Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the LifeBrown, John
Religion
Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Brown, John
Bible. John XIV, 6 -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Jesus Christ; Justification (Christian theology); Sanctification
Now, for a ground to our following discourse, I would press the solid,
thorough and sensible apprehension of this, without which there will be
no use-making or application of Christ; "for the whole need not the
physician, but the sick;" and Christ is "not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance," Matt. ix. 12. Mark ii. 17. Yea, believers
themselves would live within the sight of this, and not forget their
frailty; for though there be a change wrought in them, yet they are not
perfect, but will have need of Christ as the way, the truth, and the
life, till he bring them in, and set them down upon the throne, and
crown them with the crown of life. And, O happy they, who must not walk
on foot without this guide leading them by the hand, or rather carrying
them in his arms. Let all them who would make use of Christ remember
what they were, and what they are, and keep the sense of their frailty
and misery fresh; that seeing their need of him, they may be in better
case to look out to him for help and supply, and be more distinct in
their application of him.
The _second_ general is, that Christ is a complete mediator, thoroughly
furnished for all our necessities. Are we at a distance from the Father?
He is a way to bring us together. Are we wandered out of the way? He is
the way to us. Are we blind and ignorant? He is the truth. Are we dead?
He is the life. Concerning this fulness and completeness of his, we
would mark these things:
1. That he is thoroughly furnished with all things we stand in need of;
the way, the truth, and the life. He hath eye-salve, clothing, gold
tried in the fire, &c. "For the Spirit of the Lord is upon him, and hath
anointed him," Isa. lxi. 1.
2. He is suitably qualified, not only having a fulness, and an
all-fulness, so that whatever we need is to be had in him, but also a
suitable fulness answering our case to the life. Are we out of the way?
He is the way. Are we dead? He is life, &c.
3. He is richly qualified with this suitable good. He hath not only
"wisdom and knowledge," but "treasures of it," yea, "all the treasures"
thereof, Col. ii. 3. There is fulness in him; yea, "it hath pleased the
Father that in him should all fulness dwell," Col. i. 19. Yea, "the
fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily," Col. ii. 9.
4. Hence this is an up-making completeness and fulness; for we are said
to be "complete in him," Col. ii. 10. And he is said to "be all in all,"
Col. iv. 11. "He filleth all in all," Eph. i. 23.
5. It is also a satisfying completeness. The eye is not satisfied with
seeing, nor the ear with hearing. The avaricious man is not satisfied
with gold, nor the ambitious man with honour; but still they are crying
with the loch leech, give, give! But the man who getteth Christ is full;
he sitteth down and cryeth, enough, enough! And no wonder, for he hath
all; he can desire no more; he can seek no more; for what can the man
want that is complete in him?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account