"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”
Not only is Christ complete in truth, as we mentioned yesterday, He is complete also in character. He is the fullness of all Deity. I've heard it said by Jehovah Witnesses that nowhere in the Bible does it say that Christ is God, nor does He make any such personal claims. That shows they do not study the Bible. Either they are trying to deceive knowingly, or they are ignorant of the many places the divinity of Jesus is stated and implied.
Jesus claimed “I am the son of God”. He said, “before Abraham was born I am" not "I was" or "I will be", but "I am" meaning there never was a time when I ceased to exist. To make those claims as C.S. Lewis suggested, would make Jesus a liar or crazy. Who would consider a liar or crazy man a great teacher?
God said, "this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Other statements Jesus said of Himself were these: "I have the power to lay down life and I have the power to raise it up again." Jesus said "He who glorifies me glorifies my father," "He that hates me, hates my father. He that loves me, loves my father. I and my Father are one." "He that has seen me has seen my father, he that rejects me rejects my father." "I am the only way to God." "I have all power and authority in heaven and on earth," He is the fullness of deity in bodily form.
As the sinless son of God, He is complete in character. All the claims God made of Himself in the Old Testament are made of Christ in the New Testament: the good shepherd, the way the truth the light and why else did the demons shutter in fear when they were in the presence of Jesus? “Fullness” means the sum total of all that God is, all His being, and all His attributes.
Protection against false teaching begins with a realization Jesus Christ is all in all. Christ is complete for salvation. We don't need anything else to have a right relationship with the Father. Jesus conquered all evil on the cross. When we identify with Jesus in His death and burial and resurrection, we are completely clean before God. He disarmed Satan and the demons and made a public spectacle of them exposing their deceit and vileness. He triumphed over them and disgraced and defeated them Col. 1:15.
Application: What are you adding to your salvation? As said yesterday, there is nothing else you can add to your salvation. It is not Jesus and something else. It is Jesus alone. It is not Jesus and the church nor Jesus and baptism nor Jesus and performance. It is not Jesus and a special revelation. It is Jesus alone who saves. Belief in His works is enough to save you. ALL fullness is in Christ.
Prayer: Gracious God, Heavenly Father, it is always overwhelming to me that You love us so much and that You have freely provided for our complete salvation. It is a finished work in Christ Jesus. Thank you.
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