Christ, Completely God, Us Complete In Him

 

Paul says that Jesus was fully God, “in him dwells all the fulness of deity,” To know Him is to know God. In his body dwells the fullness of God. The incarnation of Christ showed us God.

Then Paul makes this connection, “You are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power.” We share in the life of Christ, Jesus the Son of God, the One who is the head of all things, has made us a part of his life.

 

This is exactly what Jesus prayed in John 17: 20-23 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

What can the world offer that is greater than sharing Jesus' life?

 

Christ Only, Completes Us

 

This world and all it’s philosophies and cults make empty promises of giving us what we need to make our life full and complete, but the fulfillment of that promise can only be true in Jesus Christ.

The unsaved wanderer is incomplete because he has no direction, the unsaved sinner is incomplete because he has no savior, the lost child is incomplete because he has no heavenly father, the unsaved creation called man is incomplete because he has no creator, the lost soul is incomplete because it has no home.

 

I cannot be what I should be what I was created to be until I am complete in Christ. In him, I am spiritual marked with the circumcision of my soul. I now belong to God. In him I have been buried and then raised from the dead, this reality symbolized by my baptism.

 

What can this world offer that is greater? What can philosophy teach that is truer? What can tradition promise that is more unfailing, than the completeness of knowing Jesus, my Lord and Savior?

This truth is also seen in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, chapter 1:3-12 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence

 

Watchman Nee, Christian in Communist China

 

Watchman Nee was a Christian who wrote and preached from the 1920’s until 1952. When the communists overran China, Nee was arrested and put in prison. In prison he was starved, denied medical treatment, beaten by the guards and was only allowed visits from his wife. Finally, in 1972, six months after his wife died, Watchman Nee was delivered from prison by his own death.

His grandniece wrote this, “In June 1972, we got a notice from the labor farm that my granduncle had passed away. My eldest grandaunt and I rushed to the labor farm. But when we got there, we learned that he had already been cremated. We could only see his ashes...Before his departure, he left a piece of paper under his pillow, which had several lines of big words written in a shaking hand. “Christ is the Son of God who died for the redemption of sinners and resurrected after three days. This is the greatest truth in the universe. I die because of my belief in Christ.” – Watchman Nee

 

I wonder, if your life, your hopes, your future could be reduced to one last statement, would that sentence be about Jesus Christ?