficacy in the work of reconciling God to humanity, but it alone was not sufficient.
Therefore, in the third place, Christ willingly came into the world to become the head of a second covenant between God and humanity.
He agreed to fulfill whatever God the Father required to satisfy divine Justice. Just as Adam, by being the head of the first covenant, was the means of conveying all evil to us, Christ, as the head of the second covenant, is the means of conveying all good to us. Through His submission, we receive all grace and mercy from God. This was the only way it could be, for if God had left it to us to fulfill the terms of the second covenant, we would have broken it just as we did the first. Christ, by becoming the head of the second covenant and performing everything required by the Father, including perfect obedience to the law and satisfaction to divine Justice, left divine
Justice with nothing to charge against those whom Christ undertook to satisfy for. This was a powerful means by which God extended His grace and mercy to the souls of believers. What hinders the flow of His mercy? It is the curse of the law and the demands of divine
Justice. However, Christ, by undertaking to bear that curse and satisfy divine Justice, restored as much honor to God through His suffering as was lost through human sin. Thus, human sin is compensated, and that is what Justice demands. Justice declares, "I have been dishonored by sin, and I must have this dishonor made up through suffering—suffering that restores as much honor as was lost through sin." These are the conditions upon which God will be reconciled to humanity, and on no other terms. Reflect on this, and
you will understand the infinite necessity of Christ. God is with us on these terms: He says, "You have sinned against Me and dishonored
Me. How do you propose to be delivered?" Humanity responds, "Lord, You are merciful." God affirms, "Yes, but I have resolved on this: I will receive as much honor through suffering as was lost through sinning." What would have become of us if we had been left to mend this breach ourselves? This is precisely why the damned in hell suffer eternally because they are there on these terms. God, being infinite, is dishonored, and they must remain there until God receives as much honor through their suffering as He lost through their sin. Even after thousands of years, the honor of God still demands more, and thus they must remain in hell forever. However,
Christ, the great Savior, enters into a covenant with God, fulfills that covenant, and offers God a price that allows Him to regain as much honor through Christ's suffering for sin as was lost through the commission of sin. With this accomplished, the flow of mercy is unblocked, and the channels are opened. God, who is infinitely gracious and merciful in His nature, has created a glorious pathway for the streams of His mercy to flow freely to the children of men.
And consider this one particular aspect further, and then we shall conclude this section: In this, we can see that when God forgives sin and shows mercy to sinful creatures, He acts justly, not just mercifully. Therefore, the passage in Romans 3:25-26 is quite significant (a passage that troubled Martin Luther for a while regarding its meaning): "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." This troubled
Luther because it seemed strange that God would declare His righteousness in the forgiveness of sins. While everyone knows that
God declares His mercy, the idea that God declares His righteousness, and that Christ is set as a propitiation for this purpose, may appear unusual. The Holy Ghost even repeats it, emphasizing, "To declare, I say, his righteousness." It's as if to say, consider that when God pardons sin, He not only reveals His grace and mercy but also proclaims His righteousness so that He may be considered just while justifying those who believe in Jesus. This illustrates the path Christ takes to be the means of conveying God's goodness to us—by fulfilling the covenant and thus satisfying divine
Justice.
Lastly, He is the means of conveying good to us not only through His satisfaction but also through His intercession. He is now and forever seated at the right hand of the Father in glory, interceding for His people. He continually presents before the Father the work of His mediation, His merits, everything He has done and suffered, and pleads for the transmission of all necessary mercy and goodness to the souls and bodies of His redeemed people. It's as if He is eternally saying to the Father, "Father, behold here is my blood, my merits, my death, all my sufferings, the work of my humiliation. It is for these, yes, for this poor soul and that poor soul in particular." Christ does not only think of believers in a general sense but takes into account every individual believer. He continuously presents His infinite merits to the Father, pleading for the supply of all grace and mercy to us. Thus, He becomes an infinite conduit of good to the souls of His people, being all in all to them both in this life and for all eternity.
That covers the third aspect—how Christ becomes the means of conveyance.
Now, let's move on to the fourth aspect: specific instances where we receive things from God and how Christ is everything in those matters. Firstly, consider the point of justification and the
forgiveness of our sins, our acceptance as righteous. This is the primary need we have from God, and Christ is everything to us in this regard. It is the essence of the Gospel, as Romans 3:24 states,
"Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ." Luther had this to say about justification: "In matters of justification, Christ and faith must be solely paired together; they must be alone, with nothing else. But in our daily lives, good works come into play, just as it is between the bridegroom and the bride. In the bridal chamber, only the bridegroom and the bride are present.
However, when they go out in public, they are accompanied by their attendants and servants. So, he compares justification to the bridal chamber—only Christ and faith must be there. But in our daily lives, all other graces accompany us, and good works come into play. But Christ is everything in this context."
First, it is not all we have done, nor even all that we can possibly do, that can justify us. You might think, "True, we have done very little at present." However, imagine that you could do your utmost in any aspect that God demands. You might hope that if you do your best,
God will accept it. But you are greatly mistaken if you believe so.
People often tend to view God as if the terms between God and themselves are simply this: God is merciful and compassionate, and though we are weak and can do very little, if we do our best, God will accept our intention as equivalent to the action. However, God does not accept mere intentions as deeds for justification. While it's true that, for those who are already justified, God accepts their intentions in the performance of duties and takes pleasure in them, in the matter of justification, particularly regarding the pardon of sin and acceptance as righteous, God requires perfect obedience. Despite all our efforts, unless we can present to God a perfect righteousness, we are eternally condemned. Even Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David,
Daniel, the Prophets, and the Apostles would have been lost forever
if they did not possess a righteousness beyond their own. If they did not offer a perfect righteousness to their Father, all their righteousness would have been insufficient. Therefore, you should not rely on the belief that you are doing your best and have good intentions and desires. Even if all the righteousness of all the righteous individuals in the world were combined in one person, it would still be inadequate for their justification. You might argue that you can do very little by yourself, but if God enables you, then He will accept you. However, it's essential to understand that not even what
God enables you to do can serve as the formality of your justification.
The terms between God and you are such that nothing you can do on your own, or even with divine enablement, is accepted as your righteousness for eternal life.
Perhaps you'll say, "True, even with God's enablement, there may be imperfections, but God is merciful and will overlook them." To address this, I provide another consideration: it's not just about what you can do or what you can be enabled to do. Even if you consider
God's mercy, when viewed merely as God's mercy to His creation and not in the context of Christ and the acceptance of a righteousness beyond your own, it cannot contribute to your justification. This is a common misconception. Many believe that their own abilities and actions, when combined with God's mercy, will suffice. They believe that when they have done something, God will then add His mercy to it as a supplement. However, it is not the combination of these factors that justifies you, especially when you view mercy from this perspective.
To clarify further, consider it this way: the role of God's mercy in justification is not to justify or make up for any deficiencies in your righteousness. Instead, the work of God's mercy in justifying a soul is to redirect that soul away from self-righteousness. It is to reveal to
the soul its own unrighteousness and impurity. This is a significant and powerful work of God's mercy. I recall that Luther once said of himself that, during his time as a Papist, he was obedient out of conscience rather than for worldly gain or livelihood. But even so, he believed that what he considered to be gain was a loss. He did not consider it enough to act conscientiously and expect God's mercy to compensate for the rest. He had moved away from that perspective.
Therefore, it is not the role of mercy to do this; instead, it unveils to the soul a higher form of righteousness—namely, the righteousness of the mediator, who is both God and man. It empowers the soul, through faith, to offer this righteousness to God the Father as satisfaction. This is the role of God's mercy in justification.
Misunderstanding the role of God's mercy in influencing our justification can be extremely dangerous. We must be very cautious when it comes to this crucial point of justification, as everything hinges on it. I remember Luther saying that it is easy to declare that we embrace God's grace and the righteousness of Christ alone in matters of justification until the soul experiences a conflict. In times of troubled conscience, it becomes the most challenging thing in the world to do so. The people of God have certainly encountered this difficulty during times of troubled conscience. This covers the first aspect: Christ is everything in the matter of justification.
Secondly, he is all in all in the matter of adoption, as the Scripture affirms in Galatians 3:26, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus," and in Galatians 4:4-5, "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Especially noteworthy is John
1:12, which states, "But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." The word translated as "power" in the Greek carries a deeper
meaning—it signifies that he gave them authority to become the sons of God, not just the ability. Many may lay claim to being children of God, but only those who are in Christ have the authority to claim it as their rightful status. If a stranger were to declare himself the King's son and heir to the Crown, he would be in grave danger because he is not truly the King's child. However, if someone is declared by an Act of Parliament to be the legitimate heir to the Crown, then he has the authority to make that claim. The same principle applies here: when we are in Christ, we gain the authority to assert our privilege of being the sons of God and heirs of heaven.
This incredible privilege, which is far beyond our deserving, is granted to us in Christ, not only through the overflowing merit of his work but also through our union with him. We are joined to Christ in a profound way; we are spiritually wedded to him, united with his person, and thus become sons by virtue of his sonship. Consequently, we are the sons of God in a higher sense than the Angels, who are sons by creation. We, on the other hand, are the sons of God in Christ, through our mystical union with him. Christ is the Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, and through our union with him, we also become sons of God. In this aspect, Christ is all in all.
Furthermore, in terms of reconciliation and peace with God, Christ is all in all. Romans 5:1 declares, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." No amount of created power in heaven and earth can bring true peace to a troubled soul. There is no balm for a wounded spirit other than the application of the blood of Christ. He alone is the brazen Serpent capable of healing the wounds of a troubled conscience. As Luther aptly puts it, bringing comfort to an afflicted conscience is a more challenging task than raising the dead. Many fail to comprehend why some individuals are so troubled in their consciences. However, I must emphasize that were it not for a mighty redeemer, the
conscience of a person who apprehends the wrath of God against them could never find peace. Thus, Christ is all in all in this matter of reconciliation and peace with God.
And so He is all in all in the matter of all our sanctification, specifically sanctification leading to eternal life. The Scripture mentions a general type of sanctification that, in some way, emanates from Christ. However, I am referring to the sanctification that pertains to our spiritual life. As you are aware, the Scripture states in John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life," and in John 1:16, "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." The fullness of Christ is imparted into the soul, so our sanctification is not merely meritorious but also efficient.
Furthermore, it is to some extent material, for not only does He merit it and work it through His Spirit, but through our union with Him, sanctification flows into us as the very principle of our life. Just as blood flows from the liver into all parts of the body, through our union with Christ, sanctification flows into the souls of the Saints. In this case, sanctification does not primarily result from their striving, efforts, vows, or resolutions; rather, it flows to them through their embrace of Christ and their union with Him. A great deal of striving and endeavouring may prove entirely ineffective if it lacks recourse to Christ as the source and fount of all grace and holiness. I recall a German divine who admitted that before he grasped the grace of Christ in the Gospel, he made countless vows and covenants but could never overcome his corruptions. It was only when he understood that God's grace flows through Christ that he gained strength against them. The reason we often fail in sanctification is that we attempt to achieve it solely through our own efforts. The more effective approach is to have faith in Christ, and then life and grace will flow into the soul. While many moralities can be attained through natural light and the remnants of that light within us, they
do not constitute sanctification leading to eternal life. That is why the sanctification of the Saints possesses such beauty and glory, as Christ is all in all in it. It is also why it carries immense power and strength, deriving from the strength of Christ, for He is all in all in it.
Consequently, it is of a lasting nature and an immortal seed, exceeding the nature of Adam's innocence, which was lost but cannot be lost here, all because Christ is all in all in it. Thus, Christ is all in our sanctification as well.
Moreover, He is all in all in times of need, regardless of what we lack.
Whether it is grace, gifts, or worldly comforts that we lack, Christ is sufficient. He stands in place of all these things, surpassing them all, and He will provide all in due time. Those who know Christ and have a relationship with Him can draw upon Him for supply, even if they experience the loss of various comforts. They possess the skill, art, and mystery of godliness, allowing them to make Christ all in all in times of need. Understanding how to find fullness in Christ when everything else is lacking is a profound skill and mystery of godliness.
Again, Christ is everything to the Saints in the enjoyment of all things. Even when they partake of creature comforts, Christ is their primary delight. Their satisfaction does not solely arise from having material possessions, larger estates, more friends, or greater comforts than others. Instead, their joy comes from knowing how to find Christ in all these things. They see these blessings as a fruit of the covenant that God has established with them in Christ and as gifts flowing from the fountain of God's eternal love and mercy in His
Son. In Zechariah 9:11, God declares, "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water." This reference to the deliverance of prisoners can be applied to all the mercies that a believer experiences. Every
deliverance from evil and every good they possess comes through the blood of the covenant. A believer can look at every meal they have and all the blessings they enjoy and see them as flowing to them through the blood of Christ, making them all the sweeter. It's like the sun's warmth, which is not as intense when it shines through the air alone compared to when it passes through a burning-glass. When sunlight is concentrated through a burning-glass, it becomes more powerful, even to the point of causing a fire. Similarly, the goodness of God that comes to people through His general bounty and patience lacks the power to warm and inflame their hearts and draw them closer to God. But Christ is like the burning-glass held between God and the soul, and when God's mercy passes through this burning-glass, it warms and enlivens outward comforts.
Consequently, there is no one in the world who can enjoy worldly comforts with as much contentment as the people of God, for all their blessings come through Christ. Christ is everything to them in the enjoyment of all things. And I could go on to explain how He will continue to be everything to us in Heaven for all eternity.
Now, let me share one more aspect: just as He is everything to us in the blessings we receive from God, He is also everything in everything we offer back to God, in our descent from God to us and in our ascent from us to God. Christ must be central in our offerings, no matter how good they may be. Even when our offerings are spiritual, they must find acceptance with the Father through Christ.
This point is emphasized in 1 Peter 2:5: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Take note of "to offer up spiritual sacrifices." Although the sacrifices are spiritual, that alone is insufficient for acceptance; Christ must also be involved.
Therefore, the verse adds, "acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Many people may offer sacrifices and believe that is enough, but the people
of God do not rest merely in the duty or even in the spirituality of the duty, although spirituality is considered significant. They take one step further, and this is what you must do in all your offerings to God. Not only should you ensure that your offerings are spiritual, but you must also present them to God in the hands of Jesus Christ and anticipate acceptance through Him. When you approach God in all your acts of worship, make sure not to neglect the work of faith by laying hold of Christ and bringing Him along with you; otherwise, your service will not be accepted. We know that in the Old Testament sacrifices, although they were good, were not accepted unless brought to the priest, and the priest had to offer the sacrifice for them to be accepted. This was a foreshadowing of Christ's priestly role. Christ's priestly work involves taking all the sacrifices we present to the Father and offering them on our behalf, for we must not presume to offer them ourselves. Even if we offer a sacrifice that is excellent, it will not be accepted unless it is offered on the right altar, which is Christ Himself. In all that we offer to God, whether in worship or service, we must look toward the Temple, toward Christ, for He is everything in ensuring the acceptance of our offerings.
And thus, we have concluded with the fourth particular, demonstrating where Christ is all in all.
However, one might ask, why does God choose this method of revealing Himself to humanity rather than the way we might think, relying on the light of nature and reason? It's true, we are sinners, but God is merciful, and we will seek and cry out to Him for forgiveness, mercy, and deliverance from our sins. Why wouldn't
God save us in this way? I won't engage in a debate about the feasibility of this approach, but we know that this is not the chosen path.
Therefore, we must now inquire into why God prefers this unconventional path over any other. In truth, when we consider it properly, it is a remarkable path. There is nothing in the world that more deeply affects a person's heart, inspiring adoration and awe for God within the mystery of the Gospel, than understanding that God has a unique method of revealing Himself to humanity, distinct from Angels and all other creatures. This method involves the second person in the Trinity taking on human nature, suffering, dying, and being the sole channel through which we receive God's mercy. This is an extraordinary mystery of godliness and should occupy our serious contemplation.
Now, if you desire to know the reason behind it, firstly, it is so that God can demonstrate to all human beings the immense chasm their sins have created between God and them. We can hardly fathom a way to illustrate this divide more clearly than by this means. When we comprehend that, by nature, we were in such a condition and had strayed so far from God that there was no means of receiving any good from Him except through this extraordinary and wondrous method of a mediator between God and humanity—someone who would obey, suffer, and die for us—we must realise that there was indeed a profound distinction between God and us. Man's state was profoundly low, and his condition was exceedingly dire, requiring such an extraordinary remedy. God wants humanity to comprehend the extent of the breach between Him and their souls, a breach that few truly understand. Even if I were to expound the law to you with all its curses and present the torments of hell before you, none of this could convey the dreadful nature of the breach between you and God as effectively as this point, which reveals that the breach necessitated such a strange and wondrous means for God to be reconciled and appeased towards you.
Secondly, God has chosen this path because He sees it as the most advantageous means to manifest His glory, particularly the glory of His mercy. There is no way, devised by humans or angels, to portray
God's mercy in the salvation of mankind more effectively than through this method. If God had simply said to humanity, "You have sinned against me, but I am merciful and will forgive you," that would have been glorious. However, infinitely more mercy is displayed when God declares, "You wretched creatures have sinned against me, and your condition is so dire that unless the Son of my bosom becomes a curse for you, there can be no mercy for you. I am willing to offer Him up, not sparing Him, but giving Him as a curse to prepare mercy for you." This is a truly glorious act. Therefore, when Christ was born, the angels sang, "Glory to God in the highest"
(Luke 2:14). It was as if they were saying, "This is the pinnacle of God's glory, to provide such a way of reconciliation with the children of humanity." God was so committed to the task of showing mercy to humanity that He was willing to endure His Son's death. This demonstrates the depth of His infinite mercy and love when it overcomes such significant obstacles. This is the glory of His mercy. nd secondly, there is the glory of His justice: God reveals the glory of His justice more in this way of reconciling man to Himself than if all mankind had been eternally condemned. God's justice would not have been honoured as much in that scenario as it is in His way of reconciling man. This is for two reasons: Firstly, because in Christ,
God's justice is actively glorified, whereas if all men had eternally perished, it would have been glorified passively. To have it actively glorified is more significant than passively. Just as God takes more pleasure in active obedience than in passive obedience, He takes more pleasure in the active glory of His justice than in the passive aspect (though there is a sense of activeness in suffering, as seen in Christ's suffering; therefore, the distinction between active and
passive is unnecessary, for His active obedience was passive, and His passive obedience had an element of activeness in it).
Secondly, God's justice is now perfectly glorified; the debt is fully paid. If all mankind had been damned, the debt would have been in the process of being paid, but it would never have been fully paid for all eternity. It's like when a poor man owes a thousand pounds and pays two pence a week; he may be making payments, but he can never pay off the entire debt in his lifetime. However, if a wealthy man were to come and pay the full amount at once on his behalf, the debt would then be fully paid. This is much more significant than it perpetually being paid off. So, I say, if all mankind had been eternally damned, God would have had the debt in the process of being paid, but it would never have been completely paid. But now, Christ comes and makes the payment in full, placing it before Justice, asking whether it is satisfied. Therefore, Justice is more glorified in this way.
Thirdly, the infinite glory of His wisdom is displayed in reconciling Justice and Mercy together—God being infinitely merciful and just simultaneously. This is something that no angel in heaven could ever have imagined. Suppose God had said to all the angels in heaven,
"Mankind is in a lost and hopeless condition, yet I am willing to save them in a way that reconciles infinite mercy and justice." If they had all consulted together, they could not possibly have conceived how this could be accomplished. Only the infinite wisdom of God, and nothing else, could have devised such a method where God could be both infinitely merciful and just at the same time.
Fourthly, the infiniteness of God's holiness is made manifest through this. If God had simply shown His mercy throughout the world without further action, His holiness and abhorrence of sin would not
have been as evident as it is now when nothing but the death of His Son can expiate sin. If God were to take any of you to the brink of hell and allow you to witness the torments of the damned and hear their cries under the fruits of divine wrath, you would exclaim, "How God hates sin!" Yet, be aware that in the sufferings of Christ, there is a greater demonstration of God's abhorrence of sin than in all the torments of hell. To truly understand how infinitely hateful sin is to God, come and witness Christ, both God and man, suffering under the wrath of His Father. Look upon Him in the garden, sweating drops of blood; follow Him to the Cross and hear His cry in the bitterness of His soul: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Behold Jesus Christ, God-man, who was God blessed forever, made a curse for sin and for your sin. In this reflection, you can see
God's hatred of sin. There are two mirrors in which we see the evil of sin: the bright crystal mirror of the law and the red mirror of Christ's suffering. The latter more fully and sensibly reveals the nature of sin and God's hatred of it. By this, you can understand 2 Corinthians
3:18, where the Apostle, speaking of the mystery of the Gospel, says, "But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, etc." We see only God's back parts in His works, as God said to Moses; we see only the footprints of God in His works. But when we behold Him in Christ, we see Him with an open face. Consider the difference between knowing a man when you only see the imprint of his foot in the sand and when you look him in the face. That is the difference between knowing God and His glory as displayed in the works of creation and as displayed in the face of Christ. To manifest
His glory, God chose not to pardon sin as freely as saying, "You have sinned, but I will have compassion on you and forgive you, and that's the end." No, even though He would pardon sin, He would do it in this manner.
A third reason why God would bring about things in this manner is that God foresaw no other way to draw poor sinners to Himself as effectively as this. When God reveals to a sinner that He is not only merciful but has also provided such a unique way to convey His mercy, it has a powerful effect in drawing the soul to God. The poor soul, realizing its own guiltiness and God's hatred of sin, also understands that God's heart is set on this way of mercy. This acts as a compelling argument for the soul to draw near to God in dependence upon Him. The soul may reason, "If God, in His infinite wisdom, has provided such an extraordinary way of conveying mercy to sinners, and He has revealed to me the mystery of the Gospel and His desire to show mercy in this way, then the Lord is willing to be reconciled to me. Why should I remain unbelieving? Why should I have doubts about God? You cannot desire your soul's salvation more than God desires to magnify His grace and mercy, and God has done more for you than you can possibly do for your own salvation.
Furthermore, this is a compelling argument because it removes the infinite distance that conscience apprehended between God and the soul. When the soul recognizes that Christ is the mediator between God and itself, this distance no longer appears daunting. Even all your guilt, filthiness, and pollution, as well as the accusations of the law, need not discourage you when you see that you have access to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, no soul can stand back and say,
'How do I know this applies to me?' Just remember this one rule: nothing can bring the soul to Christ except Christ Himself. There is no preparation for Christ; Christ must be everything in it. So, do not puzzle yourself about your preparations. Instead, present to your soul the mystery of the Gospel in this glorious way of God's selfcommunication to you and the reconciliation of man to Himself. The very efficacy of these truths will have a profound impact on your heart, drawing you to God in this path of reconciliation, which is the path of true comfort.
The Gospel itself, even without any prior preparation, has the power to draw the heart to Christ because Christ is everything in it. Do not say, 'I am a poor, insignificant creature; I can do nothing. I cannot remember a sermon, I cannot pray, or perform any good duty as I should.' Well, remember, soul, that Christ is everything. It is true that if something were required of you in the matter of salvation, it might be somewhat concerning your weakness.
However, understand that God has placed help upon One who is mighty.
Therefore, it is not your weakness or the distance between God and you that can hinder you if you rightly apprehend God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
Another reason for this could be that God does it to eternally endear His mercy to His saints. Nothing endears God's mercy to them as much as seeing it coming to them through such a unique method of conveyance. What will endear God's mercy to the saints in heaven for all eternity will not be so much the blessings they receive but the extraordinary and wonderful way through which they receive them.
This, I say, will occupy the hearts and be a significant part of the glorified saints' work in heaven for all eternity: admiring, adoring, and praising God in Jesus Christ.
And then God delights to honour his Son, and to exalt Him, He makes Him the means of conveying all good to those whom He intends it for. It's as if a king were to honour his son; what better way could he choose than to decree that all the favour he intends to bestow on anyone should come solely through his son? In the same way, when God the Father desires to honour His Son, He decrees from all eternity that all the grace and mercy anyone will receive from Him will only come through His Son. Therefore, just as Christ says, "All judgment is committed to the Son, that all men might honour the Son as they honour the Father," I can say about God's
work and dispensation of grace that everything is conveyed to Christ, and through Him, it is communicated to those who have an interest in Him, so that the Son may be honoured for all eternity.
I will conclude with a few words of application to impress upon you what has been said.
First, if it is so, let us pause for a moment and marvel at the depths of God's counsel and the infinite glory of the riches of His grace towards mankind. That God should ever have such thoughts towards such insignificant creatures as we are, and that He chose not to let such despicable creatures perish eternally but to show mercy to them in such a unique way - truly, brethren, God has accomplished more in bringing a poor soul to Himself than in creating heaven and earth.
The work of creating heaven and earth is but a lesser feat when compared to this extraordinary way of conveying His grace and mercy to the children of men through His Son. This is the masterpiece of God's works, whether already done or to be done for all eternity. God deserves to be admired and adored for this. We should glorify God in every created thing, but how much more should we sanctify His name when we behold His glory in His humblest works? If it is a sin not to sanctify the name of God when we witness His glory in His most modest works, then how great a sin is it not to sanctify the name of God when we contemplate the mystery of the Gospel and His glory shining in the face of Jesus
Christ! God expects (brethren) that those living under the Gospel should dedicate their days, thoughts, and conversations to the contemplation of the glory He has revealed in His Son. For those of you with frivolous and worldly spirits who can squander your precious thoughts on such trivial matters, know that there is an object worthy of your thoughts. Your sin is even greater when you waste your thoughts on vanities while God presents to you such a
glorious object to engage your hearts. Those of you who have more time and greater wealth than others, and are not as occupied with the necessities of life, but have greater opportunities for the worship and service of God, and for delving into His truth - how do you squander your time on frivolous and trivial matters, as if there were no greater issues to engage your hearts! It is a sign of a vain and frivolous spirit that, when God presents such glorious things to you, you are content to fritter away your time on vanity and matters that will not profit you. If you want evidence for your souls that Christ is everything to you and will be for all eternity, take it from this: if God has ever opened your eyes to behold His glory in the mystery of the Gospel, and your heart has been captivated and overwhelmed by it, then it is proof that you are indeed the soul whom God has received in His mercy through His Christ. But, as the Apostle says, "If our Gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are lost." Many hear the Gospel, yet it remains hidden to them. It is hidden to you if you merely speak of Christ in a formal manner, thinking it sufficient to say, "I hope to be saved by God in Jesus Christ." But do you see in the Gospel that which fills your heart with wonder, eclipsing all the glory of the world? Do you perceive more of God's glory shining in that one sentence, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," than you do in the entire creation of heaven and earth? You may hope to get to heaven, but what would you do there?
The work of saints and angels in heaven, when joined together, is to magnify God for this great work of His. So begin this work here and give God the glory for the great things He has done for the children of men.
The second use should have been this: If Christ is thus all in all, then let us thank God that we ever knew Christ and that the mystery of the Gospel has been revealed to us. Without this grace of God in the
Gospel being revealed to us, we would have been without God in the world. What would have become of us if this grace of God in the Gospel had not been revealed to us? Could you have ever thought of it yourselves? Could it ever have entered into your hearts? Certainly not, nor into the heart of any creature in heaven or earth. Therefore, blessed are your ears that hear the things which you hear, and blessed are your eyes that see the things which you see. Know that when you come to live under the ministry of the Gospel, you enjoy the greatest mercy that you have had since your birth. Coming under a powerful ministry that reveals Christ and brings the day of salvation to the soul is nothing other than the fruit of Jesus Christ's prayer for that soul. Compare Isaiah 49:8 with 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, and you will see this. Isaiah 49:8 says, "Thus saith the Lord, in an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee, etc." It is apparent from the context that this refers to Christ, and God the Father is speaking to His Son. Well, what is this acceptable time and day of salvation in which Christ is heard? Look at 2 Corinthians 6:1-2. In the previous chapter, Paul had told them that they were ambassadors for Christ. He says, "We then, as workers together with God, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain." Now, what is this grace of God? It is the ministry of the Gospel. For He saith, "I have heard thee in a time accepted." And note how he applies it, "Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation." It's as if he were saying: "The acceptable time and day of salvation in which God the Father has heard Christ is now, when we, the ambassadors of Christ, come and open the mystery of the Gospel to you. Now is the time in which God the Father hears the Son for you." What a mercy is this, and what an obligation it places upon you! When you hear anything of the mystery of the Gospel opened to you, consider it as the result of Jesus Christ's prayer, and when God sends a faithful minister to any congregation, it is the fruit of Christ's prayer. Christ prays, "O Father,
let there be an acceptable time for such a people, for such a man and woman." Perhaps they have long lived in ignorance and profaneness, but Christ has been praying to the Father for them. When this acceptable time comes, then God arranges it so that this person will leave such a wicked family and live in a godly family or come to such a sermon where they will hear the wonderful things of the Gospel explained. They will come to understand this great mystery of God revealing Himself through Christ to His people, and the Lord will renew them by a work of grace, turning their hearts towards Him.
This is the acceptable time when God reveals the mystery of the Gospel to any soul. Therefore, bless God for this.
Thirdly, this shows how precious Jesus Christ should be to us. Oh, how should we delight in Him, the One who brings the treasuries of grace from the Father's bosom and opens them to us! He not only reveals the Father's mind to us but also pours out the riches of God's goodness upon us. It was stopped before, but Christ, as it were, opened the floodgates and let the stream of grace and mercy flow upon us. How dear, then, should Christ be to us! It was the testimony of that martyr, Master Lambert: "None but Christ, none but Christ."
Yes, when he suffered martyrdom for Christ, then none but Christ was dear to him because he saw that Christ was the means of conveying all good to him. If God now makes a man a means of conveying much good to a nation, everyone will be ready to look up to that man. But there has never been such a means of conveying good to us as Christ. So, how should our hearts love Him, treasure
Him, and rejoice at the very thought of Him! If you have a friend, and God makes that friend an instrument of mercy to you, how much more endeared are you to that friend! If a husband is an instrument of good to his wife, or a wife to her husband, or a minister to his congregation, and vice versa in all relationships. When we see others as instruments of conveying God's mercy to us, it is a powerful
reason to bind our hearts to them. Indeed, this is the way to gain love. Perhaps a wife complains that she lacks love from her husband, or a husband complains that he lacks love from his wife. Well, be as instrumental as you can in conveying the goodness of God to them, and this will greatly endear and unite them to you. And if this is true among humans, how much more should it be true between us and Christ, who is indeed the husband of His Church and through whom the fullness of God flows to His people! How precious and dear, then, should He be to us!
Fourthly, is Christ all in all? Then, if we have an interest in Him, it should satisfy and content us, even if we have nothing or are nothing in ourselves. Why? Because if we have Christ, we have everything.
Though you may lack abilities, friends, wealth, and outward comforts, know that Christ should be your all. Isn't He enough? As He said, "Am I not better to you than ten sons?" So says Christ to the soul, "What do you lack? You may want this comfort and that comfort, but am I not all in all to you, and better than all? Be willing even to be made nothing, for everything is fulfilled in Christ."
Furthermore, it should motivate us to be willing to surrender everything we have to Christ. Our all is but a meager all, yet give it to Christ—our abilities, wealth, interests, and reputations. Let Christ have everything because He is our all.
Let Him be the standard by which we value all things. As much as you see of Christ in anything, value it accordingly. It is said of Master
Bucer that if he could discern anything of Christ in a person, no matter how poor or lowly they were, his heart would embrace them.
Likewise, it is reported of Augustine that before his conversion, he took great pleasure in reading Cicero's works. However, he later remarked, "I find not the name Christ in all Cicero," and that turned
his heart away from such pursuits. So, in everything you enjoy, consider how much of Christ you see in it. Let your delight and esteem be directed toward it to the extent that you perceive Christ in it, and no further.
Moreover, with what fervent intent should the heart be directed towards Jesus Christ above all else! What if God bestows upon you wealth and honour in the world? Without Christ, you have nothing, nothing that paves the way for you to eternity. Therefore, do not be content with anything without Christ. As Abraham said, "What will
You give me, Lord, since I am childless?" You should likewise say, "Lord, You have given me a portion in the world, You have granted me honour and respect among people. But Lord, what is all of this to me if I lack Christ and do not have Him, who is the channel of grace to my soul, who is all in all? O Lord, You have taught me today that there is such a divide and breach between You and me that unless it is reconciled through a mediator, I shall perish eternally. Therefore, give me Christ, whatever else You deny me. Do not be satisfied with anything without Christ. Many hypocrites are content with gifts; if they possess gifts, they are content. Consider the parable in the Gospel of Matthew 13:45-46. The merchant sought after beautiful pearls, but when he found the pearl of great price, he went and sold all he had and bought it. Now, gifts, talents, and other accomplishments are those beautiful pearls. But Christ, He is the pearl of great price. Therefore, be willing to part with everything for Him. If God has revealed to you the pearl of great price, do not let beautiful pearls satisfy you. Many souls perish eternally because they are content with beautiful pearls and do not strive to obtain this pearl of great price.
Again, the application should further have been to encourage you to strive to internalize this truth: when seeking God, always bring