The New
Testament teaches very clearly that the Christian life can only be lived by
Christ in the believer (Gal. 2:20). All other approaches to Christianity
are bound to fail dismally.
If you already
believe this, but it is not the consuming truth and passion of your life it
might be because your view of this Jesus who lives in you is smaller than what
the Bible reveals about Him.
How big is your
Jesus? Is He really sufficient for all things pertaining to "life and
godliness"?
"His
divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and
excellence." (2 Pet. 1:3)
When the Bible
says you are "complete in Him" (Col. 2:10) it wants to turn your
attention to HIS COMPLETENESS and SUFFICIENCY so that you would never again
fall for a "Jesus plus" message, no matter how it is presented to
you.
"For in him
the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." Colossians 2:9
"Not that
we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves,
but our sufficiency is from God..." (2 Cor. 3:5)
Jesus is
sufficient for creation (Col. 1:16-17),
Salvation (Heb.
10:10-12),
Sanctification
(Eph. 5:26-27),
Glorification
(Rom. 8:30).
There is no
blemish, stain, spot of sin, defilement, lying, deception, corruption, error,
or imperfection in Him (1 Pet. 1:18-20).
He is the only
begotten Son (John 1:14,18);
All the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him (Col. 2:3);
He is heir of
all things (Heb. 1:2);
He created all things
and all things were made by Him, through Him, and for Him (Col. 1:16);
He upholds all
things by the word of His power (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3);
He is the
firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15);
He is the exact
representation of God (Heb. 1:3).
He is the only
Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5); He is the Sun of righteousness
that rises with healing in his wings (Mal. 4:2); the Physician that
heals; the Wall of Fire that defends; the Friend that
comforts; the Pearl that enriches; the Ark that supports; and
the Rock to sustain under the heaviest of pressures;
He is seated at
the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3;
8:1);
He is better
than the angels (Heb. 1:4-14); better than Moses; better than Aaron; better
than Joshua; better than all the prophets; incomparably greater than Satan
(Luke 4:1 - 12); and stronger than death (1Cor. 15:55).
He has no
beginning and no end (Rev. 1:17-18);
He is the
spotless Lamb of God;
He is our Peace
(Eph. 2:14); He is our Hope (1Tim. 1:1);
He is our Life
(Col 3:4);
He is the living
and true Way (John 14:6);
He is the
Strength of Israel (1 Sam 15:29);
He is the Root
and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star (Rev. 22:16);
He is Faithful and
True (Rev. 19:11);
He is the Author
and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:1-2);
He is the
Captain of our Salvation (Heb. 2:10);
He is the
Champion; He is the Elect One (Isa. 42:1);
He is the
Apostle and High-Priest of our confession (Heb. 3:1);
He is the
Righteous Servant (Isa. 53:11).
He is the Lord
of Hosts, the Redeemer - the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth
(Isa. 54:5);
He is the Man of
Sorrows (Isa. 53:3);
He is the light;
He is the Son of Man (Matt. 20:28);
He is the Vine
(John 15:5); He is the Bread of life; He is the Door;
He is Lord
(Phil. 2:10-13);
He is Prophet,
Priest and King (Heb. 1:1-3);
He is our
Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:9);
He is our Wisdom
(1 Cor. 1:30); He is our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6; 1 Cor. 1:30); He is
our Sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30); and He is our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).
He was the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45) who took up the bitter cup of our
fallenness (Matt. 26:39) and victoriously finished the work of redemption on
the cross (John 19:30). The death He died included us all (2 Cor.
5:14) and thus the record of our debt that stood against us with its legal
demands was nailed to the cross with Him (Col. 2:14). He rose from
the grave, destroying the power of death and brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10).
He is the
Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of
Peace (Isa. 9:6);
He is the Chief
Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4); He is Lord God of hosts; He is Lord of the
nations; He is the Lion of Judah; the Living Word; the Rock
of Salvation; the Eternal Spirit; He is the Ancient of Days;
Creator and Comforter; Messiah; and He is the great I AM (John
8:58)!
So this is the
Jesus who lives in you. Are you still waiting for something else to
happen or searching for some prophet or preacher who will be able to give you
more than what you have already received in Christ? Are you still seeking
a more complete theology or waiting for an eschatological kingdom that will
reveal more than what has already been revealed in Christ?
God has spoken
fully and finally in His Son.
"Long
ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the
prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his
Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the
world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of
his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making
purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on
high." Hebrews 1:1-3
The kingdom is
already here because the King has appeared and He reigns from heaven. Yes,
certainly we do not yet see all things subjected to Him and we wait for the
full manifestation of that which is already an established fact. But we
see Jesus (Heb. 2:8-9)! And we see Him in the here and now "crowned
with glory and honour"! Do you see Him like this?
"Putting
everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in
subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do
not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a
little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory
and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he
might taste death for everyone." Hebrews 2:8-9
Is there any
situation or difficulty that cannot be faced with peace, joy and hope if you
know the sufficiency of Him who lives in you?
No my friend,
our salvation is complete, because our Jesus is complete. And yet this
confronts every individual with the crucial question: "How big is
your Jesus"?
