In the previous two chapters we have covered a number of points concerning the Person of Christ. Beginning with this chapter we will go on to see a number of points concerning His work. We must spend adequate time to study and consider all these points. This will help us to enjoy Christ.
Today many Christians know Christ only in a superficial way. Although they would say that they love the Lord, if you were to ask them why they love Him they would have little to answer. But I hope that, after reading these chapters, we all could give many points as the reasons for which we love the Lord Jesus. We should be able to give at least fifteen points concerning Him as the complete God and at least seventeen points concerning Him as the perfect man. If possible, we should develop every point in detail. Then we should be able to go on and speak concerning all that He has done for us, how He ministered on this earth for us, entered into death for us, rose from the dead for us, and ascended to the heavens for us. He has done so much for us, and He is still doing so much in the heavens for us. This is why we love Him. We love Him because of what He is and because of what He has done for us. I hope that from now on every day while we are contacting, enjoying, and experiencing the Lord, we would experience Him in all these items.
When we enjoy a feast, we know all the courses we are about to eat, and we enjoy the feast dish by dish. However, many of us enjoy the Lord Jesus without an adequate knowledge concerning Him as the complete God and the perfect man. Furthermore, we often enjoy Him without knowing adequately how much He has done for us. We know that He worked and ministered on the earth, but we do not know specifically what He did. We know that He died on the cross, but we do not realize the crucial points concerning His death. We know that He rose from the dead, but we do not know what His resurrection has accomplished. We know that He ascended, but we do not know how much He has accomplished through His ascension. Since we are limited in knowing Christ, our experience of Him is also quite restricted. This is why there is the need for a book such as this, that we might see who Christ is and what He has done for us, that we might enjoy Him and experience Him in full.
The New Testament tells us repeatedly that we need to have a full knowledge of Christ and His work (Eph. 1:17-23; 4:13; Col. 2:2). In the Bible Christ is revealed not in a simple way but in a very detailed way. It is not adequate simply to know that Christ is God. You must know the details of Christ being God, how He is the self-existing and ever- existing God, how He is the universal "To Be," how He is the Triune God Jehovah, how He is the Creator, and so forth. You must dive into and digest all these items as well as all the points concerning Christ's work. Then while you are studying all these points, you will appreciate Him and enjoy Him. Such a study will usher you into the full enjoyment of Christ.