When Jesus Christ Is Not Everything, He Is Not Anything

“But by His [the Father’s] doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” 1 Corinthians 1:30 – 31.

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ…that I may gain Christ…that I may know Him…” Philippians Chapter 3.

The warnings of Jesus Christ to the church in the book of Revelation contain the words, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” What the Spirit says to the church is that Jesus Christ is to be our all in all; our words, our actions, our loves, our thoughts – are all measured according to their fidelity to Jesus Christ and love for Him and testimony of Him. The same book of Revelation portrays a world intoxicated by power and commerce and money – with people selling their souls, worshipping the beast, in order to pursue the love of gain, of wealth. Revelation portrays a religious system committing fornication with the governments of the age, no doubt foolishly thinking that it can maintain an alliance for its own preservation.

When the professing church looks to man for salvation, when Jesus Christ ceases to be everything, then He is not anything. Jesus Christ is either all or nothing – He has not given us another option and He will not accept anything less than our all (Mark 8:27 – 38). He will not accept nationalism, He will not accept an economic agenda, He will not accept a political agenda – He will accept no other gods before Him, He will accept the names of no other objects of worship – and He will not approve the church assuming any other identity than the identity that He has given it – the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, the Flock of God – a people belonging to Him and to no other.

Better to leave this life in the rags of the world but in the riches of Christ than to leave this world a whore.

If Jesus Christ is not everything then He is not anything.