CHRIST IS ALL AND IN ALL FOR THE CHURCH AS THE NEW MAN

Message One

The Centrality and Universality of Christ

Scripture Reading: Col. 1:15-17, 19, 27; 2:9; 3:4, 11 Eph. 1:10, 22-23

I. The centrality and universality of Christ refers to Christ being the center and being everything: (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

A. As in a great wheel, Christ is the hub, the center, and Christ is the rim, the circumference—cf. Ezek. 1:15. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

B. God’s intention is that Christ would be everything. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

II. Five items concerning Christ as everything in God’s intention: (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

A. Christ in the Godhead: (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

1. Among the three persons in the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, Christ is the center. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

2. All that the Father has planned and purposed is in the Son, for the Son, and through the Son. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

3. All that the Spirit is doing also is for the Son in order to witness for the Son, to glorify the Son, and to make the Son real to us—John 16:13-15. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

4. All the fullness of the Godhead is pleased to dwell in Christ bodily—Col. 1:19; 2:9. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

5. Christ is the image of God and the impress of God’s substance—1:15; 2 Cor. 4:4b;Heb. 1:3a. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

B. Christ in God’s plan: (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

1. In God’s plan, Christ is the Head to head up all things—Eph. 1:10. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

2. The phrase to head up all things in Christ in Ephesians 1:10 indicates the divine economy. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

C. Christ in God’s creation: (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

1. In God’s creation Christ is the first, the One who has preeminence among all creatures—Col. 1:15b. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

2. In the old creation all things were created in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ—v. 16. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

3. Furthermore, all things cohere, subsist together, and are compacted as one in Christ—v. 17b. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

D. Christ in the new creation: (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

1. The new creation is something of the old creation that has died and resurrected into life to have a fresh beginning in newness. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

2. The new creation is the church. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

3. Christ is the Firstborn of the new creation and the Head of the church, the Body—Col. 1:18. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

4. He is also the constituent of the Body—He is all the members and in all the members of the Body—Col. 3:11. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

5. The Body itself is Christ—1 Cor. 12:12. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

E. Christ in the Christian life: (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

1. The Christian life must be a life that is Christ Himself expressed through us. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

2. The real humility and loveliness of a Christian must be Christ Himself. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

III. The enemy’s subtlety in bringing in distractions and substitutions: (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

A. Religion with its forms and regulations. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

B. Doctrines, knowledge, teachings, and theology. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “The Centrality and Universality of Christ,” ch. 1)

C. Gifts, miracles, and power. (Life-study of Exodus, msg. 85)

IV. The all-inclusive, extensive Christ is the centrality and universality, the center and circumference, of God’s economy—Col. 1:15-27; Eph. 1:10: (Life-study of Colossians, msg. 5)

A. In God’s economy Christ is everything; God wants Christ and Christ alone—the wonderful, preeminent, all-inclusive Christ, who is all and in all—Matt. 17:5; Col. 3:10-11. (Life-study of Colossians, msg. 38)

B. The all-inclusive, extensive Christ is the center of God’s economy; God’s dispensing is altogether related to Christ and focused on Him—Eph. 3:17a. (Life-study of Colossians, msg. 14)

C. God’s intention in His economy is to work the wonderful, all-inclusive, extensive Christ into our being as our life and our everything that we may become the corporate expression of the Triune God—Col. 1:27; 3:4, 10-11: (Life-study of Colossians, msg. 39)

1. Christ is the center of God and all things; all things are ours for the church; the church is for Christ to be His Body, and Christ is for God to be His expression—Rom.8:28; 1 Cor. 3:21b-23. (Life-study of 1 Corinthians, msg. 33)

2. The all-inclusive Christ is God’s center, God’s centrality and universality, in the church as Christ’s fullness for His expression—Eph. 1:22-23: (The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 309)

a. Christ is the centrality and universality of God and of His move in the divine economy. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 309)

b. Christ is the center and circumference of God’s economy for the producing of His fullness for His expression—3:8, 17, 19b. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 309)

c. Our heart must be touched by God’s center, the centrality and universality of Christ, regarding God’s economy—Col. 1:15-19; 2:2, 9; 3:4, 10-11. (Life-study of Jeremiah, msg. 22)