Christ Is All

Christ Is the Eternal Word and Image of God

1 Christ is the Word of God. “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1-6) “Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:11-16)

2 Christ is the visible image of the Invisible God. (Colossians 1:15) “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell” (Colossians 1:19) “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9) “Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” (John 5:18) “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9) “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3) “Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.” (Philippians 2:6)

3 Christ is all and in all. “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) “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6) “And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23) “He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.” (Ephesians 4:10)

4 Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.” (Revelation 2:8) “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:12-13) “Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.” (Isaiah 44:6) “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8) “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.” (Revelation 1:17-18) “And He told me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life.”(Revelation 21:6)

5 Christ is the Son of Man. “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56) “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days and came near before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not be taken away; And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14) “No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.”(John 3:13) “You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64) “But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? And Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-62) Again I looked, and this is what I saw: a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp sickle [of swift judgment] in His hand.(Rev 14:14) “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30)

6 Christ is the Son of God. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20) “Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” (John 5:18) “They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.” (John 10:33) “Then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?” (John 10:36) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16) “Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’”. (Matthew 16:16) “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:15) “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1) “And I myself have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:34) “The angel replied to her:” The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35) “And behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:17) “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8) Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!” (Matthew 14:33) We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:69) “What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24) “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22)

7 Christ is before everything (that is not God), and the beginning of everything. “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17) “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2) “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.” (John 17:5) “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58) “Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?” (John 6:62) “I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.” (John 16:28)

Christ Is Creator and Sustainer of All Things

8 Christ is the Creator. “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”. (Colossians 1:16) “He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.” (John 1:2-4)

9 Christ is the firstborn of all creation. Historically speaking, this signifies a position of preeminence or leadership; it’s rank, not birth order. In ancient biblical times, it was clearly understood that the firstborn in a family possessed special rights and inherited leadership. (Deuteronomy 21:17) “And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: ‘Let all God’s angels worship Him.” (Hebrews 1:6) “He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15)

10 Christ holds everything together and sustains. “He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.” (Colossians 1:17) “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3) “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.” (1 Cor 8:6)

11 Christ is supreme in everything. “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.” (Colossians 1:15-18) “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”(Philippians 2:9-11)

Christ Conquered Death and Leads the Church

12 Christ is the firstborn from the dead. (Colossians 1:18) He paved the way for the resurrection of all believers, implying a position of leadership and priority over those who will be raised later, as He is the first to experience eternal life through resurrection. While Jesus had resurrected people like Lazarus (John 11:38-44), Jairus’s daughter (Matthew 9:18–26), and the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11–16), the difference was that Jesus was the only human being to be resurrected in a glorified, immortal body. (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:42-58)

13 Christ is the Head of the church, Head of the Body of Christ. “He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything.” (Colossians 1:18) “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23)

Christ Alone Reconciles Us to God

14 By Christ alone, all things were reconciled to God and brought back into right relationship with Him, having made peace through Jesus’ blood shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:20) In CHRIST ALONE, by GRACE ALONE, through FAITH ALONE. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

15 Christ + Anything Else = Nothing. Christ and His work stand alone. If we try to add anything else to the message of Jesus’ work on the cross, or alter it, it empties the power of the cross, making it null and void. Example: We nullify in Christ Alone, by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, by opting for a works-based, legalistic religion, where we rely on our works to save us. Example: To be ashamed to proclaim the message of the cross, where we alter or modify the message to make it more palatable or less offensive, with the excuse that we want to win more souls. Example: We void Jesus’ work on the cross when we merge Christianity with philosophy, our traditions, or other religions that are not solely in line with Scripture. Example: We nullify in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, when we seek to intellectually change the clear, simple message of the cross, complicating it to elevate oneself in pride. “For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.” (1 Cor 1:17)

16 Christ is the Only Way. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].” (Acts 4:12) “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security). (John 10:9) “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (​1 Timothy 2:5) “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.​” (Romans 10:9) “Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:30-31)

What Was Nailed to the Cross

17 In Christ, all was nailed to the cross:

– Our sins were nailed to the cross, being carried in Jesus’ body. “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24)

– The death penalty is for the wages of sin we earned. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

– The legal record of our debt owed. (Colossians 2:14) To paraphrase, God disarmed the spiritual rulers, principalities, and authorities by nailing the record of our debt to the cross as a public display of God’s triumph over evil. (Col 2:14-15) “None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory” (1 Cor 2:8)

– The law of commandments expressed in ordinances was abolished to remove division and hostility and unite all in Christ Jesus, to join both Jew and Gentile in His peace. (Ephesians 2:15) Jesus, as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), erasing all that divides, uniting all in Him (Ephesians 1:10). “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. (Galatians 3:28)

Christ Did What We and the Law Could Not Do

18 Christ did what we could not do. “I have not come to abolish [the Law or the Prophets] but to fulfill them.” (Matt 5:17) Jesus fulfilled or completed the purpose of the law to be the perfect man, truly righteous. In doing so, He qualified to be the once-for-all-time sacrifice to redeem mankind and reconcile us back to God since Adam’s sin separated all mankind from God. (2 Corinthians 5:19) And His blood ushered in the New Covenant of grace through faith. (Mark 14:24) “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal 3:24) Christ also did what we could not do by breaking the power of sin and death (Hebrews 2:14), setting us free from being slaves to sin. (Romans 6:6-22)

19 Christ did what the law could not do. “For what the Law could not do [that is, overcome sin and remove its penalty, its power] being weakened by the flesh [man’s nature without the Holy Spirit], God did: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man as an offering for sin. (Romans 8:3) And He condemned sin in the flesh [subdued it and overcame it in the person of His own Son]”. The law is powerless to transform our fallen nature. It is Christ in us, the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, who works to transform our nature and renew our minds. (Romans 12:2) “But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” (Romans 7:6)

20 Christ ended works-based religion. (Romans 11:6) as He fulfilled the law. (Matthew 5:17) He wants us to look to Him only, leaning and relying on Him alone for our salvation. It’s no longer about being weighed down under a bunch of rules and regulations, hopelessly trying to earn our own way. (Galatians 2:16) Instead, we are given freedom in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17), and all works that are produced as a result of His saving grace are the Fruits of the Spirit, via His Holy Spirit who enables and empowers us (Acts 1:8) to live a new life transformed. (Galatians 5:22) “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)

What Christ Accomplished for Us

21 Christ alone accomplished all in His work on the cross. Because of Him, we have Forgiveness, Justification (Romans 5:1), and Reconciliation to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:19). He rescued us from divine wrath and hell. (Romans 5:8-9) He is the Resurrection of the body and Eternal life. “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace”. (Ephesians 1:7)

Following Christ’s Example

22 Christ is the Author and Perfector of our faith. “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2)

23 Christ led by example to the very end. “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (John 13:15) “Indeed, let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant. When he was born in human likeness, and his appearance was like that of any other man.” (Philippians 2:5-7) “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:21-23)