“For In Him (Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:9
The Lord Jesus Christ is not only God, revealed and made manifest to men in the flesh, but He is also filled with all of the attributes of God, perfectly, eternally, and entirely. There is not a moment when the fullness of the Godhead does not dwell in Him. This great truth, though incomprehensible in its magnitude and glory, is the very basis for the believer’s victory in Him. Why? The answer lies in another fact, or truth, that very act of God when He places every believer into a living union with Christ, by the Spirit. Paul writes concerning this in some measure to the Corinthian believers: “But of Him are ye IN Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1:30) When a person repents of his sins, believes wholly on the Lord Jesus Christ, and is born of the Spirit, a lot of things occur, most of which are too great and wonderful for us to fully grasp. However, there are some truths that the Spirit of God takes, teaches us concerning them, and then by them enables us to appropriate the Lord Jesus in many general, and specific, ways. We see from this verse in 1 Corinthians, that God, in placing us in Christ, puts us into living union with the One who is our perfect wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The Apostle writes that God the Father has specifically made Christ to be this to us. This is certainly one reason for which the Apostle wrote to the Roman believers: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (11:33) What then are the ramifications that should be revealed and known in the life of the believer?
In the Old Testament, we find different phrases in Scripture speaking of a wonderful, most extraordinary truth, a truth by which the believer today, can, by the grace of God, appropriate Christ for every need. In Psalm 23, David writes this: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want…” How can David write this, and what does it mean? In Cecil F. Alexander’s great hymn, “Complete In Thee! No Work Of Mine,” he writes of two things that help us grasp David’s meaning. He writes: “Complete in Thee! no work of mine, May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine; Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, And I am now complete in Thee.” Alexander speaks of the perfect work of salvation, being saved from the guilt and penalty of sin. He speaks of a perfect redemption in Christ applied to the believer. Alexander’s second meaning applies to our day to day living: “Complete in Thee! each need supplied, And no good thing to me denied; Since Thou my portion, Lord, wilt be, I ask no more, complete in Thee.” This stanza of this hymn reflects exactly what David is writing about. God has not only revealed that the fulness of God resides bodily in Christ, but by virtue of this union with Christ, the believer has been made COMPLETE in Christ. Because of this depthless source of life, revealed in all of its beauty and magnitude, “…there is no need inward or outward which Thou art now willing to meet in me today.” To be complete in Christ is to be “blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
On this matter of “…the supply of every need,” we look at Psalm 81:10, when the Lord tells Israel: “…open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” In Jeremiah, the Lord speaks of satiating the soul of the priests, and the people being satisfied with His goodness.” (31:14) In the New Testament, Paul writes to the Philippians: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory IN Christ Jesus.” (4:19) David, again in Psalm 23, would also write: “…my cup runneth over.”
Dear Father, We thank Thee that we are complete in Christ. Fill us today with Thy Son. In Jesus’ name, Amen.