Christ Alone

It’s pretty uncommon to find a man who would enjoy it when the wife he loves falls in love with another man. That’s not something most men would enjoy. Nor is it any more common to find a woman who would enjoy it when her husband falls in love with another woman. Infidelity like this can destroy a marriage relationship.

Many times we find in the Scriptures that God’s relationship with His covenant people is like the relationship between a husband and wife. The connection between Christ and the Church is like a marriage relationship between a man and woman. And in that relationship, there is only one husband – Jesus Christ.

Yet today we find that the Church has many lovers. Christians are infatuated with many others besides Christ. And in the Church they are often times even taught to do so. It ought not to be. Christ expects fidelity from His people in this holy relationship.

I’d like to open up the topic of Christ alone, which the early Reformers referred to in Latin as Solus Christus.

Jesus Is the Way
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” (Joh 14:6). He left no room for alternative paths. Notice how singular it is. Jesus is THE Way, not one of many possible ways. He made it clear that there is no one who comes to the Father except through Him.

One Mediator
Paul taught that we only have one mediator. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1Ti 2:5) Yet how many people look for other mediators like pastors, priests, and saints? We need to get back to pointing people to Jesus. He alone can save.

Faith in God
Many people claim to have “faith”, but in whom is their faith? Who or what is the object of their faith? “And Jesus answered saying to them, ‘Have faith in God.’”(Mar 11:22). According to Jesus, our faith should be in God, not in men, whether alive or dead. Our faith should not rest in any other.

The apostle Paul did not just speak mere words, because he did not want people putting their faith in man’s wisdom. But he demonstrated the power of God through signs and wonders. He told the Corinthians that he did this “So that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” (1Co 2:5)

Paul was clear that our faith is based on the fact that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.” (1Co 15:14) He taught that our faith would be futile if Jesus had not been raised from the dead. “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” (1Co 15:17)

It’s through faith in Jesus that we have access to God. “In whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.” (Eph 3:12). When we come to God through faith in Jesus, we not only have access to His throne, we have direct access. We have confident access.

The Colossians had faith in Christ. “For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.” (Col 2:5)

The Thessalonians had faith toward God. “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.” (1Th 1:8)

They had faith in the Truth. “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” (2Th 2:13)

Peter wrote to the saints saying that their faith was in God. “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1Pe 1:20-21)

We are admonished to focus on the Lord. We are to fix our eyes on Him alone. “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.” (Heb 12:2). When your eyes are focused on someone, you are not paying attention to anyone else. When your eyes are fixed on a person, you don’t look away. That’s the way we are to be with the Lord. Our lives must be centered on Him alone. There’s no room for another.


No Other Name
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Act 4:12). We know from Scripture that no one else can give salvation. No one else can redeem your soul. There is no other name but the name of Jesus by which we must be saved! That leaves no room for any other way to God. There is no co-redeemer! Yet how many Christians are calling on another name to save them, besides the name of Jesus? How many are depending on another to act as their mediator before God? Some are looking for their pastor or priest to be their mediator. But there’s only One Mediator – Jesus Christ.

Putting It All Together
With so many people putting their faith in various things like objects, departed saints, and false gods, as well as some putting their faith in faith, it’s important that we find out what the object of our faith should be. We are never taught in Scripture to put our faith in material objects such as relics, statues, or anything else we can touch. We are never taught to put our faith in ourselves. We are never taught to put our faith in man, whether dead or alive. We are never taught in Scripture to put our faith in Mary. We are not to put our faith in man’s wisdom. We are not to put our faith in faith. All of this amounts to spiritual adultery, and the Lord will not tolerate this any more than a husband would tolerate his wife sleeping with another man. The Church would spare itself from so many sorrows if we would put our faith in Christ and Christ alone.

If you have been putting your faith in others besides Jesus Christ, then this message is for you. Let’s repent of these wanderings. Let’s depart from this unfaithfulness, and return to the Lord. He will forgive. He will restore. He will revive us. But we need to do it now while there is still time.

I was once living a life of spiritual adultery. I considered myself a believer, but I had many mediators. I had many gods. When I prayed, I would put out an “all points bulletin”, asking anyone in heaven who could hear my prayer to take my request to God. I often prayed to Mary. I prayed to various saints. I even prayed to angels. Eventually I began to pursue the beliefs of Buddhism. I didn’t know the Truth, so I was bound by sin, caught up in many addictions. I believed many lies until one day my friend Alan kindly told me I was searching for Jesus. I didn’t believe him at the time, but I really was searching for Jesus. And he was not afraid to offend me by telling me so. I’m so glad he did that. We need to point our family and friends to Jesus.

It was only when I found Jesus that my eyes were opened. It was when I found Jesus that I found forgiveness and deliverance from sin. He set me free from all the bondage I was in. He broke my addictions. He took away my shame. He brought me into a personal relationship with Himself. He gave me a new life. And He filled me with peace and joy.

Before I close, I'd like to share a song called "In Christ Alone" that expresses the heart of this message. Please return to this page for my closing after you watch the video here.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.