Tonight we'll be in Colossians
again, chapter 1. I was looking. Ten verses after this, we'll
be in chapter 2. But it's been a wonderful study.
Just a wonderful study. We'll be in Colossians 1, verse
19 tonight. The name of the message is all
fullness. All fullness. Colossians 1.19, the Scripture
declares, For it pleased the Father that in Him should all
fullness dwell. It pleased the Father that in
Christ should all fullness dwell. Now we've been looking at the
supremacy and the preeminence of Christ in the last five verses. Look at verse 16. And I'd like
us to take notice of here in the verbiage in 16, 17, and 18.
For by Him were all things created that are in heaven, that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him
and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things
consist. So we notice right there in those
two verses, this talks about the pre-incarnate Word in His
work. The pre-incarnate Word in His
work. Christ in eternity created all
things. He created all things. And all
things by Him consist. Everything we see consists by
Him. And look, it says, "...and He
is the head and the body." So in the church, He has the preeminence
as well. "...who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
and in all things He might have the preeminence." But in 16 and
17, we notice the preincarnate Word and His work. But look at
verses 19 and 20. We have set forth the incarnate
Word, God in the flesh, and the work which He did on the cross,
the reconciling work which He did on the cross. Look at verses
19 to 20. For it pleased the Father that in Him, being Christ,
should all fullness dwell. This is speaking of His incarnation. This is speaking of His incarnation.
And heaven made peace through the blood of His cross by Him
to reconcile all things unto Himself by Him. I say, whether
they be things in earth or things in heaven. So Paul continues
to stress the preeminence and the supremacy of Christ. He's
hitting that nail. He's not leaving. He just keeps
hitting that nail about the preeminence and the supremacy of Christ.
Scripture declares, "...for it pleased the Father that in Him
should all fullness dwell." Turn over with you Wood to 1 Colossians
2. It pleased the Father that in
Christ should all fullness dwell. All the fullness of the Godhead
dwelt bodily in Christ. Look at Colossians 2, verses
9. For in Him dwelt all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. Speaking again of His incarnation.
And look over in Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians chapter 1, look
at verses 22 and 23. Ephesians 1, verses 22-23, talking
about the fullness of Christ. "...and hath put all things under
his feet, and gave 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 back to our text in Colossians 1.19, "...for
it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell."
Now this right here, Fullness mentioned here is another direct
attack against Gnostics. Another one. Because fullness
was an important term in the Gnostic circles. I found this
out studying for this. Fullness was an important term
in the Gnostic circles as they believed, again, that they had
a superior knowledge, that only they could impart a fullness,
that only they could impart. They believed in various spirits,
in meditatorial roles, as mediators between God and man, they believed
that there was a system, and you still have it today when
people are worshiping angels and stuff, same thing, or bowing
down to statues, same thing. They're putting something in
between Christ and God, or in between themselves and God, other
than Christ. But here, they believed in various
spirits in between God and man, And that a holy God would not
have any direct dealings with a material world. That's also
what the Gnostics believed too. That God was so holy that He'd
have nothing to do with a world that's tarnished in sin. But our verse right here destroys
that. Because it says, it says, For it pleased the Father that
in Him, speaking of His incarnation, should all fullness dwell. God
incarnate in the flesh. The only mediator between God
and man. The only mediator. Turn if you
would to 1 Timothy 2, verses 5 and 6. Now this verse in 1
Timothy is what started the destruction of my false refuge of lies that
I had. and believing that I could go
to a man and confess my sins, and I must confess I had never
read the Bible, and this verse was pointed out to me, and it
shook my world. It shook my world. Look at this. For there is one God and one
mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave
himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. We have
one mediator. Only one. And that's Christ. We as grace believers, we don't
go to each other and confess our sins to be told how many
prayers to have to pray. No, Scripture declares that the
only mediator between God and man is Christ. Only Him. Only
Him. And think of this too. When Scripture
declares, for it pleased the Father that in Him should all
fullness dwell. Now we know that various heretical
teachings had popped up, right? Not just the Gnostics, but the
Judaizers and other people. All adding to the finished work
of Christ. But Paul penned this letter by
inspiration of the Holy Spirit to combat these errors. And this
shows us too, This shows us that in no age are Christians uncontaminated
by pagan thought. We must be ever diligent to hold
fast to what this word says, to what it says. We must. That's why we won't budge on
what we believe, because the scripture says it and we believe
it. We don't believe it because some man said it, we believe
it because the word of God says it. So we must be ever diligent
to hold fast to what the scriptures declare. And as I said earlier,
the Gnostic teaching brought with it pagan thoughts about
additional mediators. But scripture declares there's
only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.
Only one. So Paul, Paul writes to the Colossians,
Think of this too. Paul writes to the Colossians, thousands of years ago, For it pleased the Father that
in Him should all fullness dwell. To the Colossians he writes,
and we who are reading this tonight, Look to Christ who is the fullness.
It's as relevant for us as it was for them. This book never
gets old. It's timeless. Timeless. And think of this, the Godhead
is full of power. Full of power, right? And we
know that nothing is too hard for the Lord. All the fullness
is in the Lord Jesus Christ bodily. He's able to keep everything
together. And He's also able to save to
the uttermost those who come to Him. What a wonderful Savior. The Godhead is full of righteousness.
In God is no darkness at all. He is holy and righteous. And
our Lord Jesus Christ He's the righteous one. He's righteous. Who can convict Him of sin? No one. He's perfect. He's spotless. He's pure. God is love. The Godhead is full
of love. Turn, if you would, to John 15,
verses 12-14. The fullness of the Godhead dwelt
bodily in Christ, the God-man. John 15, verses 12 to 14. John 15, verses 12 to 14. This
is my commandment, that you love one another. God's people love
each other. It's a real, genuine love in
Christ. And it really is amazing. We
come from all different walks of life, all different personalities,
yet we love each other, because we have the same Father, and
the same Spirit, and it's wonderful. That ye love one another as I
have loved you. Love each other as Christ loves
us. Agape love. Unconditional love. And then he goes to say, Greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends." And then look what he says. You are my friends if
you do whatsoever I command you. Oh, the fullness of the Godhead
dwelt bodily in Christ. God incarnate in the flesh. And it pleased God by His providence
that it would be so. that all the fullness would dwell
in Christ. He planned it, and He purposed
it, and we say glory to His name. He is our great King. Let's look
at our text in context here. Verses 19-23 we'll look at. And we will also see the fullness
of Christ in salvation. The fullness of Christ in salvation. And this is where the text is
really aiming at as you look at it. For it pleased the Father
that in Him should all fullness dwell, again speaking of His
incarnation, and heaven made peace through the blood of His
cross by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself. The Lord
Jesus Christ made peace with God for His people in the room
instead. By Him to reconcile all things
unto Himself. By Him, I say, whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven, And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
hath He reconciled. Oh, we were dead in trespasses
and sins, but He's reconciled us. Look at this, in the body
of His flesh through death to present you holy. Holy. Holy. Unblameable. That means no accusations can
be brought against us, but we're sinners. Unblameable by the precious blood
of Christ. And unreprovable in His sight. Who shall bring any charge to
God's elect? It's God that justifieth. And
then it says this though, if you continue in the faith, grounded
and settled. Now this speaks of folks who
make a false profession. You never see them. If they make
a profession, you wonder, you think, well, that's my brother. And off they go. Off they go. And I'm not talking
about, I'm talking about folks who just totally turn back to
the world. And totally turn right back. They abandon the Christ, they
abandon the Gospel. If you continue in the faith,
grounded and settled, how are we grounded and settled? By the
preaching of the Gospel. And be not moved away from the
hope of the Gospel. I ask you, beloved, where's your
hope? We're grounded in Christ, aren't
we? We know that pit we were dragged
out of. Oh, my. Be not moved away from
the hope of the gospel which ye have heard. This is why we
pray, O Lord, give hear and ears. And which was preached to every
creature, which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul, am made a minister. Now think on this, beloved. The
salvation that the believer has is a complete salvation. It's
a complete salvation, and it's in Jesus Christ our Lord. It's
nowhere else. This wonderful salvation is a
full salvation in Christ. This amazing salvation is an
accomplished salvation. It's an accomplished salvation,
and it's in Jesus Christ our Lord. And it's only in Christ
who it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. The Lord Jesus Christ lived a
perfect life, and He died a substitutionary death for His people. And His elect are saved in Him
and through Him. Look at Colossians chapter 2,
turn over to verse 10. And may we let these words just
sink into our hearts, we who believe. And ye are complete in Him. And ye are complete in Him, which
is the head of all principality and power. Complete. That's why we're unblameable
and unreprovable in His sight. The Lord Jesus Christ, by the
offering of Himself, has sanctified we who believe and perfected
us forever. Though we're still sinners, but
in God's eyes we're clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
Turn, if you would, to Hebrews chapter 10. And the Holy Spirit witnesses
these very truths to us through His holy inspired Word. Hebrews
chapter 10. Starting in verse 9, then said
He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first,
that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Once for all His people. And every priest standeth daily,
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which could
never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins, just one, remember Sunday night? Behold
the Lamb of God. Forever sat down on the right
hand of God, from henceforth expect until His enemies be made
His footstools. For by one offer, and He hath
perfected forever them that are sanctified. I ask you, beloved,
do you feel perfect? We don't, do we? We're sinners.
But in God's eyes, we're clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
It's amazing. It's amazing. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is
a witness to us. For after that He had said before,
this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,
saith the Lord. I will put my laws into their
hearts. The law of God is written on their hearts. And in their
minds will I write them. And look at this mountaintop. This is like a pinnacle for guilty
sinners, bankrupt sinners. Look at this. And their sins
and iniquities will I remember no more. No more. Wonderful news for sinners. Wonderful
news for the believer in Christ. And their sins and iniquities
will I remember no more. And this is why it's absolutely
vital to preach Christ. We must preach Christ. We must. We must. We must preach Christ
crucified. Think of this. If one takes Christ
out of the Gospel, it's not good news. There's no good news. Oh, but we preach good news.
Brother John and I looked at the Scripture on the weekend.
Good news from a far country. It's from a far country. And
it's good news for sinners. Sinners washed clean by the precious
blood of Christ, who saves His people by the shedding of His
own precious blood. Back to our text again, it says,
for it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. Think of this in Christ as all
fullness for salvation. And turn, if you would, to John
chapter 17. The fullness of wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification and redemption we have in Christ. The fullness
of eternal life. of a joyful bliss, a union with
the true and living God. Think of this, which nothing
can sever. Oh, it's marvelous. Look at John
17, verses 17-24. Sanctify them through Thy truth.
Thy Word is truth. Verse 18, As Thou hast sent me
into the world, even so, have I also sent them into the world.
And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they might be sanctified
through the truth. Neither I pray for these alone,
but for them also, which shall believe on Me through their word."
Now there's the elect. That's you and I who've been
saved. "...that they all may be one.
Is Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee? that they also may
be one in Us, that the world may believe that Thou hast sent
Me, and the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them,
that they may be one even as We are one, I in them and Thou
in Me, that they might be made perfect in one, and that the
world may know that Thou hast sent Me and hast loved them as
Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they also
whom Thou has given me, be with me where I am. That they may
behold, when we get to heaven, beloved, that they may behold
my glory. We who believe will see our Redeemer
face to face. We have friends and loved ones
who've gone on before us. And I think of two dear saints
that I knew back in Oregon had the privilege of preaching to.
They're beholding the Lord's glory right now. that they may behold My glory
which Thou hast given Me, for Thou hast loved Me before the
foundation of the world. All fullness is in Christ. John 1.14 says this, And the
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld His glory
The glory is of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. Christ is full of grace and truth. All the fullness of the Godhead. Turn, if you would, to John 15. And I'll read Philippians 3.
The fullness of perfect peace and
perfect joy is in Christ. John 15, verse 11, and I'll read
Philippians 3, 3, which says, For we are the circumcision,
which worship God in spirit and rejoice in Christ and have no
confidence in the flesh. We have absolutely no confidence
in ourselves. But John 15, 11 says, These things
have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and
that your joy might be full. I ask you, beloved of God, is
your joy not full in Christ? Oh, what a wonderful Savior we
have. What a wonderful Savior. The fullness that pleases our
Heavenly Father can only be found in Christ. Now, a lot of folks
are trying to please God by their works. And if God doesn't save them,
they're going to find out that that's a refuge of lies. The fullness that pleases our
Heavenly Father can only be found in Christ Jesus our Lord, the
blessed Redeemer. God is satisfied with the sacrifice
of Christ. He's satisfied. Now, worksmongers
who try to add to the fullness that's only found in Christ will
perish in their sins. Will perish in their sins. Anyone
trusting in the works of their hands or trying to gain merit
and favor with God by something that they do, including their
supposed free will, has never had Jesus Christ in His Gospel
revealed to them. They're trusted in a refuge of
lies. All fullness for salvation is
in the Lord Jesus Christ, in Him alone. He did it all. He did it all. Now I was thinking
about this the other night. Let's go back to our text. It
says, For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness
dwell. I was thinking about this the other night. The opposite
of full is empty. It says here, For it pleased
the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. The opposite
of full is empty. We're bankrupt sinners. We're
bankrupt. We have nothing that we can offer
to God. Nothing. To gain merit with God,
we have nothing. We're bankrupt. In Christ all the fullness dwells,
the salvation in Him. It's all in Him. Let's look again at verses 20-23
as well, along with 19. But it pleased the Father that
in Him should all fullness dwell. And heaven made peace through
the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto
Himself. By Him, I say, whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven. And you that were sometimes
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
hath He reconciled. in the body of his flesh through
death to present you holy and unblamable and unapprovable in
his sight. If you continue in the faith,
grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope
of the gospel, which ye have heard and which was preached
to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul, am made
a minister." So by nature, We're emptiness. We have emptiness.
We cannot bring anything to God that will justify us. We can't
bring anything, any of our own works to God that He'll accept
us on. We're empty. But sinner friend, Christ is
full. He's full. God has provided all
that a sinner needs in Christ. Everything. I know that in me that is in
my flesh dwell no good thing. Is it so with you? There's an utter lack of merit
in us before God. There's also a total absence
of power to gain merit before God. We don't have any power
or any ability to be able to gain merit and favor with God.
There's a complete absence of our will also to obey God because
it's bound to our nature. But think of this, in Christ
there's fullness. Are you dead? Christ is life. Are you a sinner? Christ died for sinners. Are
you naked before God? Christ is the believer's righteousness.
Are you hungry? Christ is the bread of life.
Are you thirsty? Christ is the water of life.
Are you guilty? Christ is pardon, and there's
only pardon in Him. Are you blind? Christ is the
light. Are you a prisoner? Christ is
liberty. He brings liberty to the captives.
Are you a debtor? We're bankrupt, aren't we? Christ
is the believer's ransom. Are you helpless? Christ is our
strength. Are you condemned? Christ is
our deliverance. Are you emptiness? Christ is
fullness. This is good news for sinners.
Good news for sinners who've been showing their state before
a holy and righteous God. And when God saves a sinner,
He shows us what we are. Bankrupt. In desperate need of
Christ. Again, our text says, For it
pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. As
I said, all that a sinner needs is found in Christ. It's all
in Him. In Christ is all fullness for
salvation. Think of this. All those Old
Testament sacrifices, right? Were shadows pointing to Christ.
Were just shadows. Now today I'm starting a regimen
of walking around the church a few times every morning just
to get some exercise before I go up into the study. I was walking
and I was coming up and I noticed my shadow. And, you know, I remember
when you were a kid, you used to try to catch a shadow and
all that, but I was just noticing it, and it limped like I limped.
And as I got down to the thing here, I thought about the scriptures
that we're going to look at tonight, too, and about how, Behold the
Lamb, and on Sunday night we said all those Old Testament
sacrifices were shadows, but Christ was the substance. And
so I put my hand out, and I'm looking at my shadow as I'm walking,
and I'm putting my hand out, and I'm going, and my shadow's
doing that, but then I looked at my hand and went, this is
the substance. This is the substance. All those
Old Testament Sacrifices were just shadows. And Christ is the
substance. He's the substance. He's the
one they pointed to. He's the one they pointed to.
They all pointed to Him. They could never take away sin.
But they pointed to the one who could take away the sins of all
His people. And He did. And He did. The Lord
Jesus Christ is the substance of all fullness. Turn again,
if you would, to Hebrews 10. I know I had us there. I'd like
to go back there. In light of the Old Testament
sacrifices being but shadows, and Christ is a substance. Look
at Hebrews 10 again, starting in verse 1 this time. For the
law, having a shadow of good things to come and not the very
image of the things. Remember, Christ is the image
of God. We looked at that earlier in this book, that Christ is
the image of God. Can never with those sacrifices
which they offered year by year continually make the comers there
unto perfect. For then would they have not
ceased to be offered because that the worshippers once purged
should have no more conscience of sin. But in those sacrifices
there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. Look
at this verse here. For it is not possible, verse
4, that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.
They were but types and shadows pointing to Christ who is the
substance. They could never take away sins. But they pointed to
one who was coming and who would take away all the sins of his
people. Wherefore, when he cometh into
the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not,
but a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices
for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come in the
volume of the book. It is written of me to do thy
will, O God. And Christ came to do the will
of God. And that was to save his people
from their sins. And he did it. He was on a mission. Above, when He said, Sacrifice
and offering, and burnt offerings, and offering for sin, thou wouldst
not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law.
Then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He take away
the first, that He may establish the second." And look at this.
By the witch will, we are sanctified through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all. Behold the Lamb of God. Behold the One who takes away
the sins of His people. So the Old Testament sacrifices
could never satisfy the justice of God. They could never put
away one sin. Not one. They were shadows pointing
to Christ. All those sacrifices. But as John said again, Behold
the Lamb of God. Behold the One. One who takes
away the sins of His people. Jesus Christ is the heavenly
Lamb who takes away all our sins. As one commentator said, He's
a sacrificer of nobler name in richer blood than all the Old
Testament sacrifices. A sacrifice of nobler name in
richer blood than all the Old Testament sacrifices. Now think
on this. Think on this. If all the ceremonies
and sacrifices which God ordained could never put away sin, how
does one think that their works puts away sin? They can't. You see the folly
of people trying to work their way Trying to gain merit and
favor with God. And I'm not a fatalist. I know
we continue to worship Christ. We continue to seek God. We continue
to hunger and thirst after righteousness. But when it comes to salvation,
we rest in what Christ did, period. Period. He did it all for salvation. It's done. The Lord Jesus Christ
is the only Savior for sinners. The only way to heaven. No other
way. Again, it says here in our text,
look at our text again. For it pleased the Father that
in Him should all fullness dwell. Now the Greek word for dwell
there means to house permanently. To house permanently. Jesus Christ
is the God-man right now. in heaven, to house permanently,
that is to reside. Salvation exists only in Christ. Salvation dwells permanently
in Christ. Nowhere else. Nowhere else. This is why we say, look to Christ
and live. Look to Him and live. We who
are saved are ones who have been made willing by God to look and
live. And we just marvel. We marvel. We've been made to
know that salvation exists, resides, is permanently a dwelling place
in Christ. Nowhere else. Nowhere else. John 1, 16 and 17 says this,
And of His fullness have we all received. Grace and grace for grace. For
the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ. It only comes by Christ. So what does Christ become to
the believer? Everything. Everything. He's our sacrifice. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
sacrifice. Remember they bought sacrifices?
He's our sacrifice. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
altar. The Lord Jesus Christ is the believer's priest and
prophet and king. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
believer's mercy seat. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
head of the body or the head, and we're the body. He has all
the preeminence. He's our all in all. He's our
all in all. And salvation in the Lord Jesus
Christ is full. Full. There's nothing lacking. Nothing lacking at all. For it
pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. There's
nothing for our salvation that we contribute. Nothing. Except our sin. Except our sin. But there's nothing for us to
do. Salvation is complete in Christ. In Him alone. It is finished.