“Complete in Christ”
by Cindy Galdal
“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
(Colossians 2:8-10)
What does it mean to be complete in Christ? It means the end of our search for meaning and fulfillment in our lives.
To fully understand that, we need to recognize the difference between a secular worldview and a Biblical one. Why are we here? According to the world we are here to satisfy ourselves at any cost. There are many ways to do that. Accumulating more and more material goods, improving the way we look, moving from one relationship to another.
Do these things work? Obviously not, since they don’t offer lasting satisfaction. Once you’ve finally paid off your new car another model shows up on the market. After you fill your closet with the latest fashions, a new fad hits the runways.
And what about the long-standing myth that hinders so many singles? “You won’t be happy until you’re married.” Well, if that’s true then why is the divorce rate so high? Singles need to understand God’s design for marriage. He doesn’t want you to fill your emptiness up with a mate. He wants you to be so filled with His love that you pour it into your mate. If all you have to offer someone is a hungry, hollow heart you’ll drain your spouse and still come up short. What do most people do when this happens? They assume they haven’t found the right one and move on to someone else! But all the while the problem was in them.
What’s the cure for our search for true fulfillment? It’s in understanding why we’re here.
God created us so that we could know Him intimately. Many Christians never move beyond a conversion knowledge of Christ. They think they have to wait for heaven to experience Him. Yet, we are invited to enjoy communing with Christ moment by moment right now, right here! [Rev. 3:20]. He lives within us, so that He can express His life through us. As we walk in total dependency upon Him we are enjoying our union with Him.
This isn’t about positive thinking, it’s about allowing the life of another Person to sustain us. This is the deeper life, the abundant life we were created to live.
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Grace Notes: November 19, 2004.
Cindy Galdal writes the a monthly column for the The Christian Life-Times ( www.christianlifetimes.com ). She also directs Oasis–a singles ministry reaching out to the New York City area. You’re welcome to visit her Web site at www.CompleteinChrist.com. Copyright by Cindy Galdal. Permission is granted to reprint this article for non-commercial use.
The purpose of Grace Notes is to highlight the dynamics of abundant living as summarized in Galatians 2:20. Back issues are available at the Web site. Please pray for God’s blessing on these articles. Your comments are welcome.
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