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The Fullness In Christ

And he placed all things under his feet and gave him as head over all the Church, which exists his body, the fullness of the one filling all in all.-Ephesians 1:20-23


What does it mean the Church is his body, the fullness of the one filling all in all? Looking at the purpose of the Church as a filling into the fullness of Christ gives meaning and purpose to the Church as his body. What is this fullness? does it speak of the glory of God; Christ in us?* We should glorify Christ in our bodies, which speaks of our reasonable service to him, unto holiness as being the sacrifice acceptable to him. Is this not a reason why Christ came? to free us from sin? This fullness also speaks of the purpose Paul tells us about, that He chose us in Him to be holy, in His presence, in love.-Ephesians 1:4 There is much more to this fullness, which speaks of fully knowing as we are known in Christ.-1 Corinthians 13:12 And of knowing him, of power, faith, hope, and love in Christ. God had a purpose in Christ, and that purpose is bringing us into the fullness of God in Christ.

so that filled to the extent all the fullness of God.-Ephesians 3:14-20

The blessings we have received in Christ lead us into the fullness of God. Paul writes we were blessed, chosen, predestined, favored, adopted, redeemed, and forgiven in Him. God has made known to us, Paul writes,  the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, a plan of fullness, in time to bring everything together in Christ, both in heaven and on earth.-Ephesians 1:9 The plan of God, his will and purpose in which he has not nor will not change, it was a mystery hidden in God in the begining, in which the prophets got to look into and the angels longed to see, is being accomplished through Him, his body, to bring us unto a fullness of God. Certainly, because of Christ we can draw near to the Father, be in His presense, to be known and loved by Him, and to know and love him. We pray that God tears down any strongholds that keep us from the knowledge of Him.

Paul prays that God gives us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing Him, to the extent that the eyes of our hearts are enlightened. Three things he wants us to know in our hearts. First, that we know the hope to which we have been called. Second, the inheritance we have among the saints. Third, the greatness of His power available to all believers. The same power, the working energy that raised Christ from the dead. Paul prays we know, experience this power working in us. In all of these things, there is a goal, it is the reason Christ was made the head of the Church, so that we are being brought into a "fullness", as He is filling all in all through him, his body, the Church. 

so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.-Ephesians 1:17

Attaining this fullness in Christ begins with a Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.* To know Christ. To those called Christ is the wisdom and power of God.-1 Corinthians 1:24 The work of ministry is building up the body in the knowledge of Him, into His fullness.-Ephesians 4:12-13 It is astounding and amazing scripture. Paul writes God is leading us in triumph in Christ and through us making known the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in all places.-2 Corinthians 2:14 When we are increasing in the knowledge of Him, we walk worthy of Him, fully pleasing, bearing fruit of good works.-Colossians 1:10 This is the workmanship prepared beforehand. When we put good works ahead of the knowledge of Him we put the cart before the horse so to say and do not bring God's children into the fullness of Christ and we are not working according to God's plan, that which he purposed in Christ. ,

His divine power has freely given us all things for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and goodness.-2 Peter 1:3

It was according to that planned in Christ we were called, and according to His good pleasure, and he is working out all according to good, according to his purpose. But notice that which is freely given for life and godliness is through "the knowledge of him." The knowledge of who? Christ. As Peter says this is according to God's glory that we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ.-2 Peter 3:18 Paul writes he has decided to know nothing else except Jesus Christ and him crucified.-1 Corinthians 2:2 Though the crucifiction is what Paul first taught, he then taught he was buried and rose again.-1 Corinthians 15 We see a progression of the gospel in knowing Him, which brings us to knowing/experiential the power of the Spirit available to all believers. If Christ had not been raised our preaching and our faith is useless, and we are still in our sins.-1 Corinthians 15;14,17 

The good news doesn't end with Christ being crucified, we continue to grow in the knowledge of Him, knowing that we will be raised with him.-2 Corinthians 4:14 This raising to life we are obtaining through knowing Christ. Paul prays that God "may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation by coming to know more of him."-Ephesians 1:17 John writes a lot about what it means to know Christ.* He writes it is in three stages of growth; child, young person, and the mature. The mature know Him from the beginning, which implies a walk and growth through knowing more of Him. John writes that knowing him we will not continue in sin, as he came to free us.-1 John 3:5 In knowing him there is victory, of overcoming sin.-1 John 2:13 To know Him is to know of His great love and what a great privilege it is to be called, chosen as a child of God.-1 John 3:1

I count all loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ....that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, the fellowship in his suffering, becoming like him in death, if in any way to arrive at the resurrection from the dead.-Philippians 3:8-11

When Paul writes he has decided to know nothing else except Jesus Christ and him crucified, he is not saying the gospel is all about the cross, but as we see in this verse the surpassing worth is of knowing more and more of Him which includes fellowship in his suffering, so to be conformed to his death, so to know more of the power of his ressurection. Paul counted all loss because nothing is more worthy, of more value than knowing Christ. No earthly riches compare to the worth of knowing Christ. Peter writes we rejoice that we share in the sufferings of Christ so that His glory is being revealed in us.-1 Peter 4:13 Glory speaks of His fullness. We further know Christ, having fellowship in his suffering, becoming like him in death so His glory is revealed in us, which is attaining life, gaining Christ. "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."-Philippians 1:21 Paul is not saying I count all things a loss to know Christ's life when he goes to heaven, no, he is speaking of experiencing it here on earth in this mortal body. He is alive when the life of Christ is bearing fruit through him, and to physically die is gain because he will attain fullness in Christ. Paul says, it is not like he has arrived at this goal, but he is forgetting what is behind pressing on toward this prize.-Philippians 3:12-15 He calls this an upward call of God in Christ Jesus and those who are mature take this point of view.-Philippians 3:12-15 The mature know what the prize of the upward call is; fullness in Christ.

... to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,-Ephesians 4:12-16

Attaining the fullness of Christ is being conformed to His image, which is into mature adulthood, into the fullness of Christ. This is the glory, the life, Christ in us, and this life is the Light to the world.* James also writes this is maturity, and that the trials prove or test our faith, where the work of endurance has the purpose of maturing (brought to completion; fully accomplished, fully developed) which he also explains as wholeness, completeness where one is lacking in nothing.-James 1:2-5 Paul writes he runs the race toward a goal, he fights the good fight of faith for a purpose.(2 Timothy 4:7-8 1 Corinthians 9:24  Philippians 3:13-14) To know Christ and to gain Christ, which speaks of obtaining a prize; a fullness in Christ. Paul writes in regards to the purpose of the Church, which we can say as the work or goal of ministry, is that we reach this fullness in Christ, "... to mature adulthood, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."-Ephesians 4:11-16 

put off the old man with its practices and put on the new man renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.-Colossians 3:9-10

Even transformation, the renewing of the mind, is a Spirit of renewal, in the knowledge of Jesus, transformed from glory to glory, which shines in His face. Through knowing Jesus more and more, you will be changed into his image, his glory. There is an actice part of resistance and seeking on our part. Fullness is the goal, the complete obtainment of the fullness of Christ. Not that Paul says he has obtained it. He writes as a child we see dimly, like looking into a foggy mirror, we see dimly into this fullness, the fullness being how we are fully known in Christ. This is why he prays that God would grant the eyes of our hearts to see clearly, to grow in knowledge of him. Certainly joy and life is included in this fullness, as maturity produces fruit of righteousness, which is obedience, following his commands in which we reach a fullness, our joy is made complete and love is perfected. The outcome of such maturity James writes is a crown of life.

... to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,-Ephesians 4:12-16

We can sum up the work of ministry as a fullness in Christ. The gifts are given to the Church for this purpose. All of these things, the blessings we receive in Him, faith, hope, love, and the power we receive in Him... sum up to one thing, the fullness of Christ. This is why God put all things under Christ's feet and made him head over the Church so that we are filled to "the fullness of the one filling all in all."-Ephesians 1.23 Or said another way, "building up the body of Christ... to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Or said another way to those he chose he is working out all good according to that purpose in Christ, "to be conformed to the image of his Son."-Romans 8:28-29 The work of ministry is filling us to the fullness of Christ. Paul prays that we acquire strength through the Spirit, faith, and love so that we have the strength to lay hold of, to grasp, to know the love of Christ so that we are "filled to the extent all the fullness of God."-Ephesians 3:14-20 Paul prays,
  • so that according to the riches of His glory he grants you to acquire strength, power through his Spirit to the extent of your inner being, Christ dwelling in your hearts through faith, rooted and grounded in love, 
  • so that fully strong to lay hold of, with all the saints, what is the width, length, and height, and depth both knowing the love of Christ, surpassing knowledge, 
  • so that filled to the extent all the fullness of God.-Ephesians 3:14-20
The goal is to be filled to the fullness of God. We see the progression of things that occurs, in the word "so that" which is a marker that shows purpose or result: in order that, in order to, so that. In order to be filled to the fullness, God must grant us these other things. so that we acquire strength (we see how that is done above) so that you are strong enough to lay hold of the knowledge of the love of Christ. This is interesting, we must be strong to lay hold of the love of Christ? We are already rooted and grounded in love so to lay hold of this love possibly speaks of God disciplining those he loves so that we share in his holiness?-Hebrews 12:10 Or of a love that perfects, motivated by love, to endure the trial so that the work of endurance produces maturity, wholeness, lacking in nothing?-James 1:2-4 It is the bond of love that leads to maturity. If the fullness of Christ is related to maturity, and maturity is related to bearing fruit then we see a growth process that brings us into this fullness. Surely the parable of soils applies in this. Having the strength to lay hold of and to know the love of Christ has a purpose;

so that you are filled to the extent of all the fullness of God.-Ephesians 3:14-20

Paul is showing us how to attain to the fullness of God in Christ. He also writes it is the goal of the work of ministry. To attain we need to acquire strength so that we are strong enough to lay hold of the knowledge of the love of Christ so that to be filled to the fullness of God. This tells us that through knowing Christ, we acquire strength, so to lay hold of the knowledge of his love, so to be filled with the fullness of God. We see knowing Christ is key to being filled to the fullness of God. To lay hold of this knowledge we must be strengthened in our inner man by the Spirit, Christ must dwell in our hearts through faith, and we must be rooted and grounded in love, so we can know the love of Christ deeper which brings us into the "fullness" in Christ. "Now he is powerfully able to do abundantly above all which we ask or imagine, according to the power, that working in us,"-Ephesians 3:20
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