Encouragement in Christ JESUS ~ 04 August 2024 A.D.

"And ye are complete in Him." -Colossians 2:10 [KJV]

Holy Paul has but one object in view. He aims to bring all Christians to one point, even to be happy and joyful in one Saviour. As in Christ all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily, so His disciples should see, that they are complete in Him. O how do we labour and toil, vex and perplex our hearts from day to day, for want of clearly seeing, and simply believing this. Consider, (1st.) The assertion. St. Paul does not here exhort, be ye complete, but affirms, “ye are complete.” Not, ye shall be complete hereafter, when you have obtained stronger faith, greater love, and done more good works: but, “ye are complete” now, at this present moment. Do not think you want any thing in yourselves, to make you complete; but know and rejoice, ye are full, complete and perfect in Christ, your Head. For ye are members of Him; and being one in Him, all His perfection is yours. This is the glory of faith. Here is the comfort and joy of faith. And thus faith gives glory to Christ, its author and object. It leaves all works behind. It finds all perfection in Christ, and it works by love to all good works: not to get perfection by them, but to glorify Christ, in Whom we are already perfect and complete. But (2d.) In what sense are all believers complete in Christ? (1st.) In righteousness. They are perfectly righteous in Christ, therefore they are perfectly accepted, and fully justified by God, in Him (Ephesians 1:6.) They never can be more complete in righteousness, than they are IN Christ. (2d.) In the abolishing of sin. They are presented in Christ without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Christ hath by one offering perfected for ever all them who are sanctified (Hebrews 10:14.) That is, separated by the love of God the Father, from eternity; and separated by God the Spirit, to believe on Christ in time, and to whom Christ is made sanctification. (3d.) In freedom from the guilt of sin, and punishment by the law of God. The work of Christ makes “perfect, as pertaining to the conscience” (Hebrews 9:9.) Their hearts are sprinkled from an evil, or guilty conscience (Hebrews 10:22.) There is now no [not one, not the least] condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1.) (4th.) In their victory over death. Their victory is complete in Jesus Christ. This is the grateful triumph of faith. “Thanks be to God Who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:57.) In their assured hope of a glorious immortality, our hope in Christ is perfect and complete. Nothing can be added to it. For we are in Christ, (1st.) Perfectly cleansed from all our sins. (2d.) Restored to perfect righteousness. (3d.) Perfectly reconciled to God. And (4th.) The gate of heaven is open to us. Here is a glorious perfection indeed. This is a perfection worth contending for. O precious Christ! O precious faith!— The wounded conscience knows its pow’r, The healing balm to give: That balm the saddest heart can cheer, And make the dying live.

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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