Got some new glasses there and
I wasn't sure if they were going to work. Go back to the old ones. Okay, Colossians chapter 2. Colossians chapter 2. We'll be
continuing our study, and I know I keep saying this every week,
but I am sure enjoying preparing these messages and digging in
this book of Colossians. It's so incredible. It just magnifies
the all-sufficiency of Christ on every page, every verse. It's incredible. It's incredible.
The name of the message tonight is Complete in Him. I'll read
the context of the verse. We'll read verses 8 to 12, but
our verse for tonight is found in verse 10. Complete in Him,
Colossians chapter 2, starting in verse 8 and going to verse
12. Beware, lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him,
being Christ, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,
and ye are complete in Him, being Christ, which is the head of
all principality and power. In whom also ye are circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands, and put 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." Oh, my. Tonight we'll be in verse 10.
And G, being the believers, the Colossian believers, and we who
believe tonight, who are reading this, and G, and all the elect,
all the elect, and G are complete in Him. which is the head of
all principality and power. So last week we looked at verse
9, and we looked at how all the fullness of the Godhead dwells
bodily in Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
perfect Redeemer. Remember, we looked at that.
He's the perfect Redeemer. He's the perfect Savior. He's
the perfect surety of His people. He's the perfect Savior. He is
the God-man. He's the God-man. God incarnate
in the flesh. Fully God and fully man. And we looked at how in Him all
fullness dwells. And He is perfect. Perfect. Therefore, nothing needs to be
added to Him. And nothing needs to be added
to His work. Because He's perfect. He's absolutely
perfect. We're imperfect, aren't we? I
am. And do you know, only sinners
admit that they're not perfect. We are imperfect beings. Imperfect
beings. We are sinners by birth, nature,
and choice. But He is perfect. He is perfect. And let us remember this, if
we allow anyone or anything to turn our eyes of faith away from
Christ, we're turning away from the true and living God. And
how do we know that? Because all the fullness of the
God that dwelt in Him, He's God. He's God in the flesh. So if
one turns away from Christ, they're turning away from God. They're
turning away from God. Now Paul has written this epistle,
and we know by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, He's written
this epistle to combat worksmongers, and worksmongers are anyone who
adds to the finished work of Christ, anyone who says there's
something that you have to do in order to be saved, adding
to that which Christ has completed, who are trying to carry the Colossian
believers away, and we looked at how they're trying to carry
them away, spoil you in verse 8, is carry you away, like a
spoil, like their own little treasure. through vain deceit,
the traditions of man, and after the rudiments of the world, and
not after Christ. And not after Christ. So Paul,
by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has penned this to combat works-based
false preachers, or false teachers. Now something I want us to ponder
as we look at this study tonight is that the Scriptures declare
in verse 10, The Scriptures declare. This is not our opinion. This is what the Scriptures declare,
right? And one thing, Vicki mentioned this several times, and through
the years I've noticed this too, listening to different grace
preachers. One thing that she loves about grace preachers is
we just preach what the text says. We don't add anything to
it. And we're not supposed to. The
Scripture says, and ye are complete in Him. The Scriptures declare
this. That the believer in Christ is
complete in Christ. This is plainly stated in our
verse tonight. Let's do verse 9. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him. You're complete
in Him, which is the head of all principality and power. Now
think of this in contrast. The false teachers in Clos were
adding works with grace. They were saying that we're not
complete in Christ. They're adding philosophy and
vain deceit and tradition of men after the rudiments of the world
to the finished work of Christ. And beloved, this still occurs
today. Nothing's changed. The false
preachers and false teachers are still doing the same thing
today. They're telling people that they have to do certain
things. So the work mongers of our day
are the same as the works mongers of Paul's day. There's no difference.
There's no difference. They may have difference in how
they approach things, But they're all telling you that it's something
you have to do along with something Christ did. Well, that's just
a lie. That's just a lie. Grace preachers preach Christ
crucified. We preach the one in whom the believer is complete. Everything, do you know, do you
know that everything that I need for my salvation, and if you're
a believer, everything that you need for your salvation, everything,
I mean everything, you're not gonna let that, everything is
in Christ. So if everything's in Him and
we're complete in Him, that means there's nothing for me to do. Oh, may God, the Holy Spirit,
illuminate the Scriptures for us tonight, that we might delight. That we might delight in this
truth right here before us. That we might delight in the
precious truth of the believer being complete in Christ. Because
it's a delight for the believer. It's a delight. Oh, all that we need for salvation
is finished by the work of Christ as our substitute, beloved. Oh,
that we might leave this place delighting in the fact, if you're
a believer, delighting in the fact that we're complete in Christ. May we meditate and think about
it the whole week. Seriously, we're complete in
Christ. And we'll look at the Greek word,
the Greek definition for the word complete. I think it'll
fill you full of joy. It's finished means it's finished,
beloved. It's finished. That's what my king cried out.
It's finished. So let's go back to our text.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality
and power. So let's look at the first part of this verse. Now
Paul is here speaking to Colossian believers. So when he says, and
ye are complete in him, he's speaking to Colossian believers.
He's speaking to God's people who have been regenerated by
the Holy Spirit. He's not speaking to everyone. He's speaking to the saints of
God, regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The ones who have fled
to Christ is their only refuge. The ones who have went to Him
because He is the eternal refuge for our eternal souls, isn't
He? He's the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
He's the only one we can find refuge in. So here is what Paul,
by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, pens to the Colossian believers.
Now remember, they're under attack by all these different things,
right? The Gnostics, also by the Judaizers. They're under
attack. So Paul pens this. Those believers are under attack
by the false teachers saying that Christ alone was not enough. That Christ alone was not good
enough for their salvation. But that they had to add. They
had to add their works. That they had to add traditions.
That they had to add ceremonies. or he writes in order to be saved.
And Paul writes this by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. Remember
this. And this is just as much for us as it is for the Colossian
believers, beloved. And ye are complete in him. Paul writes to the Colossian
believers that they are complete in Christ. And let us remember,
again, who Paul is talking about. As the verse preceding this one
proclaims that all the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwells
in Christ, right? He is the perfect One. He is
the all-sufficient Savior. He is the perfect, spotless Lamb
of God. And Paul is writing to the Colossian
believers that they are absolutely complete in the Lord Jesus Christ. They're absolutely complete. Why? Do you see how he's countering
the attacks that are coming at them? Do you see how he's countering
them with the truth? So the false teachers say, Vicki,
you need to have traditions or works in order to be saved. And
Paul's saying, Vicki, you're complete in Christ. That's what
he's saying to the Colossian believers. He's saying, you're
absolutely complete in Christ. Oh my. Brother Henry comments
on this portion. Brother Henry Mahan comments
on this portion of Scripture. He says this, we are perfect
in Him. Now we're sinners, aren't we?
We're still sinners. He's not teaching sinless perfection here.
He's talking about our standing before God in Christ. We are perfect in Him. We just let that sink in for
a minute. Oh my. He is perfect and our
being in Him makes us perfect. This is not speaking of what
we shall be. Let's get a handle on this. This
is not speaking of what we shall be. This is speaking of what
we are right now in Christ. And ye are complete in Him. He's
writing to Colossian believers on this earth. He's telling them, you're complete
in Christ right now. Right now. But we're sinners. But we who believe are clothed
in the righteousness of Christ. Oh, my goodness. And ye are complete
in Him. Complete in Him. Complete, again, in the all-sufficient Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the Greek word for complete
is defined in this way, to make full. When something's full,
you can't add anything to it. Do you see again the contrast
that Paul's then writing? The Greek definition even battles
what the false teachers were trying to say. It combats it.
To make full, that's not all though. It says this, to make
full, to fill up, to fill to the full. I like this, to cause
to abound. to furnish or supply liberally,
that's just overflowing, to render full, to complete, to fill to
the top so that nothing shall be wanting, to full measure,
fill to the brim. You're so complete in Christ,
you who believe, that nothing can be... It's amazing. Listen to this,
it goes on now. To make complete in every particular,
to render perfect. Again, this is not talking about
sinless perfection, because we will not be finished with our
sin, because we battle with this body of flesh, right? We're sinners until we get home
to glory, but we who believe are saved sinners. Do you remember,
do you remember In chapter 1, it talked about
us being blameless. It talked about us, oh my. And we know from other
scriptures, look at verse 22. In the body of his flesh, of
chapter 1, through death, to present you what? and unblameable, and unreprovable
in his sight. Sounds like someone who's made
perfect. My goodness. And let us always
remember, it's always in Christ. Always. And that's what Paul's
really stressing here. For you are complete in him.
In ourselves, we are weighed in the balances and found wanting
in ourselves. But in Christ, ye are complete
in Him. The definition goes on to this.
It says, in matters of duty to perform, execute, Christ did
all that was demanded for us in our place. Of sayings, promises,
and prophecies being, this is the definition for complete,
to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish. To fulfill, i.e. to cause God's
will, has made no one in the law to be obeyed as it should
be. There is the substitutionary life that Christ lived for His
people. And God's promise is given through
the prophets to receive fulfillment. Do you see why Paul penned in
Ephesians that all spiritual blessings are in Him? So since the believer is in Him,
He's the head or the body, then we're complete in Him. in Christ. Doesn't the salvation get more
and more marvelous as we grow in the grace and knowledge and
truth of Christ? My goodness. What a Savior we have in our
Lord Jesus Christ. You know how I always say that
when we read Scripture and when we study or hear the Gospel,
it's like we're mining a mine that's just full of jewels and
riches. I was talking to Brother Norm
about that, and he said, yeah, but the one thing with the Scriptures
that's amazing is that we mine jewels that are already polished. There are already shiny gems
that we just, the Holy Spirit illuminates the scripture and
we go, oh my goodness, look at that. Oh, it's wonderful. So let we
who believe ponder this, that by His one offering for sin,
our Lord Jesus Christ has perfected us, His chosen people, forever.
And we are complete in Him. And think on this. Absolutely
nothing can be added to perfection. You can't add anything to perfection.
And also think of this. When something's complete, you
can't add anything to it. Because it's complete. When something's
finished, what's that mean? It means it's complete. You can't
add anything to it. Let us remember the words of
our Master. It is finished. And ye are complete in Him. in Christ, in Christ and Him
alone. Vicki and I were talking about
this last night, and as I read her this portion here, and ye
are complete in Him, she brought out that it's a state
of being, it's a state of being for the believer, right now. And ye are complete in Him. And notice, again, it's only
because we are in Christ. And ye are complete in Him. In Christ. This verse clearly
states that in Christ our Lord, we are complete. Because in Him
dwells all the fullness, we found that out the verse before, of
the Godhead bodily. And being in Him, ye are filled. And again, let us think on this
in light of the false teachers at Colossus. The false teachers
are proclaiming to the Colossians that it is something you must
do along with Christ. Again, whether it be certain
ceremonies, or whether it be certain traditions, things that
you must do, duties that you must perform again, or certain
truths that you must know, and of course only they can impart
these supposed truths. But think on this, in light of
what Paul has penned here, they are all additions. They are all
additions to Christ. And they are all lies. Because
we know that we're complete in Him. Because that's what the
Scripture declares. So if someone comes and says,
well, you have to be baptized to be saved. And there's a whole
sect out there that says that. No. I'm complete in Christ. That's a lie. That's a false
gospel. They say, well, you have to speak
in tongues. in order to be saved. There's
evidence that you're saved. No. I'm complete in Christ. That's a false gospel. That's
a lie. Well, you have to belong to this
church in order to be saved. No. I'm complete in Christ. And that's a lie. Do you see
how we can apply that? You have to worship on Saturdays
to be saved. No. I'm complete in Christ. They're all additions. They're
all man's traditions. They're all doings and duties. And beloved, that's just a short
list. It goes on and on and on. And ye are complete in Him. So if anyone ever tells you you
need to do something in order to be saved, you say, no, I'm
complete in Him. I'm complete in Him. Oh my. And the false teachers of our
day, as I say, they do the same thing as the false teachers did
at Colossus. They say, they add something
that you must do in order to be saved. And think of this.
Think of this. It's in direct opposition to
our verse tonight, isn't it? It is. Anybody tells you you
have to do anything. Anything. All my sanctifications in Christ.
He's my wisdom, my righteousness, my redemption. Everything's in
Him. I'm complete in Him. This is
wonderful news for the believer. Now, we'll look at later on,
that doesn't give us a license to go crazy. Not at all. The Holy Spirit constrains His
people, even though we're sinners. But do you see how adding anything
to what Christ has done is in direct opposition to this scripture
and many others, beloved? Many others. And it's actually
in opposition to this book. Because we know all through this
book, this is all about what Christ has done. And how he's
redeemed his people. My, think of this, if God hadn't
given us faith and repentance, we wouldn't even believe. My
goodness. What a great God. What a great
Savior we have. And so, what's the conclusion? It's salvations of the Lord,
period. Right? When we look at this verse,
it says, In Christ, the believer's complete.
So, gospel preaching, think on this. Gospel preaching tells
you to look outside of yourself. Doesn't it? It tells you to look outside
yourself. We're to look to Christ. We look
outside of ourselves. We look to Christ. The false
teachers tell you you've got to do something. False religions too, Buddhism
and all that. They tell you, look within. Gospel preaching tells you, look
to Christ, look outside yourself. You can't save yourself. Only
Christ can save a sinner. But false teachers will tell
you to look within yourself, look to certain duties, look
to traditions, look to things, look, look to you, right? Grace
preaching says, look to the one. Look to Christ. Flee to Him. Because salvation is in the Lord
Jesus Christ and nowhere else. And only in Christ is the believer
complete. Complete. Nowhere else. So let
us ponder this. The scriptures declare, let us
ponder this. Let's ponder this in light of
our verse tonight, and ye are complete in him. The scriptures
declare that there is none righteous, no not one. That means everyone.
That covers everyone born in this top side of God's earth.
There's only one man who's born perfect, and that's Christ. But
all the rest of us, were born sinners. And Scripture declares
there's none righteous, no, not one. And that all our righteousness,
all our doings, that we do to try to gain merit and favor with
God, they're all like filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord.
But then, the Scriptures also declare this, that those who
are born this way, and those who are born this way and believe
on Christ, are made the righteousness of
God in Christ. Goodness. And then the scriptures
declare that there's none that seeketh after God. Absolutely
none. None. Okay. But thanks be to God, the
scriptures declare that God's people are made willing in the
day of God's power. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. Turn, if you would, to Hosea.
Hosea, chapter 11, verse four. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. By nature and by birth, we do
not seek God. But God, the Holy Spirit, makes
his people, his sheep, which were given to Christ by the Father
in eternity, He makes them willing." Now look at this verse in Hosea. I draw them with cords of a man.
Now this is with cords of love, because look what it says, Hosea
11, verse 4, I'm sorry. Hosea 11, verse 4, look at this. And keep in mind, the verse that
we always use as grace preachers, thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power, right? God's power, God's people are
made willing. Look at this. I drew them with
cords of a man, with bands of love. Bands of love. Now I was reading the commentators
and they said this isn't like a cord you put on a horse or
on a cow and you drag them. No, this is lovingly being drawn,
lovingly, bands of love. And I was to them as they that
take off the yoke on their jaws and I laid meat unto them. I
drew them with cords of a man being Christ, with bands of love. Oh my goodness. This drawn to
Christ is not produced by human persuasion or by human power,
beloved. It is the divine work of God
the Holy Spirit wrought in the soul, not by might nor power,
by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." The sinner
is drawn to Christ by the Holy Spirit, and in Him drawing us,
we are brought to our wonderful Savior. We are brought to look
to Christ in Him alone. We are granted the gift of faith
to believe. And we look to Christ and we
flee to Christ. We hear the Shepherd's voice.
Our ears are unstopped and we hear the Shepherd's voice in
the preaching of the Gospel. And in Christ, all the sinner's
needs are found in Him. Because the believer is what?
Complete in Him. Complete in Him. He is both shelter and food,
the teacher and the feeder of His redeemed. He's the bread
of life and the water of life, the garment of salvation in the
whole glory of His people. Unwilling sinners made willing with bands of love. Turn, if you would, to John 6,
verse 44. So there's none that seeketh
after God, but we just saw in Hosea that He draws them with
cords of a man, with bands of love. Thy people shall be willing
in the day of thy power. Turn to John 6, verse 44. And keep your finger there because
we'll be looking at verse 45 right after. Look at this. No
man. And no man there means no man. No man. Can come to me. Well, there's
a whole bunch of people saying out there that God's wringing
his hands. But that's not what the scriptures
say. They're saying that God's wringing His hands and saying,
He's done all He can do, now the rest is up to you. But the
Scriptures declare that no man... Someone's lying and I know it
ain't God. No man can come to Me. This is words of our Master.
No man can come to Christ, what? Except the Father which has sent
Me. Draw him. Bands of love, beloved, thy people
shall be willing in the day of thy power. No man can come to
me except the Father which has sent me. Draw him. In the Greek,
that's drag him. And I will raise him up at the
last day. So those who are not seeking
God, His elect, who are born to hidden trespasses and sins,
are made willing. The ones who can't come to him
are made willing, except the Father which has sent me draw
him by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit of God. Oh, my. Salvation's of the Lord,
beloved. It's of the Lord. Look at this
in verse 45. We know that Scripture declared
that there's none who understand the things of God. But praise
be to God, his people are given eyes to see and ears to hear
the gospel. And they trust and rest in Christ
alone. is all their salvation and all their redemption. Look
at verse 45. It is written in the prophets,
and they shall be all taught of God. Who? Well, the ones who
the Father draws to Christ. And they shall be all taught
of God. Every man, therefore, that hath
heard, oh, they're giving ears to hear. Scripture says there's
none who understand, but these understand. Only by the power of the Holy
Spirit of God. Regenerating them. And have learned
of the Father. How do they learn? Because they're
taught of God, it says in the verse. Learn to the Father cometh
unto me all my salvations of the Lord, beloved. At one time
we knew absolutely nothing about these glorious truths. There
was a time when I didn't have a clue about any of this stuff.
And I wouldn't have a clue still unless God revealed them to me.
So I can't claim anything of my own that I've learned. Everything
I know God's revealed to me. Everything you who believe, yeah
brother, no you're not, you know brother. Everything we believe,
everything we know has been revealed to us by God the Holy Spirit. And he continues to reveal Christ
more and more to us. Isn't it wonderful? What a great
God, what a glorious God, what a merciful God we have. My, turn if you would to Ephesians
1. There was a time, as I said,
when we knew absolutely nothing about these glorious truths until
we were quickened by God's Holy Spirit and were taught of Him.
And now, knowing that we are complete in Christ our Savior,
and that nothing else can be added to that which is complete,
nothing can be added to that which is complete, by faith we
rest our eternal souls in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He's
done for us. Let's look at Ephesians 1, and
this will take us right into the latter part of the verse.
Look at Ephesians 1, verses 17 to 23. That the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, might give unto you the spirit
of wisdom in revelation in the knowledge of Him. Well, how does
He do that? By teaching us, because we're all taught of God, right?
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. There was
a time when they weren't enlightened, but now they are. By the regenerating
power of the Holy Spirit of God. That ye may know what is the
hope of His calling. in what the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints, in what is exceeding greatness
of his power to us who believe according to the working of his
mighty power, the salvations of the Lord beloved, which he
wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him
at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all
principality and power. Okay. We'll continue reading this and
we'll go to our verse. far above all principality and
power and might and dominion in every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and
hath put all things under his feet. He's a ruler, he's a sovereign. And give him to be the head over
all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of
him that filleth all in all. Now, this portion of Ephesians
will tie right into the latter part of our verse. Let's look
at this. So, I'll read the first part again. "...and ye are complete
in him." So the believer is complete in Christ. "...which is, being
Christ, is the head of all principality and power." So the Scriptures
here declare, that Christ is the head of all principality
and power. And the reason I read that portion in Ephesians, because
verse 21 and 22 says, far above all principality and power and
might and dominion, in every name that is named, not only
in this world, but also in that which is to come, and hath put
all things under his feet, and give him to be the head over
all things, to the church which is his body, the fullness of
him that filleth all in all. So Paul right here, is continuing
to build the foundation that he laid in chapter 1. He's continuing
to build upon the foundation that he laid in chapter 1 of
the all-sufficiency of Christ for the believer, and of the
deity of Christ. He's here magnifying that Christ
Jesus, our Lord, is the head not only of the church, but also
of all principality and power. And the Scriptures we looked
at in Ephesians plainly declare this as well, that He has had
over all principality and power and might and dominion in every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also that
which is to come. Oh, beloved of God, our Lord
Jesus Christ is far superior to all things. Why? Because He's
the Creator. He's the Creator. We humans and
the angels in this world, in all we see visible and invisible,
we're created by Him and for Him, for His glory, to magnify
His glory. That's why they're all on His
feet. Jesus Christ is God. God came to this earth to save
his people from their sins. Oh my. In God, or in the God-man,
the Lord Jesus Christ, again, who's God in the flesh, all the
fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. And in Him, in Him alone
the believer is, our text says tonight, complete. Complete. So here before us in our text,
Paul again is contrasting another error with the truth. This latter
part, this latter part that we see here, the head of all principality
and power, he's combating another error. He's combating another error
that was saying that there was a hierarchy of angels, of heavenly
beings, in order to reach God, and Christ was just one of them. Paul, again, by inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, we must remember that. He's writing by inspiration
of the Holy Spirit of God. He combats that error by bringing
before the Colossians and bringing before us tonight, too, as we
read this scripture, that Christ is the head of all principality
and power, that there is nothing above him and that all things
are under him. Look at this. And he is the head. The head gets the preeminence. He is the head of all principality
and power. He is the all-sufficient Savior.
Turn, if you would, to John chapter 17. So Paul is Again, building upon the foundation
of the all-sufficiency of Christ, right? And he's also building
upon what he's written in chapter 1, that Christ is the Almighty
God. He is God Almighty. Look at John
17. Look at this. Lord willing, sometime I'm going
to go through that chapter. What a beautiful chapter in the
Scripture. Look at this. John 17, verses 2-4. Our Master speaking here. The
One we're complete in speaking here. The Lord Jesus Christ.
As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that he should
give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. Now contrast
that to the false teachings of our day that says God's done
all he can do, now the rest is up to you. That's a lie. Look
what the scripture says. As thou hast given him, given
Christ, power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life
to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal,
that they might know thee, The only true God. In Jesus Christ,
whom Thou hast sent, I have glorified Thee on the earth. I have what?
Finished. Finished. Finished the work which Thou
gavest Me to do. Do you see why we're completing
Christ? He finished. Oh my. Let us rejoice. Let us delight in the fact that
we are complete in Christ. He is the all-sufficient Savior
of His people. He is God in the flesh. He is
perfect. And you can add nothing to He
who is perfect. And the believer is complete
in Him. He is the head, our text continues,
He is the head of all principality and power, not only in the church,
but over angels, and over kings, and over religious heads, and
over governments, and over elections. Oh my beloved, let us just rest
in Him. It's the hardest thing for us
to do, isn't it? Oh my, may God give us grace and strength to
rest and just trust, just rest and trust in Him. If God has given us true saving
faith, our hope and our trust will be in the Lord Jesus Christ
and Him alone and what He has done for us. The preaching of
the Gospel will enable us by God's Holy Spirit teaching us
to recognize false doctrine. when we hear it. And any teaching
that promotes, now listen, any teaching that promotes anything
that man does to earn God's favor, any teaching, any teaching that
promotes this is false. It's false doctrine. We are to
beware of false preachers who attempt to get you to look to
self and not look to Christ. 1 John 4.1 says this, Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they
are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. And many false prophets have gone out into the world,
and we are to beware of them. And those false prophets are
advocates of self-righteousness, telling you what you have to
do. They tell you to keep the law,
They tell you you've got to go to church on certain days. Boy,
they've got a list so long we could spend all night, but that's
just a waste of time. Tell me of Christ. Tell me that
I'm completing Him. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter 8. This epistle was written to expose
the error of adding anything to Christ and to magnify the
all-sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ in salvation. And praise
be to God that all God's elect are complete in Christ. Every
single one of them. Because we're in Christ, our
Heavenly Father sees no sin in us. Now let us remember that. Because we're in Christ, our
Heavenly Father sees no sin in us. He remembers our sins no
more. Absolutely nothing can be laid
to our charge as God has forgiven us for Christ's sake. Look at
Romans 8, verses 32 and 34. Because He spared not His own
Son, but delivered Him up for all of His elect, God Himself
has justified the believer. God Himself. Look at this, Romans
8, 32 and 34. He that spared not His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all, that being all the elect of all
the ages, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Now look at this. Who shall lay
anything Who shall lay anything? Later on in this chapter, we're
going to look at Christ blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us. Now, for every one of us, oh
my goodness. I know for me, my goodness. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God? How can you say that nothing
can be laid to the charge of God's life? Because we're completely
in Him, beloved. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's life? It is God that justifies. Who
is He that condemneth? Well, we condemn ourselves, don't
we? Who is He that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even
at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us. Beloved, all of God's blessings
are given to us in and through the Lord Jesus Christ and Him
alone. And because of Christ, we are
given these blessings. And they are all according to
the riches of His grace. Now, shall we continue in sin
that grace may abound? No, God forbid, right? Some falsely
teach that because we are complete in Christ, we can do whatever
we please. Or they accuse us of preaching that. But this freedom
does not give us a license to sin as God's saints hate sin
more in themselves than anywhere else. We're alive unto God by the quickening
power of God the Holy Spirit. And we're to live for His glory.
Job in the Scriptures proclaims this. Job 32.18 Now, I've always quoted 2 Corinthians
5.14, right? You've probably heard me quote
that many times. The love of Christ constrains us. And that's why we mourn when
we sin. That's why we're constrained
from sin because of the love of Christ. I found this in Job
today. For I am full of matter, Job
32.18. For I am full of matter, the Spirit within me constraineth
me. John Gale said the Holy Spirit
constrains us. He said in this verse this is
the Holy Spirit. For I am full of matter, the Spirit within
me constraineth me. The Holy Spirit constrains us.
Now true God-given faith which works by love echoes the passage in Job as
it's proclaimed in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 14, which says the love
of Christ constrains us. This constraining love motivates
God's children to walk as children of light for the glory of Jesus
Christ. Because we who believe are complete
in Him, as our text has proclaimed. So what can we conclude then
from this precious scripture tonight? We can conclude that salvation's
of the Lord. That it's all of Him. And that
the believer is made complete in Christ. He's made complete
in Christ and in Him alone. And he needs nothing else. Nothing else. Let's look one
more time at our verse. And ye are complete in Him. Colossians
2.10, and ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all
principality and power. So let us ponder this. Since
all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Christ, then
the believer is complete in Christ Jesus our Lord. For all our justification
is in Him. and in Him alone, and there's
absolutely nowhere else to look. Nowhere else to look. We have
no need to look anywhere but Christ for our redemption, because
we're complete in Him. We have nowhere else to look
for our justification, because we're complete in Him. We have
nowhere else to look for our sanctification, because we are
complete in Him. All our spiritual needs are found
in Christ and Him alone. And the believer is complete
in Christ. So let us close thinking on these
things. These precious truths for the
believer in Christ, whose scripture says, our scripture tonight says,
that the believer is complete in Him. As far as anything being
needed for the redemption of our souls, complete in Him. as far as any works to be done
to be justified before God. Complete in Christ. As far as
our peace with God. Because we were at enmity with
Him, weren't we? Complete in Christ. Job asked the question
in Job 25.4, how then can a man be justified with God? Or how
can he be clean that is born of a woman? The answer to the
question that Job asked is this. The Lord Jesus Christ has reconciled
and redeemed His people by the shedding of His own precious
blood, and the believer in Christ is saved, forgiven, justified,
sanctified and redeemed, they are complete in Christ. Complete in Christ. May God help
us to keep looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God. May God's people say, Amen. Let's go to the Lord in prayer.
Oh, gracious Heavenly Father, may we delight, we who believe,
may we delight in the fact, the fact that we are complete in
Christ right now. Oh, may this fill our hearts
with joy that we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
May we think upon this and meditate upon this through the week, and
may it bring joy to our hearts, and may it fill our lips with
praise given all the glory to Thee. Oh, we love You. In Jesus'
name, Amen.