Christ Alone - Only Christ - Christ Is All

A.B. Simpson  “Jesus Only Is Our Message” 

John Newton in a letter to the Earl of Dartmouth

https://books.google.com/books?id=-TI3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA131&lpg

What a contradiction is a believer to himself! We begin at length to learn that we are nothing, have nothing, can do nothing, but sin…and thus we are gradually prepared…to derive all our sufficiency of every kind from Jesus, the fountain of grace.

Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Remember Jesus for us is all our righteousness before a holy God, and Jesus in us is all our strength in an ungodly world. He justifies sinners who have no righteousness, sanctifies souls that have no holiness. Let Jesus bear your whole weight. Remember, He loves to be the only support of the soul. There is nothing that you can possibly need but you will find it in Him.

Blaise Pascal, The Pensees

God makes people conscious of their inward wretchedness, which the Bible calls "sin" and his infinite mercy. Unites himself to their inmost soul, fills it with humility and joy, with confidence and love, renders them incapable of any other end than Himself. Jesus Christ is the end of all and the center to which all tends.

C.H. Spurgeon

I have a great need for Christ: I have a great Christ for my need.  

        "The Sun of Righteousness"

O my soul, if thou art guilty come and rest in his atonement, if thou art unrighteous come and take his righteousness. If thou art feeble lay hold upon his strength. If thou canst not pray accept him as thine intercessor. If thou art in thyself nothing, take him to be thy all in all. Some creatures delight to warm themselves in the sun, but oh, what a pleasure it is to sun one’s self in the presence of Christ. Never mind how little I am, how nothing I am, how vile I am, how foul I am; all I am he has taken to himself, and all he has belongs to me. I sin, but he has taken all my sin: he is righteous and all his righteousness is mine. I am feeble, he is mighty; his mightiness is mine, I wrap myself in his omnipotence. Christ is all and Christ is mine.

        The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith on John 12:32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”

Come, you workers, be encouraged. You fear that you cannot draw a congregation. Try the preaching of a crucified, risen, and ascended Savior; for this is the “draw” that was ever manifested greatest among men. What drew you to Christ but Christ? What draws you to him now but his own blessed self? If you have been drawn to religion by anything else, you will soon be drawn away from it; but Jesus has held you, and will hold you even to the end. Why, then, doubt his power to draw others? Go with the name of Jesus to those who have hitherto been stubborn, and see if it does not draw them.

Jesus is the one magnet. Let us not think of any other. Music will not draw to Jesus, neither will eloquence, logic, ceremonial, or noise. Jesus himself must draw men to himself; and Jesus is quite equal to the work in every case. Don’t be tempted by the quackeries of the day; but as workers for the Lord work in his own way, and draw with the Lord’s own cords. Draw to Christ, and draw by Christ, for then Christ will draw by you. 

Octavius Winslow  Daily Walking With God

You have long been pleading, as your reason for the unsettled and unhappy state of your mind, the weakness of your faith. What, I ask, is this, but the making a Savior of your faith? It was not faith that died for you—it is not faith that saves you. It is Christ, and Christ alone. Your evidences, your peace, your joy, your hope, all, all must flow from Jesus.

It was "Jesus only" in the councils of eternity; it was "Jesus only" in the everlasting covenant of grace; it was "Jesus only" in the manger of Bethlehem; it was "Jesus only" in the garden of Gethsemane; it was "Jesus only" upon the cross of Calvary; it was "Jesus only" in the tomb of Joseph; it was "Jesus only" who, "when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." And it shall be "Jesus only"; the joy of our hearts, the object of our glory, the theme of our song, the Beloved of our adoration, our service, and our praise, through the endless ages of eternity. 

Is it an Almighty Savior that you need? Behold Him! "Before Abraham was, I am." (John 8:58) Oh, what a foundation for a poor sinful worm of the dust to build upon! What a stable truth for the weakest faith to stand upon - to have a glorious incarnate 'I Am' for an atoning sacrifice - an 'I Am' for a Redeemer - an 'I Am' for a Surety - an 'I Am' as an Advocate, an unceasing Intercessor at the court of heaven, pleading each moment His own atoning merits - an 'I Am' as the center in whom all the promises are "yes and amen" - an 'I Am' as a "Brother born for adversity" - an 'I Am' as "a very present help in trouble"!

To each and all touching His faithfulness, His tenderness, His long-suffering, His fulness, and His all-sufficiency, Jesus answers, "I Am." "Enough, Lord," replies the believer, "on this I can live, on this I can die."

Song of Solomon 8:5 “Who is this that comes up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?”

Was ever a lonely traveler in better company? How can you be solitary or sorrowful, be in peril, or suffer need, while you are journeying homewards in company with and leaning upon Jesus? But for what are you to lean upon your Beloved? You are to lean upon Jesus for your entire salvation. He is "made of God unto you wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption;" (1 Corinthians 1:30) and for each one of these inestimable blessings you are to depend daily upon Christ. Where can you lean for pardon, but upon the atoning blood of Jesus? Where can you lean for acceptance, but upon the justifying righteousness of Jesus? And where can you lean for sanctification, but upon the sin-subduing grace of Jesus?

This leaning upon the Beloved, then, is a daily coming up out of ourselves in the great matter of our salvation, and resting in the finished work of Christ–no more, in Christ Himself.

A.B. Simpson

Many Christians fail to see all the blessings that are centered in Christ. They want to get the blessing of salvation, but that is not the Christ. They want to get the blessing of His grace to help, but that is not Him. They want to get answered prayer from Him in order to work for Him. You might have all that and not have the blessing of Christ Himself.

A great many people are attached to the system of doctrine. They say, "Yes, I have the truth; I am orthodox." That is not the Christ.

A great many other people want to get the blessing of joy, but this is not the blessing of Christ personally. Many people become attached to their church and pastor, or to dear Christian friends, but that is not the Christ. The blessing that alone will fill our hearts when all else fails is the loving heart of Jesus united to us, the fountain of all our blessings and the unfailing One when all others wither and are exhausted- Jesus Christ Himself.

Being able to say not only "I believe Him" and "I know about Him", but "I know Him" is the secret above all others that God wants us to have; it is His provision for glory and power, and it is given freely to the single-hearted seeker.

There is no place or time where Jesus is not able and willing to walk by our side, to work through our hand and minds, and to unite Himself in loving and caring partnership with all our needs and tasks and trials. In this way He proves Himself our all-sufficiency for all things. 

J.C. Ryle 

        Holiness  "Christ Is All!"                                                                                            

       http://www.gracegems.org/Ryle/holiness21.htm

Through Him alone, we can have peace with a holy God. By Him alone, we can have admission into the presence of the Most High, and stand there without fear. We must come in the name of Jesus, standing on no other ground, pleading no other plea than this: "Christ died on the cross for the ungodly, and I trust in Him. Christ died for me, and I believe on Him." The garment of our Elder Brother, the righteousness of Christ, this is the only robe which can cover us, and enable us to stand in the light of Heaven without shame. 

Christ must be all to that soul who would be justified! We must be content to go to Heaven as beggars, saved by free grace, simply as believers in Jesus, or we shall never be saved at all.

Have you faith? It is a priceless blessing. Happy indeed are they who are willing and ready to trust Jesus. But take heed you do not make a Christ of your faith. Rest not on your own faith — but on Christ.

Is the work of the Spirit in your soul? Thank God for it. It is a work that shall never be overthrown. But oh, beware lest, unawares to yourself, you make a Christ of the work of the Spirit! Rest not on the work of the Spirit — but on Christ.  

Have you any inward feelings of religion, and experience of grace? Thank God for it. But oh, beware lest you make a Christ of your feelings and sensations! They are poor, uncertain things and sadly dependent on our bodies and outward circumstances. Rest not a grain of weight on your feelings. Rest only on Christ.

        Commentary on Matthew

[Jesus] saves His people from their sins. This is His special office. He saves them from the guilt of sin, by washing them in His own atoning blood. He saves them from the dominion of sin, by putting in their hearts the sanctifying Spirit. He saves them from the presence of sin, when He takes them out of this world to rest with Him. He will save them from all the consequences of sin, when He shall give them a glorious body at the last day. Blessed and holy are Christ’s people! From sorrow, cross, and conflict they are not saved. But they are saved from sin for evermore.

       Knots Untied, “Evangelical Religion”                                                                                                                                                 

We hold that an experimental [personal experiential] knowledge of Christ crucified and interceding, is the very essence of Christianity, and that in teaching men the Christian religion we can never dwell too much on Christ himself, and can never speak too strongly of the fullness, freeness, presentness, and simplicity of the salvation there is in him for every one that believes. We say that life eternal is to know Christ, believe in Christ, abide in Christ, have daily heart communion with Christ, by simple personal faith…

Augustus Toplady "Christ Is All" (Colossians 3:11) or "Compared With Christ"

Compared with Christ, in all beside

No comeliness I see;

The one thing needful, dearest Lord,

Is to be one with thee.

The sense of thy redeeming love

Into my soul convey;

Thyself bestow, for thee alone,

My All-in-all, I pray.

Less than myself will not suffice

My comfort to restore;

More than thyself I can not crave,

And thou cans’t give no more.

Loved of my God, for him again,

With love intense I’d burn;

Chosen of thee ere time began,

I’d choose thee in return.

Whate’er consists not with thy will,

O teach me to resign;

I’m rich to all th’ intents of bliss,

Since thou, O God, art mine.

Charles Wesley “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”, Hymns for Those that Seek and Those That Have Re­demp­tion in the Blood of Je­sus Christ, 1747                   

  http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/d/ldalexcl.htm

Love divine, all loves excelling,

Joy of heaven to earth come down;

Fix in us thy humble dwelling;

All thy faithful mercies crown!

Jesus, Thou art all compassion,

Pure unbounded love Thou art;

Visit us with Thy salvation;

Enter every trembling heart. 

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,

Into every troubled breast!

Let us all in Thee inherit;

Let us find that second rest.

Take away our bent to sinning;

Alpha and Omega be;

End of faith, as its Beginning,

Set our hearts at liberty. 

Come, Almighty to deliver,

Let us all Thy life receive;

Suddenly return and never,

Never more Thy temples leave.

Thee we would be always blessing,

Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,

Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,

Glory in Thy perfect love. 

Finish, then, Thy new creation;

Pure and spotless let us be.

Let us see Thy great salvation

Perfectly restored in Thee;

Changed from glory into glory,

Till in heaven we take our place,

Till we cast our crowns before Thee,

Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

"Sing to Jesus"  Fernando Ortega

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWuDZ0az-c4  

“In Christ Alone”  Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENtL_li4GbE

"No Other Name"  Hillsong Worship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wku9OphQ7JE  

Works of Jonathan Edwards, “Some Account of His Conversion, Experience, and Religious Exercises”

https://books.google.com/books?id=nbJNAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA22&lpg

Once, as I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse in a retired place, as my manner commonly has been, to walk for divine contemplation and prayer, I had a view that for me was extraordinary, of the glory of the Son of God, as Mediator between God and man, and his wonderful, great, full, pure and sweet grace and love, and meek and gentle condescension. The person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception—which continued, as near as I can judge, about an hour, which kept me the greater part of that time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud. I felt an ardency of soul to be, what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied and annihilated; to lie in the dust, and to be full of Christ alone; to love him with a holy and pure love; to trust in him, to live upon him, to serve and follow him…

John Richardson Daily Readings of Holy Seasons on Luke 9:28-31, 1875

The elevation of our Christianity will be according to our exaltation (and love) of Christ.

John Oxenham (William Arthur Dunkerley), “Not What, But Whom” in Bees In Amber, 1913

Not what, but whom, I do believe

That in my darkest hour of need

Hath comforts that no mortal creed

To mortal man may give.

Not what but whom,

For Christ is more than all the creeds

And his full life of gentle deeds

Shall all the creeds outlive.

Not what I do believe but whom,

Who walks beside me in the gloom

Who shares the burden wearisome;

Who all the dim way doth illume

And bids me look beyond the tomb

The larger life to live.

Not what I do believe but whom.