Why CIA Life?
The Legitimacy of a Christ is All Life

Why was I led to name this organization “CIA Life?” Is Christ really all? Should he really take center stage in our lives and be our main focal point? Yes. Jesus is worthy of being the center of our entire lives. To understand this better we need to turn to Scripture, which boldly declares Christ as preeminent over all creation, the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan, the answer for every need, and the ultimate victor. Let’s dive in and see why Christ truly is all.

Colossians 1:16-17 lays it out plainly: “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Jesus is not just a piece of the puzzle. He’s the one who made it! Every star in the sky, every breath we take, every intricate detail of the universe exists because of him. He didn’t just create; he sustains. The reason your heart keeps beating is because Jesus holds it all together. John 1:3 echoes this in noting that all things were made through him, and nothing was created except through him. Without Christ, nothing exists. That’s an audacious claim, but one that Scripture makes unapologetically.

Another audacious claim centers on Christ as the fulfillment of all Scripture. Old Testament Scripture doesn’t just foretell Jesus. It doesn’t just briefly allude to him. It all points to him! At our home we have “The Jesus Storybook Bible,” which is written by bestselling author Sally Lloyd-Jones. It is a fascinating look at major Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments where, as Lloyd-Jones states, “every story whispers his name.” It shows that Jesus truly is the center of the entire Bible. Jesus himself iterates this in John 5:39, telling his Jewish audience, “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (NLT). The Bible isn’t just a collection of stories, but a spotlight shining on Jesus. Jesus doubled down on this after his resurrection. While he walked with two disciples he explained to them “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets…what was written in all the Scriptures about himself” (BSB). This is all encompassing. “Beginning with Moses” means starting at the very beginning since the book of Genesis was said to be written by Moses. “All the Prophets” incorporates the majority of the books of the Old Testament. From beginning to end, Jesus indicates that the Old Testament speaks about him.

Then there’s the cross. Redemption isn’t just a theological term; it’s the heartbeat of the Christian faith. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Christ’s death wasn’t just an event – it was the turning point for all humanity, reconciling us to God and giving us life. Acts 4:12 makes it crystal clear: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” If you’re looking for another way, you won’t find it. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Let’s not forget about the extreme authority of Christ. Did you know that every knee will end up bowing before Jesus? That every tongue will acknowledge Jesus as Lord? This “every” is all consuming. It doesn’t involve just mere humans. It involves all created beings “in heaven, on earth, and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10-11). This isn’t hypothetical; it’s inevitable. Whether willingly or not, every creature will one day bow before Christ and declare him as Lord. Why? Because he’s not just another leader or teacher. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13). He is before all things and the one who holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). He is the one in whom all the promises of God find their yes (2 Corinthians 1:20). Jesus doesn’t just fulfill promises. He is the promise!

In being the promise, Christ becomes the answer, where everything good finds itself in him. For it’s in him that we find righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), redemption (Ephesians 1:7), and sanctification (1 Corinthians 6:11). It’s in Christ that we find abundant life (John 10:10), completion (Colossians 2:10), and become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). In Christ are “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) and in him we have “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). In Christ we have fullness of joy (John 15:11) and peace (John 14:27; Ephesians 2:14) and most importantly love (John 15:12 and Romans 8:38-39). Are you seeing yet that whatever good we have can be found in Christ!? He truly is the answer.

As if that’s not enough, Christ is also the ultimate victory. No other can stand against him. He is the undefeated King and the conqueror of evil. The picture of Jesus arm wrestling Satan is one of the biggest hoaxes put in art. Satan stands no chance against the power of Christ. Jesus has disarmed him (Colossians 2:15) and destroyed his works (1 John 3:8). Not only did he disarm and destroy, he put Satan and his minions to open shame (Colossians 2:15). It’s like a sport team not just winning, but running up the score, shaming their opponent. Jesus did this to Satan, openly. There’s a reason why Jesus has written upon himself the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). He has no equal.

Lastly, let’s go to the verse that inspired the name of this organization. In Colossians 3:11 Paul writes: “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us” (NLT). In a world divided by so many different things, Christ transcends it all. He unites us, not by erasing our differences, but by giving us something greater to live for – he gives us himself. Whether you’re rich or poor, regardless of what nationality you are, or what religious tradition you came from, Christ is all that matters. He truly is, as the ESV says “all, and in all.” This “Christ is all” statement is all encompassing. It’s similar to Paul saying elsewhere that it doesn’t matter whether we live or die; what matters is that we are the Lord’s (Romans 14:8). For Paul, his life was so concentrated on and embedded in Christ that he could say “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Essentially, the focus of his life, the purpose of his life, his reason for living was Christ. May we live with this same mindset. May we live a CIA life. One where Christ becomes our all. 

There is much more that could be said on this subject; on why Christ is worthy of being our all. I hope what’s provided here is convincing enough. If not, continue to read Scripture, and ask the Lord to open your heart to who Jesus is and what role he should play in your life. It’s my hope that you find him not just worthy of part of your life, but worthy of the entire thing. That’s why it’s CIA Life. Because Christ is all – now and into eternity.