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The Sum of the Bible’s Theology Is Christ

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On a Monday afternoon in 1861, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, London’s famed “Prince of Preachers”, delivered his first sermon in the Metropolitan Tabernacle. That momentous day, Spurgeon saw fit to preach on the centrality of Christ in all of Scripture:

In the days of Paul it was not difficult at once, in one word, to give the sum and substance of the current theology. It was Christ Jesus. Had you asked anyone of those disciples what he believed, he would have replied, “I believe Christ.” If you had requested him to show you his Body of Divinity, he would have pointed upward, reminding you that divinity never had but one body, the suffering and crucified human frame of Jesus Christ, who ascended up on high. To them, Christ was not a notion refined, but unsubstantial; not an historical personage who had left only the savour of his character behind, but whose person was dead; to them he was not a set of ideas, not a creed, nor an incarnation of an abstract theory; but he was a person, one whom some of them had seen, whose hands they had handled, nay, one of whose flesh they had all been made to eat, and of whose blood they had spiritually been made to drink. Christ was substance to them, I fear he is too often but shadow to us. He was a reality to their minds; to us—though, perhaps, we would scarcely allow it in so many words—rather a myth than a man; rather a person who was, than he who was, and is, and is to come—the Almighty.

I would propose (and O may the Lord grant us grace to carry out that proposition, from which no Christian can dissent), I would propose that the subject of the ministry of this house, as long as this platform shall stand, and as long as this house shall be frequented by worshippers, shall be the person of Jesus Christ.

From a sermon entitled “The First Sermon In The Tabernacle,” delivered March 25, 1861.

“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” (Acts 5:42 KJV)

Comments

  1. I have many times cited the same thing. It is evident in all the books that the apostle John had written that Christ was the beginning and the end. He shows that before the world existed Jesus existed. For the true Christian, though, we don’t need John to show us because we can prove his teachings through the scriptures of the Old Testament. There we see Jesus in all things. In each story, book, Psalm, and Proverb. It all leads to Jesus, and either we believe or not.

  2. 1 Corinthians 2:2 NKJV – “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

    It is all about Jesus Christ! It isn’t about theology, it is about Him!

  3. Rom.11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are ALL things: to Him glory for ever Amen.

    Without Christ there would be no theology. I cannot wait to touch His feet when I bow down to Him in the “and is to come”!

  4. I dont think theology is bad since veryone is a theologian, I just think theology should always be about Jesus!! All the time!!!

  5. Blessed is the name above all names Jesus Christ!

    He came from the throne of the Father to the womb of a woman. He put on humanity that we might put on divinity. He became Son of Man that we might become sons of God. He was born in a supernatural way, lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He had neither wealth nor influence, yet the wisdom of
    men has never matched His wisdom. Never has a man spoken like this man. His family was inconspicuous and uninfluential. In infancy He startled a king. As a boy, He stunned theologians with His knowledge and wisdom for He was taught of God. In manhood, He ruled the elements and quieted the raging sea. He
    healed the multitudes without medicine. And fed thousands from a boy’s lunch. Even demons obeyed Him and He gave back life to those who died. He never wrote a book, yet none of the libraries of the world can contain the books that have been written about Him. He never wrote a song, yet He has furnished the
    theme of more songs than all song writers combined. He never founded a college, yet all the colleges together cannot boast of as many students as He has. He never marshaled an army, yet no leader has ever had more volunteers. Great men have come and gone yet He lives all. Herod could not kill Him. Satan could
    not tempt Him to sin. Death could not destroy Him. The grave could not hold Him. He laid aside His purple robe for a peasant’s gown. He was rich yet for our sakes He became poor. He slept in another’s manger. He rode on another’s donkey. He was buried in another’s grave. He conquered death and rose on the
    third day as He said He would. He ascended into heaven and is now at the right hand of the throne of God. One day He will return with power and great glory to judge the world when every knee shall bow to Him and every tongue shall confess Him as Lord. His friends gladly. But enemies seeking for a place to hide from His face. He is the perfect one. The only one who can satisfy the soul. He gives everlasting life to those who love Him. He is altogether lovely. But best of all, He is my Savior.

  6. I love C.H. Spurgeon whom I have never met, and I love Jesus whom I have met. His initial sermon at Tabernacle established his doctrinal slant for the remainder of his tenure. We would do well to follow the same doctrinal slant in our preaching and teaching today. “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1Co 2:2)

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