Christ Alone

“As a Sacrifice, our sins were laid upon Him, as a Priest, He beareth them, and as an Advocate, He acknowledges them to be His own.” ~John Bunyun

I had always heard people talk about Christ alone but never really thought much about the phrase until 13 years ago. I knew what they meant when they talked about it, but I did not know the true extent of the meaning of Christ Alone. And after talking to people and seeing where they stand on certain doctrines, it’s clear many don’t fully know the extent.

When I now say I trust in Christ alone, I truly mean alone, and I truly mean Christ. This isn’t how I would have expressed it before. I always knew Christ alone died to pay the price for sins. I always knew Christ alone was perfectly sinless. That’s taught early in Sunday school and vacation bible school. But it goes so much deeper.

By Christ Alone I mean the life, death, and ressurection of Christ is not just necessary but it is also completely sufficient and efficient to save the lost eternally. Nothing we can do, no works, no good intentions. It is Christ alone.

As a sacrifice He alone took my sins upon Himself, (Isaiah 53) “The Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him”. (2 Corinthians 5:21) “For our sake he made him sin who knew no sin” (Galatians 3:13) ” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us”.

As a greater priest than that of Aaron, Christ alone bears, or carries away my sins (Exodus 28:38)”It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take away the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel consecrate, with regard to all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.” (1 Peter 2:24) “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (Hebrews 9:28) “so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”

Christ alone is our advocate. He stands before the judge and pleads our case. In our modern world we see this being done by a lawyer for someone accused of breaking the law. When we as believers fail, as we often do, Christ stands before the Father and pleads our case, as if saying “this one is mine, he has violated your commands, but he belongs to me, i know him and I have paid his debt”. (1 John 1:21) reads this very scenario “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”.

We can have full assurance that it is Christ Alone who is our guarantee or surety, giving us a better covenant as a better priest, The great High Priest. (Heb 7:22-25) “by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Our failure to be obedient is covered by Christ perfect obedience. So we can say “although I fail, He failed not, and I am His and trust only in Him” My works earned me no favor, I had nothing to give, nothing from me contributed to the finished work of Christ. It is Christ Alone that we cling to, Christ Alone where we put our trust, Christ Alone where our hope is found, and only in Christ alone is our assurance.

Martin Luther wrote “I must listen to the gospel. It tells me not what I must do, but what Jesus Christ did for me”

“No guilt in life, no fear in death this is the power of Christ in me from life’s first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny no power of hell no scheme of man can never pluck me from his hand till he returns or calls me home here in the power of Christ I’ll Stand.” IN CHRIST ALONE

Dear God let me never look to myself. Let me never stain the works of your Son by trusting in my own works. Let me never diminish the works of your Son by looking at my lack of piety. Help me to see Christ every day as my surety, my redeemer. Fix my eyes at all times on Christ alone. Amen.