Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Crammed Full of God

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:9-10)
All the fullness of the nature of God dwells in Jesus the Messiah. In Him, all that God is, is manifested in bodily form. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).

In Colossians 1:27, Paul talked about the mystery God has been making known among the nations, to all who believe in King Jesus the Messiah: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Now in Colossians 2:10, he tells us that we are “complete in Him.”

The Greek verb translated here as “complete” means to make full; to fill up to the top; to the brim, so that nothing is lacking; to cause to abound; to level up; and from Strong’s Greek Dictionary — and this is a meaning that really captures my imagination — to cram. In Jesus the Messiah, we are made “complete” — crammed full. Full of what? Of God Himself. All the fullness of God is in Him, and He is in us, so all the fullness of God dwells in us.

From Genesis 1:26-28, we learn that we were created in the image of God, to be like Him on the earth. He has given us dominion over all the works of His hands (Psalm 8:6). Through faith in King Jesus, we have received “exceedingly great and precious promises,” that through these we might “partake of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).

Now, let me be clear here: We do not become God, but we are made to be like Him and to fellowship with Him in His divine nature. He has given us His Spirit to dwell in us (1 Corinthians 3:16). Indeed, Messiah Himself dwells in us by the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery God has been revealing to the nations ever since Jesus came. This is the “hope of glory,” the joyful anticipation of God’s glory and goodness manifesting in us and through us.

In other words, in King Jesus the Messiah we are crammed full of God.



The Focus of Our Faith
The Focus of Our Faith
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Colosse
Bite-Size Studies Through Colossians
by Jeff Doles

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