Sunday, March 30, 2014

We Are Complete In Christ

We Are Complete In Christ

Colossians 2:8 - 10
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

   IMHO (In my humble opinion) when we recognize our completeness in Christ we gain a tremendous safeguard against deception.  Before we are saved, we are incomplete and live a hungry life never being satisfied.  We hunger for something and try to satisfy ourselves with many things but never achieve satisfaction.  But when we experience new birth, we become complete in Christ and our hunger should change to want more of Christ in our lives.  As we fill our lives with more of Christ we become closer to Him and the lies of the enemy have less power in our lives.  A big part of temptation is dissatisfaction.
   Adam and Eve would not have eaten of the forbidden fruit if they hadn't been made dissatisfied with what they had.  They listened to Satan’s lies and let themselves be led to believe that they didn't have it all.  They began to think God was holding out on them; keeping something wonderful from them.  Genesis 3:5 “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
   The truth was, they did have it all.  They were more like God before they ate of the fruit than after they ate the fruit.  They enjoyed a personal relationship with God before they ate the fruit but their relationship was severed by sin after they ate.  Their dissatisfaction was the first step to sinning.  Satan tempts us in the same way he came against Adam and Eve.  2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
   When we study the Bible, when we pray regularly, when we meditate of Christ, we fill our lives with Him and as we draw closer to completeness in Christ we will be satisfied with Him and not hunger for the things of this evil world.  When the Evil One comes calling with his satchel of lies we do not feel the need to go chasing after all the things he has to offer.  If anyone tells you that Christ isn't enough; that you need something more, then that's the devil trying to turn you away from your completeness in Christ.  Send him packing!  He will flee from you when you use the name of Jesus against him and stand firm in your relationship with God.
   It’s there in the Bible for you to read.  Just as Christ has all the fullness of God in Him, we have the fullness of Christ in us.  That makes us complete in Him.  In other words, our born-again spirit is identified with the Spirit of Christ.  We are no longer strangers to God the Father, but we are now sons and daughters of God and joint-heirs with Christ.  Our lives should no longer be filled with hunger for the world but we should be hungry for more of God and His word.


Stephen Cram                                                                    

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ. 

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.
Join Pastor Jon Tuesday nights at 6:30 for Praise Chapel TV at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/praise-chapel-tv .

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.


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