COMPLETE IN CHRIST
by Lehman Strauss
sons, and even professing Christians, who live troubled and restless lives. Some of these latter have little of this world’s goods, others have an abundance; but whether they have little or much, their lives are incom plete. The more they get, the more they want. And if you are one of them, you know what I say is true. We are indebted to Abraham for a rich and rewarding experience which has been recorded for our blessing. Abraham had gone out to B E L I E V E T H E B IB L E There are some who believe the Bible, And some who believe in part. Some who trust with reservation. And some with all their heart. But I know that its every promise Is firm and true always; It is tried as the precious silver, And it means just what it says. It is strange we trust each other, And only doubt our Lord; We will take the words of mortals. And yet distrust His words; But, oh, but what light and glory Which shine o'er all our days, If we always would remember That He means just what He says. — A. B. Simpson battle against the combined forces of several kings in an endeavor to rescue his nephew Lot. God’s servant emerged from that conflict a victor, and returned with Lot and the spoils of the battle (Gen. 14:21-23). Abra ham’s God was the Possessor of Heaven and earth. The earth and the fulness thereof was His, there fore, Abraham was content to draw from that fulness. The Possessor of Heaven and earth of the Old Testament is no 7
I N simplest terms the Holy Spirit declares through Paul, that you have everything when you have Christ. If you accept this at once as an assumed and self-evident fact, then you are well on your way. But if you refuse to accept it because you cannot conceive it or compre hend it, then you must struggle along in your present incomplete and dis satisfied way of life. The fulness of Christ includes goods for the sustenance of life. And I mean to get right down to the necessary material things of life, those everyday commodities which are essential to our very existence. Since the believer has everything when he has Christ, then he shall never have to suffer any shortage of his needs. A security that is based upon money and material things is a false security, thus it cannot leave the heart fully satisfied and com plete. Now I am not deploring wealth, just as long as a man comes by his riches honestly and dispenses them scripturally. It is cause for rejoic ing when we see men and women, dedicated to Jesus Christ, prospering in the things of this life. Riches per se are not evil. Rather, writes Paul, “The love of money is the root of all evil” (I Tim. 6:10). It is the obsession for accumulating wealth which is a root of all evil. “Labour not to be rich” (Proverbs 23:4). But I fear that too many completely ignore the plain teaching of God’s Word, and they will learn, if they have not discovered by now, that money and things do not make one’s life complete. For everyone who is drawing from Christ’s fulness and living trustfully and triumphantly from day to day, there is a great host of unsaved per
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker