COMPLETE IN CHRIST
by Lehman Strauss
T o YOU who are weighed down and weakened by the sorrows of life, listen to this good news: In Christ dwells all the fulness of God, and we who trust Him are filled — full in Him. This blessed God-Man, who is your Saviour, Redeemer and Friend, stands ready and able right now to make your life full and com plete, even in the midst of your sor row. The Bible says that Christ is “full of grace.” Now He would have to be full of grace to condescend to leave His throne in Heaven to come to Bethlehem’s manger. But wonder of wonders, in the condescending grace of His Incarnation, He left nothing at home in Heaven. “In Christ dwell- eth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” meaning that even after He took on Him a human body, His ful ness had not diminished one iota. This very moment He is full of grace. But this is not all! Listen further to the Apostle John, “And of His ful ness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1 :16). John is spe cific in applying the fulness to one virtue, namely, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Saviour has an infinite and inexhaustible supply of grace, and it is at our disposal just for the taking. In His absolute Deity, the fulness of His grace is eternal. Out of His unlimited fulness, we be lievers can receive from Him suffi cient grace for the sorrows of life. John says th e re is “grace for grace,” that is, grace upon grace, one measure of grace flowing after another measure of grace, new grace to replace old grace, unbounded, eter nal grace. Have you received Christ as your Saviour and Lord? Are you truly in Christ? If you are, then
claim your possessions. Don’t, allow Satan to cheat you out of a complete life through diverting your attention away from Christ and His grace. Turn to your Saviour, for position- ally, every child of God is “complete in Him.” Take from Him that fresh, constant, unfailing supply of new grace, for out of that fulness, every believer is supplied. His grace is saving grace for sin ners (Eph. 2:8, 9), sanctifying grace for saints (Titius 2:11, 12), and sufficient grace for sufferers (II Cor. 12:9). God may answer our prayers in one of several ways. Sometimes He responds with a direct answer, giv ing us our request almost immedi ately, or shortly thereafter. Then, too, God responds at times with a delayed answer, giving us our re quest, but not until after a lengthy
Reverend John F. MacArthur,a graduate of Talbot Theological Seminary, hasrecently been appointed special representative forthe school. He wil be conductingme tingsand Bible con ferences throughouthe United States, contact ing individuals on behalf of the expanding ministry of Talbot Seminary. Mr. MacArthur is a thirdgeneration minister. His father. Dr. Jack MacArthur, is director of the nationally known "Voice of Calvary" radioand television production.
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