230. Christ Is All.

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. - Colossians 3:11.

THERE are two worlds, the old and the new.

These are peopled by two sorts of manhood: the old man, and the new man, concerning whom, see verses 9 and 10.

In the first are many things, which are not in the second.

In the second are many things, which are not in the first.

Our text tells us what there is not and what there is in the new man.

Let us begin by asking whether the hearer knows where he is; for the text turns on that word "where."

I. WHAT THERE IS NOT IN THE NEW.

When we come to be renewed after the image of him that created us, we find an obliteration of:

1. National distinctions: "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew."

· Jesus is a man. In the broadest sense, he is neither Jew nor Gentile. We see in him no restrictive nationality. Our own peculiar nationality sinks before union with him.

· Jesus is now our nationality, our charter, and our fatherland.

· Jesus is our hero, legislator, ancestor, leader.

· Jesus gives us laws, customs, history, genealogy, prestige, privilege, reliance, power, heritage, conquest.

· Jesus furnishes us with a new patriotism, loyalty, and clanship, which we may safely indulge to the utmost.

2. Ceremonial distinctions: "There is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision." The typical separation is removed.

· The separating rite is abolished, and the peculiar privilege of a nation born after the flesh is gone with it.

· Those who were reckoned far off are brought near.

· Both Jew and Gentile are united in one body by the cross.

3. Social distinctions: "There is neither bond nor free."

We are enabled through divine grace to see that ---

· These distinctions are transient.

· These distinctions are superficial.

· These distinctions are of small value.

· These distinctions are nonexistent in the spiritual realm.

What a blessed blending of all men in one body is brought about by our Lord Jesus! Let us all work in the direction of unity.

II. WHAT THERE IS IN THE NEW.

"Christ is all and in all," and that in many senses.

1. Christ is all our culture. In him we emulate and excel the "Greek."

2. Christ is all our revelation. We glory in him even as the "Jew" gloried in receiving the oracles of God.

3. Christ is all our ritual. We have no "circumcision," neither have we seven sacraments nor a heap of carnal ordinances; he is far more than these. All Scriptural ordinances are of him.

4. Christ is all our simplicity. We place no confidence in the bare Puritanism which may be called "uncircumcision."

5. Christ is all our natural traditions. He is more to us than the freshest ideas which cross the mind of the "Barbarian."

6. Christ is all our unconquerableness and liberty. The "Scythian" had not such boundless independence as we find in him.

7. Christ is all as our Master, if we be "bond." Happy servitude of which he is the Head!

8. Christ is our Magna Charta, yea, our liberty itself if we be "free."

In closing, we will use the words "Christ is all and in all" as our text for application to ourselves. It furnishes a test question for us.

Is Christ so great with us that he is our all?

Is Christ so broadly and fully with us that he is all in our all?

Is he, then, all in our trust, our hope, our assurance, our joy, our aim, our strength, our wisdom — in a word, "all in all"?

If so, are we living in all for him?

Are we doing all for him, because he is all to us?