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THE "FULNESS" OF CHRIST is but half of the story. The apostle hastens on to show the other side. So we must also,
RECOGNIZE THE CHRISTIAN'S FULNESS
"Ye are complete in Him." (2:10). Note our present possession in the words "ye are." This word in the Greek holds the emphatic position. "Beloved,
now are we the sons of God" (l Jn. 3.2). Note also our present position "in Him." Again the Greek gives this an emphatic location. "In Him" is the richest little phrase
in all of Paul's Epistles. This is the sphere of the believer's life. It is a sphere, not a mere circle. We are "in Him" surrounded above. beneath, beside, and all
around. So nothing can come from without to harm us and with Him within we should be "more than conquerors." "In Him" we have all that He has, and He is our fulness, our
complement, our completeness. So also our past perfection as believers. The word is pepleromenoi, and means "COMPLETE, FILLED FULL, PERFECTED." This is a perfect, passive participle,
so it represents a past perfect work. Demosthenes used the word here translated ·"complete" in describing a ship fully manned. Truly our ship is fully manned. from prow to stern, by her
Captain Who steers the vessel, stills the storm, guides through rocks and reefs, feeds the crew, fills every need, and brings the vessel to its desired haven.
If we are "COMPLETE IN HIM." and we are "by grace through faith," then it follows what Paul sets forth in this Epistle.
WE ARE COMPLETE WITHOUT PHILOSOPHY, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. after the tradition of men.after the rudiments (elements) of
the world. and not after Christ" (2:8). We need no sophisms of this world to prop our faith. There is nothing new in philosophy except old error. One day three friend philosophers came to Job to
comfort him and to set him straight as to his thinking. These three represent the reasonings of the best of men: Eliphaz reasons on human experience (4:8; 5:3; 15:17) - "Even as I have
seen," "l have seen," "l have seen." It is what he had seen, heard, and felt. Bildad comes with human tradition (8:8. 10) - "For enquire, I pray thee, of the former
age," "search of the fathers. " Zophar reasons on human merit (11:13-14) - "If thou prepare thine heart." This is the gospel of humanism. Six thousand years of human
gropings after wisdom have not given men the true knowledge of God, nor His ways with man. Man's reason is inadequate to understand either the will or way of God. If man by his own reason could
find God, and His way of redemption, then there would be no need of a revelation. Like David, we are content with the sling and the stones. As for the armor of philosophy, we leave that to proud
Goliath to wear "Spoil you," says Paul The word is sulagogon, and means "to carry off as a captive, a slave, as booty." It is used of kidnapping and plundering a house, also
seducing a maiden..
WE ARE ALSO "COMPLETE IN HIM" WITHOUT CEREMONIES. "BIotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us. and took it out
of the way, nailing It to Hls cross; Let no man therefore judge you In meat, or in drink, or In respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days" (2:14, 16-17).
All these ceremonies had their day. They belong to the time of shadows; we now have the Substance, Christ. "Finished are the types and shadows of the ceremonial
law." Circumcision, sacrifices, Passover, water baptisms, temple services. priestly functions, etc. are but "beggarly elements" of a past age, encumbrances no longer needed. Who looks for
the moon as long as the sun Is shining? We are In the day of the Substance. not in the night of the shadows. But man is so prone to be religious, and adds something to Christ. He must
"touch," and "taste," and "handle" something.
Again, WE ARE "COMPLETE IN HIM," WITHOUT ANY HUMAN MERIT. "For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of youselves: It Is the gift of
God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). All our righteousnesses are but filthy rags. If we were dead In,- and we were - how could a dead man do anything? He cannot see,
hear, touch, smell, speak, or walk. So how utterly foolish it is like Zophar to talk about preparing one's heart to appease God or to merit His favor.
Therefore if "IN HIM" there dwells all "the fulness of the Godhead bodily," and we are "COMPLETE IN HIM," let us live as those who know this
fulness! The Pauline doctrine of Christ Is His absolute "fulness," His "pleroma." And the doctrine of "ye are complete In Him." Christ should therefore command all
our worship, our admiration, our love. There is at our disposal the infinite merit of His righteousness; infinite efficacy in His blood: and the infinite power of His resurrection and glorification.
The celebrated artist Danneker was asked by Napoleon to paint Venus for the Louvre, and declined. An enormous sum was offered him, but still he declined. The little
emperor angrily demanded the reason. "I have just painted Christ," was the answer, "and I can never lower my brush to paint such an inferior subject as Venus."
Let us therefore sing:
Now blest in heavenly places,
n Christ at God's right hand:
And filled with all His fulness,
Complete in Him to stand.
Sing to the
praise and glory,
Of Him Who thus hath shown
Such gracious love and mercy,
To call us for His own.
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Complete In Christ - Page 3
