the all-sufficient christ

The All-Sufficient Christ

Paul’s purpose in writing the Colossian epistle was to refute the Colossian heresy that had developed, which was a combination of an extreme form of Judaism in which ceremonialism with its strict rules regarding food and drink, religious festivals and circumcision were promoted, and an early form of Gnosticism.


This early form of Gnosticism had taken on aspects of asceticism, angel worship, secret knowledge, the reliance upon human wisdom and tradition, which all led to the depreciation of Christ. Paul, therefore, in this wonderfully written and inspiring letter accomplishes the following:


He exalts Christ as the very image of God (1:15);He exalts Christ as the Creator (1:16);

He exalts Christ as the pre-existent Sustainer of all things (1:17);

He exalts Christ as being the Head of the church (1:18);


He exalts Christ as being the first to be resurrected (1:18);

He exalts Christ as being the fullness of deity in bodily form (1:19; 2:9); and

He exalts Christ as being the reconciler of mankind (1:20-22).


Thus, Christ is shown to be completely adequate. We, therefore, are complete when we are “in Christ” (2:10).

On the other hand, the Colossian heresy was altogether inadequate. It was a hollow and deceptive philosophy (2:8), lacking any ability to restrain the old sinful nature (2:23).


Jesus did not come to give a lot of things apart from Himself.

For instance, Jesus did not come to earth to show us a way, He said He is the Way.

He did not come to bring us a life, He is the Life.

He did not come to feed us some bread, He is the Bread.


So the principle of successful Christian living is this: Get Christ, and you get everything else you have need of thrown in with Him as well.

But if you set your spiritual eyes on things apart from Christ, you not only lose the pleasure of having the sought-after thing (assuming you apprehend it), but you lose out with Christ as well.


He guards us jealously. He wants all of your heart, and He will not share it with idols.

Jesus cut right to the chase when He placed this principle of seeking Him first squarely against the most basic needs of our human existence.

He said in Matthew 6:24-34,


24. No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25. Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body more than the raiment?


26. Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you of much more value then they?

27. And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?


28. And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29. yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30. But if God does so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?


31. Be not therefore anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or, “What shall we drink?” or, “Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”

32. For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.


33. But seek you first His kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

In Paul's letter to the Colossians, certain things are said about the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ. These statements tie in well with John's first chapter of his gospel.

Paul wrote in Colossians 1:16-17,

All Things Were Created in Christ

16. for in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him;


17. and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Now compare what we just read to what John wrote about Jesus in John 1:1-3:


1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2. The same was in the beginning with God.

3. All things were made through Him; and without Him was not anything made that has been made.


From these passages of Scripture we can see that all things were created by Jesus and for Jesus.

He is before all things and in Him all things consist.


Some think erroneously of Christ as the greatest created being. But He is greater by far than that.

Paul wrote in Colossians 1:19,

All the Fullness of the Godhead

Dwells in Him

“For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him should all the fullness dwell;”

Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).


Dwells in Him

He is this not by halves, not in parts, but in “all the fullness”.

Some think of Christ as a hybrid being, half man, half God. But He was “the fullness of God in bodily form”.


Dwells in Him

Jesus was as human as any man, yet He lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He was as divine as God His Father.

Paul wrote in Colossians 1:27-29,

Every Human Being Can Be Made

Complete in Christ

27. to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

28. Whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;


Complete in Christ

29. whereunto I labor also, striving according to His working, which works in me mightily.

Paul proclaimed Christ to “every man”, and his goal was to present every man complete in Christ.


Complete in Christ

The work of Christ is applicable to every man. No one will be refused who comes to the Lord for salvation.

The work of Christ is not limited and His gospel, “the hope of glory”, is for every person.


Complete in Christ

That is why the gospel was preached “in all the world...to every creature under heaven” (Colossians 1:6, 23).

Paul wrote of Christ in Colossians 2:3, saying,

All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are Hidden in Christ

“...in Whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.”

Is there something that we are missing?

Is our knowledge incomplete and are we in need of new revelation?

“All wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9) and “full assurance of understanding in true knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3) are available in the gospel of Christ.


Christ's word lacks nothing.

With Christ, we have everything.

To further substantiate this, Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:3-4,


3. “...seeing that His divine power has granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us by His own glory and virtue;


4. whereby He has granted unto us His precious and exceeding great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust.

We have been given everything we need to know in order to obtain salvation. We do not need any further revelation.

All Things are Under the Authority of Christ


“... and in Him you are made full, Who is the head of all principality and power:”

Jesus Christ...


…is the head of all power and authority, as we just read in Colossians 2:10.

…is the first born over all creation (Colossians 1:15, 18; 1 Corinthians 15:20).

...has the highest place (pre-eminence) in all things (Colossians 1:18).


...is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).

Christ's resurrection and ascension demonstrated His authority over all things.

As He Himself said in Matthew 28:18,


“All authority has been given unto Me in heaven and on earth.”

It is through the victory of Jesus over death that we, too, may achieve victory. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:56-58,

56. The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law:


57. but thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.

All of Our Sins Are Forgiven in Christ


“And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did He make alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;”

Paul makes the following points...


In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14).

He has made you alive together with Christ, having forgiven you all your trespasses (Colossians 2:13).

Our sins alienated us from God (Colossians 1:20-23).


We have our sins forgiven when we are buried with Christ in baptism (Colossians 2:12-13).

13. And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did He make alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;

12. having been buried with Him in baptism, wherein you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.


Our baptism is the re-enactment of the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 6:3-7).

2. by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except you believed in vain.

1. Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you received, wherein also you stand,


4. and that He was buried; and that He has been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;

3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;


3. Or are you ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

Romans 6:3-7,

4. We were buried therefore with Him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.


5. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection;

6. knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;


7. for he that has died is justified from sin.

We have our sins forgiven as long as we continue in the faith and be not moved away (Colossians 1:23; 1 John 1:9; Revelation 2:10).

“...if so be that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.”


“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”


Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus in chapter 1 verses 13-14 regarding Jesus, saying,

13. in Whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, -- in Whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14. Which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God's own possession, unto the praise of His glory.

Spiritual Gifts Are Only Found in Christ

Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3, saying,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ:”

Because of this blessing, those in Christ may:

Spiritual Gifts Are Only Found in Christ

Call God “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).

Be adopted as children of God (Galatians 4:5).

Boldly approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).

Have both the Spirit and Jesus Christ intercede on our behalf (Romans 8:26; Hebrews 7:25).

Christ Is Everything

Paul gives us assurance that every promise that God has made is “Yes” and “Amen” for those in Christ in 2 Corinthians 1:20.

And Peter tells us that His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness in 2 Peter 1:3.

Doesn’t that cover everything? I think you get the point.


Whatever you set your heart on getting or doing, if you are petitioning God, Christ should be situated at the epicenter of your asking.

Consider what the word of God says concerning the all-sufficiency of Christ:

John 14:6 -- Christ is our way, our truth and our life.


John 11:25 -- Christ is our resurrection.

John 6:35 -- Christ is our daily nourishment.

John 8:12 -- Christ is our light of life in this world.

John 1:29 -- Christ is the Lamb that takes away our sin.


1 Corinthians 1:30 -- Christ is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

1 Timothy 1:1 -- Christ Jesus is our hope.

John 15:5 -- Apart from Christ we can do nothing.

John 15:7 -- If we abide in Christ, we can ask whatever we wish and it will be given us.


Let the great I AM be your focus.

If you need a tangible sign of the truth of God’s word, go throw some birdseed in your yard.

As you witness God guiding those tiny creatures to that hidden food, meditate on the fact that He cares for you immeasurably more than them.

Christ Is All and in All


“...where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.”

Paul states that Jesus is “all, and in all.”

Christ Is All and in All

Christians often call this “the all-sufficiency of Christ”.

We sing a song about Jesus that says, “He is my everything, He is my all”.

Many doctrines diminish Christ's glory and His sacrifice on the cross. We must be careful never to do that.

the all-sufficient christ

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