“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
The salvation to which the believer in Christ has been called is both great and full. It is not a partial salvation, though the manifestation of its perfect fulness in and through us will only be known when we are with Christ, when faith has been replaced with sight, and we are changed forever into His likeness. However, the realization and manifestation of this salvation in the believer today, on this earth, in this age of the church, when the Spirit of God has been poured out upon all flesh can be seen and grasped in a considerable measure by Paul’s words to the Ephesian believers long ago: “NOW, unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (3:20) Knowing this, how can the believer trust God for the realization of His purposes and power in and through him, and this in great measure? The answer begins with Paul’s writings concerning the great, overwhelming, and all-encompassing objective of this salvation: “Unto Him (to God) be GLORY in the church, (…and every member of it), by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.” (3:21) This tremendous motive and objective of God is given to every member of His body. It is beyond the capacity of man to fully grasp, and certainly impossible to realize in and of himself. However, WITH GOD, all things become possible to him that believeth, from the moving of mountains to the deliverance of the captive from sin. The God of History, of creation and redemption, is the One who will bring this to pass, IF He can find someone, or two, or a local church, or a nation, who will truly live to honor and glorify Him. How can this be realized practically?
The first thing is that of having a vision, or perception and grasp of the truth, God’s truth in Christ, and His truth concerning the believer in Christ. Because of the blessed, and eternal union with Christ, brought into existence at the moment of the new birth, the believer was positionally delivered from all that was true of himself outside of Christ, all having to do with faithlessness and the flesh. The “old man,” representing the believer and every manifestation of him outside of Christ, was crucified with Christ, and buried with Him. It was then that the “new man” was resurrected with Christ and has been seated in Christ in the heavenly places at the right hand of God the Father. That which accompanies this union with Christ is the fact that first of all, “In Him (Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col. 2:9) Note the word “fulness.” In Christ is found the absolute fulness of God the Father and the Spirit, for He IS as He has declared Himself to be in Scripture: “The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending.” (Rev. 1:8) This is the God of Abraham, David, all the prophets, and the believers from all ages, ultimately revealing Himself in human flesh, dying on a cross, tasting death for every man, in order to save every man. It is this vision of God in Christ that is so very essential to grasp if one would begin to know His fulness on this earth. The vision, or understanding of the gospel is also essential, for according to its truths faith is given.
There is another aspect of this vision of God and Christ’s work on calvary. It has to do with the believer and his experience of Christ’s power and life. Paul continues in his letter to the Colossians: “And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power…” (2:10) Here is the great truth which had been hidden from the foundation of the world: Christ in His completeness is now in the heart. Therefore, “…there is no need inward or outward which Christ cannot meet in me today.”
Dear Father, Fill us with Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.