COMPLETE IN HIM

Colossians 2:9-15

Morning Meditation 12/7/2013

WHERE THIS COMPLETENESS IS FOUND

"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

The words "complete in Him" is the sum and substance of our salvation. The word "complete" translates "pleroo." It is a perfect passive participle. The word complete means to fill to the brim, another drop of which would run the container over and be wasted. It is to fill to the point that nothing else can be added. The perfect tense refers to completed action in time past that completed action having present results. What happened in the past stands perfected in the present. The passive voice is where the subject (believers) are the receivers of the act and not producers of the act. Salvation is God's plan. No man can stand before Him in his own righteousness. So, God came up with the plan to make us perfect in His sight by the cleansing of the blood, and putting us in Christ. When one is in Christ the Scriptures say in 1 John 4:17, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world."

HOW THIS COMPLETENESS IS ATTAINED

This completeness is found simply by being in Christ. I offer the following reasons that the believer is complete in Christ:

1. By being forgiven. Colossians 2:13 says "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." The words "hath he quickened together with him," and, "having forgiven you all trespasses" happen at the same time.

2. By having the charges that were against us canceled. Colossians 2:14, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;" There is no law that can condemn the believing sinner. The Lord Jesus paid the penalty of the Law and that set him free from it's application. Romans 4:8, "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

3. By being buried with Him. Baptism is an identification with Christ in His death that the believer submits to when making his profession of faith. Baptism is by immersion in water of a believer. It symbolizes the death and resurrection of Christ and so the believer is immersed in water as a symbol of His faith in the death, burial, and resurrection as the means of his salvation.

4. By being raised with Him. Colossians 2:12, "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." In Christ the believer has already been raised from the dead.

5. By having our enemies conquered by Him. A greater war has never been fought than was fought at the Cross when Jesus was crucified. Colossians 2:15, "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Jesus is victorious over death hell and the grave--and we in Him.

To say we are complete in Him is the greatest confession one could make. The wonderful part of it is that the Scripture says, "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White