Only Christ

Where is our hope? What does Christ’s work on the cross really mean for us? Does any of it really matter now? Most Christians really don’t think about these questions at all, let alone in depth. Some don’t care, others are afraid of the answers or how the answers would confront modern culture. Yet these questions are fundamental for our life now and in eternity.

 

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

 

Only in Christ should we place our hope and trust. He is the only One eternal and all powerful, the only One completely trustworthy. He should be the One to light our way. He said He is the light. John 1:5 His truth shines in the darkness and reveals what is out there. It shows us where to go, how to live. He is our strength. Only He can give us what we need for this live, and He has already done it. We only need to seek Him. It is only right for us to sing His praises. He is the cornerstone we are built upon, the only cornerstone that provides a firm foundation. Ephesians 2:20 Only He and His truth can withstand the storms of life. We could never comprehend the full height, depth, or power of His love. Ephesians 3:18-19 His peace is beyond understanding. Philippians 4:6-7 Once we trust Him fully, our fears give way. When we stop trying to do life on our own, we find His strength and peace. He should be everything to us. We can stand unafraid because of His love for us.

 

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

 

Jesus is the only Son of God. He has all authority, power and kingship. Yet, He gave that all up to become a man, born as a helpless child, so that He could be a sacrifice for us. Philippians 2:7-8 He freely gives us His love and righteousness, things we could never accomplish or earn on our own. He died for us while we were still sinners, even enemies of God, but He did it anyway. Romans 5:9 How great a love! God’s wrath against all sin was laid on Him and fully satisfied and satiated. Isaiah 53:5 His death brought us life, here on earth and eternity. Prior to belief in His sacrifice we are spiritually dead. Romans 6:23 It is only faith in Him that can make us alive. We can live a full life because of His death.

 

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

 

If Christ had died and stayed dead as every other human, He would not have been God. But He was raised back to life on the third day to conquer death and prove His deity. Acts 2:32-33 He stands in Heaven victorious over sin and death. He paid the debt of sin that we owe so that we could gain His righteousness and live forever with Him. Once we give our lives to Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin. We are free. Not free to live as we want, but free to choose obedience to Christ. Free to live a life free from sin. We are bought with His blood. How can we respond in any way but in grateful obedience and submission!

 

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 ever pluck me from His hand:
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

 

In Christ, we are no longer condemned by our sin. We have no guilt before God. The enemy tries to make us feel guilty and ashamed, but we are free to reject it and accept the love and forgiveness Christ purchased on the cross. Romans 8:1-2 We no longer need to fear death because Jesus conquered death. Once we die we will be in heaven and free from this life. Jesus is in complete control. He orchestrates our being, our every breath. Yes, we still have the freedom to choose what we do, but we are longer enslaved to sin and unable to make that choice. Nothing can remove us from His love. John 10:28, Romans 8:38-39 We have His power. We can and should live in that power because He died to give it to us.

 

Is your hope in Christ and what He has done for you? What does this mean for your life? How will it change the way that you live?

 

 

Stuart Townend & Keith Getty Copyright © 2001 Thankyou Music (Adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family, songs@integritymusic.com)