Tag: Jesus Christ

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The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

Every created thing eventually loses its sparkle, but not so the Creator. In him we find the unsearchable riches of Christ.

unsearchable riches of Christ

When I was in my twenties, I enjoyed playing chess and even read a few books on it. I had a friend or two who played and found an occasional computer opponent. But after a few years, my interest waned. Since then I have played a game of chess once a decade.

I could name other interests and pastimes that have come and gone, fascinating for a while, but eventually predictable and even tiresome.

Every created thing eventually loses its sparkle, but not so the one who created all things. The apostle Paul said that the gospel reveals “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8, ESV).

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

In Christ are riches—things that make one rich. The first thing that may come to mind when we think of riches is money and material possessions. Certainly, Christ has an unlimited supply of those and can create more at any time, but there are many other things that make one rich that are far more important than material wealth.

What makes one truly rich are things like knowledge, wisdom, truth, beauty, glory, love, affection, joy, happiness, peace, contentment, goodness, kindness, power, strength, faithfulness, reliability, creativity, protection, safety, provision, supply, comfort, consolation. Christ has all these and more. He is infinitely rich in them.

Unsearchable

“The unsearchable riches of Christ,” wrote Paul. Because the Son of God is God, he is infinite in his virtues, which means his riches are “unsearchable.” You can never touch bottom. You are not just swimming in the deep end of the pool; you are swimming in a pool that has no bottom.

For example, Paul prayed, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17–19).

Paul says you can never completely search out the love of Christ. His love is always broader, longer, higher, and deeper than you can know or experience.

Riches of knowledge

The same goes for knowledge. Do you enjoy learning? Scripture says, in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). There is infinitely more knowledge and wisdom in Christ than in the Library of Congress with its 16 million books and 120 million other items, or on all the websites of the internet.

Do you enjoy beauty? Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

The visual beauty and majesty of Christ will satisfy your eyes forever. He himself created the visual beauties of this world as a foretaste of the far greater glory that we will see in him and enjoy for eternity untiringly. If all you did for the rest of eternity was look at Jesus in glory, you would say that was more than enough to give you eternal bliss, that you need nothing more.

Riches of power

Do you enjoy being around power and authority? Paul wrote of the infinite power displayed in Christ when God “raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:19–23).

Christ has the riches of absolute power. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” he said (Matthew 28:18).

Riches of peace

How about a peaceful kingdom? Isaiah prophesied of Christ, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this” (Isaiah 9:6–7).

Riches in the gospel

God revealed all this and more in the gospel. Riches upon riches of mercy, healing, salvation, hope, and assurance. He is more than rich enough to make your soul prosperous. He is wealthy enough to make your heart flourish.

According to the gospel, Christ is nothing less than the Father’s “beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church.

“He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:13–22).

This is the gospel of Christ. These are the riches unsearchable.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Fallen souls resist acknowledging the full riches in Jesus Christ and do not treasure him to the degree they should, if at all. Instead, fallen souls try to find ultimate satisfaction in what God has created.

God’s way: Redeemed souls find ultimate satisfaction in Christ, the creator.

Life principle: The wealthiest people in the world are those who have learned to treasure Jesus Christ above all creation.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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The Favor of God the Father toward His Divine Son

Because of the favor of God the Father toward his divine Son, he has decreed that all history and everything in the universe revolve around him.

favor of God the Father

The gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, and that salvation is all-encompassing. God is on a mission not just to save you and others, but to save his creation, to save the universe from bondage to evil and decay.

History is not random and pointless. The history of mankind and all created things is heading purposefully toward a consummation. God predestined it before anything existed. He wrote the plot, and the entire gospel story is unfolding with an epic climax in view, followed by “happily ever after.”

At the center of the plot is a person, and it is not some entertainer, sports star, or politician. There is a hero in this story, a champion. The story revolves around him and is for his glory. In the end, he will get everything that can be gotten: songs of praise, accolades, thanks, adoration, loyalty, riches, power.

That person, of course, is Jesus Christ, the Lord, the unique Son of God the Father. Before time began, with infinite favor, the Father determined that his divine Son would be at the center of everything, at the head of everything, at the pinnacle of everything. In the end, Jesus will be the only Savior of all that is saved and the final judge of all that is condemned.

If you do not understand God the Father’s favor toward God the Son, then you do not understand God.

Here are eleven signs of the unique favor of God the Father for Jesus.

11 signs of the favor of God the Father for his divine Son

1. The Father created all things through his Son.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made…. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1–3, 14, ESV).

2. The Father announced his unique favor for his Son at his baptism and transfiguration.

“When Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16–17).

“Behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him’” (Matthew 17:5).

3. The Father chose the Son as the only redeemer for lost humanity through his blood shed on the cross.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

The Father “saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9–10).

4. The Father gave glory to the Son before the foundation of the world.

Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

5. The Father raised the Son from the grave and vindicated him.

The Father “raised [Jesus] from the dead and gave him glory” (1 Peter 1:21).

6. The Father gave the church to his Son for the Son’s glory.

“[The Father] put all things under [the Son’s] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22).

Jesus prayed concerning his disciples, “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them” (John 17:10).

7. The Father gave the Son authority over all creation.

After his resurrection, “Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).

8. The Father exalted the Son in the ascension.

“[The Father] raised [Jesus] from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:20–23).

9. The Father will unite all things in the Son.

The Father made “known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:9–10).

10. The Father gives all judgment to the Son.

“The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son…. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man” (John 5:22, 27).

11. The Father determined before the foundation of the world that every knee will bow to the Son to acknowledge him as Lord.

“God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11).

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Lost souls want to ignore Jesus. They want to diminish his importance, to dethrone him. Lost souls dishonor Jesus by treating him as unnecessary, ignoring his sacrifice for them, rejecting his teaching, and disobeying his command to submit to him as Lord.

Misguided Christians, too, may dishonor Jesus by seeing him as merely one option in finding one’s way to God, that there are other ways to God and one religion is as good as another. While they have chosen to believe in Jesus, they do not want to exclude other people of other religions, and so they dishonor Jesus by believing faith in him is unnecessary.

God’s way: The Father uniquely loves, favors, and glorifies his Son and requires mankind to do the same. The Father’s plans for human history center on Jesus. Jesus is the only Savior for sinners. He is preeminent. He is Lord. Those who reject Jesus as Lord offend and reject God the Father.

Life principle: The Father wants us to honor, worship, love, and communicate with the Son. This glorifies and pleases the Father for this was the Father’s intent. There is no competition between the Father and the Son.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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The All-importance of Jesus

God forgive me

Have you ever wondered, Will God forgive me?

To have acceptance with God, we must always depend not on trying to be good enough for God, but rather on Jesus Christ and his atoning death on the cross.

God forgive me

Recently on a ride-share I asked my driver, “May I ask you a question about your faith?” and he said, “Sure.”

I then asked him a question that I often ask: “If you were suddenly to die and stand before God, and God asked you, ‘Why should I let you into heaven?’ what would you answer?”

His response was to describe to me several of his religious activities. He said he went to mass daily. He showed me a prayer card that he keeps with him always. And he said he tries to treat people well. But he said no one can be good enough for God.

Clearly he was sincere about his religion, but what stood out to me was what he did not say. Although he is Roman Catholic, he never said anything about Jesus Christ. He has faith in God, but when asked what will make him acceptable to God and give him access to heaven, his default answer was not to mention Jesus Christ.

My driver is not alone. In all the times I have asked people that question, I don’t remember a single time that the clear, immediate answer was, “I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior.” Ninety percent of the time, people do not mention him at all (even those who say they believe in him).

That’s a critical problem.

On what basis God accepts us

This is the sixth in a series of articles on the subject of what God requires of those who want to know him and walk in his ways. We need to know something all-important: God does not accept everybody. He does not accept everybody into heaven, and he does not accept everybody into a relationship with him. In fact, on our own merits, God does not accept anybody!

The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That means we fall short of God’s holy, perfect standard.

That’s a critical problem because God does not grade on a curve. He is perfectly holy and just and does not lower his standards or requirements. Just as a dead fly in a bowl of soup spoils the whole bowl, so the presence of any sin in us pollutes us morally and spiritually and makes us unacceptable to him.

His highest requirement is expressed in these two commandments: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mark 12:30–31).

Who has perfectly obeyed either of those commandments for even one day? By nature human beings are simply not capable of that. We have a fallen nature. We are broken. That’s why we are basically selfish and must try so hard to be loving. That’s why relationships are so difficult. It’s why we resist centering our lives in God rather than in ourselves.

If we are to be accepted by God, it won’t be because we are good enough for him. No one comes close. No one can jump a mile high, and no one can meet God’s requirements.

God’s solution

Because God is loving and merciful, he decided to offer a solution to our critical problem. This is why he sent his unique Son to the world to become a man. Because Jesus is God, he was able to live a perfect life and then die a death on the cross for our sins that had divine, infinite capability to satisfy God’s just and holy requirements.

The death of Jesus atones for our failures. The death of Jesus on the cross is the only thing that enables God to forgive us without compromising his justice. He won’t ever compromise his holy justice, but he will in mercy forgive us because of what Jesus has done.

But God still does not forgive everyone or accept everyone.

The requirement of faith in Jesus Christ

The Bible says, “16 God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16–18).

Notice in this verse the necessity of believing in Jesus Christ.

Returning to my opening story, this is why there is something deeply unsatisfactory about my driver’s answer. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. His default confidence was not in Jesus Christ, even though he believed in him.

God’s way and our way

God’s way: We find acceptance with him only through faith in Jesus Christ.

Our way: We rely on our own efforts to be good and religious to make us acceptable to God. We try to accumulate merit in God’s sight. We want some other way than to rely fully on Jesus Christ as our only way to find approval with God.

Next week: More on the crucial role of Jesus Christ for those who want to know God.