The Fullness of God
Fullness - Greek – Pleroma – 1) something that fills or completes. 2) fullness or state
of being filled.
Evolution says that man has revolved up from slime, ape to man, but the Bible shows
that man has actually fallen from the fullness of God (Genesis 2) God put Adam in the
garden of Eden to dress and keep it (have dominion over it); but man disobeyed God
and fell (Romans 5:11-17); verse 17 says “for if by one man’s (Adam) offence death
reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ”. Reign means rule. Jesus gave
dominion back to us (Luke 10:19). His death burial and resurrection caused us to be
reconciled to God, restored to fullness.
In the book of Ephesians, the Christian church is referred to as the “fullness of Christ”
(Ephesians 1:22-23 and 4:13), in 4:13 the fullness of Christ means that state of
Christian maturity in which believers are no longer “tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine” verse 14. And the fullness of God in Ephesians 3:15-19
Paul prays for the church of Ephesus “that He would grant you, according to the riches
of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. That Christ
may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love. May be
able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and
height; and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that you might be filled
with all the fullness of God”.
For example, the church is filled and made complete by Christ, the church possesses
the attributes of Christ, and the church is the agent through which Christ does all His
work. The church is full of Christ because it is the complete and continuing expression
of His words and works (Colossians 2:8-10) “beware, less any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world
and not after Christ. For in Him dwells al the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you
are complete in Him which is the head of all principality and power”. In Colossians,
Paul used the term in reference to Christ. In Christ, the “fullness of God” (1.19 and 2:
9).
The apostle John states that the “fullness of Christ” is received by all believers (John 1:
16) “and of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace”. The Greek word
for “fullness” here indicates totality and completeness. Since all of God’s fullness
dwells in Christ, every spiritual necessity is found in Jesus Christ. In Christ, Christian
believers lack nothing. The key is walking in Him. We have to exercise walking in the
Spirit. The early church walked in the fullness of Christ and signs and wonders
followed them. Stephen had this testimony (Acts 6:3-8, 7:55-60). The Bible tells us in
Psalms 82:6-8 to arise; “I have said, you are gods, and all of you are children of the
Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. Arise, o god,
judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”.
We are the body of Christ, we are His hands and feet on the earth. We are the only
Christ people will see, and we are called be “salt and light” which is to lead people to
Christ. Jesus said “verily, verily, I say to you, he that believes on Me, the work that I do
shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to My Father”
(John 14:12). He also said in Mark 16:17-18 “these signs shall follow them that believe;
in My name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall
take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay
hands on the sick and they shall recover”.
We have to stop thinking of ourselves as mere man, and consider that we have the
Spirit of God living within us. And start thinking of ourselves as the Bible says we are
“more than a conqueror”. We are told in Ephesians 5:14-20 to be filled with the Spirit;
“wherefore He says, awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall
give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be you not unwise, but
understanding what is the will of the Lord is. and be not drunk, with wine wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks
always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Jesus prayed for us in John 17:21-23 “that they all may be one, as You Father are in
Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that they world may believe that You
have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be
one, even as We are one. I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in
one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them, as
You have loved Me”. Meditate on this, because all of Jesus’ prayers were answered.
Paul said it like this “for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many
brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He
called, them He also justified, and whom He justified, them He also glorified” (Romans 8:
29-30).
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: August 31, 2007