“God’s Everything”

Watchman Nee was a Chinese evangelist and missionary who lived and ministered nearly a century ago, establishing hundreds of churches throughout Asia. He wrote some tremendous works on the spiritual life of the believer, one entitled Christ, the Sum of All Spiritual Things. In it, Nee makes the statement that “Christ is God’s everything”. Expounding on the Gospel of John, he notes: “Christ does not say that He is able to give men light, or restore sight to the blind; He says He IS the light of the world. He doesn’t say He will feed the hungry and He doesn’t promise to give them bread; He simply says He IS the bread of life. Christ doesn’t say He will guide us to walk in the way; He says He IS the way. He doesn’t say He will teach us a truth; He says He IS ultimate truth. He doesn’t say He will give us life, or teach us how to live; He says He IS the life. When Lazarus died Christ did not tell Mary and Martha he had the power to raise up their brother; instead, He declared to them that He IS the resurrection.”

The Apostle Paul carries on with that same theme in his writings. He shares with Timothy that Christ does not merely give us hope; He IS our hope. He writes to the Colossians that He IS our life. Speaking of the truly born agains in 1 Cor. 1.30, Paul declares that “We are of God in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God, both righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” God doesn’t give us righteousness; He gives us Christ, who IS our righteousness. He doesn’t give us sanctification, or merely do a sanctifying work in us; He gives us Christ, who the Bible says IS our sanctification. The same thing with redemption; God does not give us redemption as a thing to be possessed, nor does He just do a work of redemption in us, or for us. No, He gives us Christ, who has become our redemption, through His death on the cross and His glorious resurrection; Christ IS our redemption.

David grasped this beautiful truth 3000 years ago. In Ps. 27.1, he didn’t say, The Lord is my Savior; he exclaimed, The Lord is my salvation. Whom shall I fear? He doesn’t just give me strength; The LORD IS the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Whatever our need, Christ is God’s supply. He is our sufficiency in all things. Do you know Him? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.