Solus Christus (2)

BACK TO BASICS – SOLUS CHRISTUS (2)

In the previous meditation we looked at the phrase Solus Christus – Christ alone – as it referred to Jesus Christ as the one place where salvation is to be found: that we trust solely in Jesus Christ for our salvation. Not in ourselves. Not in any mere human mediators. Not in the church. But in Christ alone.

In this mediation we look at Solus Christus from another perspective: that in and through Christ alone we know the one true God. Our contemporary culture rejects the concept of absolute truth and any thought that there actually is one God and one way to that one God. In this context the claims of Jesus Christ, the claims the apostles made about him, and the claims that historic, biblical Christianity has always made, are offensive. They are exclusive claims and permit no alternate perception of God.

Consider the words of Jesus himself:

‘No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him’ (Matthew 11:27).

Jesus speaking of himself: ‘Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light ...’ (John 3:19).

‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ (John 8:12).

‘If you knew me, you would know my Father also’ (John 8:19).

‘When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness’ (John 12:44 – 46).

‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. I you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. ... Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”?’ (John 14:6, 7, 9).

Consider the words of the apostles:

‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ... No one has ever seen God, but God, the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known’ (John 1:12, 14).

‘The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony’ (John 3:31, 32).

‘My purpose is ... that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Colossians 2:2, 3).

‘... in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son’ (Hebrews 1:2).

‘We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true – even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols’ (1John 5:20, 21).

‘Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness ...’ (Revelation 1:5).

One of the major themes of the whole Bible is the identity of the one true God. The Old Testament focuses on the contrast between the one true God and the idols/gods manufactured by human hands. The New Testament focuses on the contrast between the one true God, made known in and by Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, and corrupted human perceptions of ‘God’.

And here is the challenge, confronting and discriminatory as it is: Is the ‘God’ we believe in and follow actually the real God? Or, is our ‘god’ a human construction, a physical idol formed by our human hands, or a philosophical idol formed by our human minds?

Only the true God, revealed and defined by Jesus Christ, is worthy of our faith and our commitment.