Ye Are Complete In Him

Temple Baptist Church - 3-27-2013

 

Colossians 2:9-11

 

Introduction:

A. There is much controversy within major denominations concerning our position in Christ. It has been debated for years and will never be settled until such a time as everyone finds their doctrine bible based alone. Such questions arise as:

1. Is salvation through faith alone or is it mixed with human merit? This question even arises on occasion within the independent Baptist ranks as some believe that salvation before Christ and after the rapture is a mixture of faith and works.

2. Is our position in Christ secure? Can a saved person ultimately be lost? Is our security in Christ works based or faith based? Does the believer have to endure in either works or faith in order to be ultimately safe or does his security rest in the finished work of Christ alone?

B. There are those who break down these views into two distinct groups: Calvinist and Armenian.

1. The Calvinist believes that the sovereignty of God requires salvation to be totally of God to an elect few. The elect are predestined and have no choice in salvation. Those elected are therefore secure.

2. The Armenian believes that salvation is through faith but kept through human merit. Therefore, the believer can ultimately be lost through either sinfulness or loss of faith.

C. The true bible believer is neither Calvinist nor Armenian and believes that salvation is by grace through faith. Man has a choice to believe or disbelieve and salvation is eternal in nature. Herein we stand.

D. The believer’s position in Christ is set forth in the words “ye are complete in him.”

1. We are complete in Christ for the world that now is. 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (Practical Salvation is what Jesus Christ does through us and involves both a conversion—which brings about the new creature—and either obedience or lack of obedience to God’s Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is difficult for us to realize just how secure that we are in Christ! Nothing that we do can separate us from the love of Christ! [Romans 8:38-39])

a. He gives us His Spirit. John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

b. He gives us His Word. Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (7) Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

c. He gives us His Power. Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

2. We are complete in Christ for the world to come. 1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (Positional Sanctification is a work of God in salvation and is totally void of human merit. Notice the wording of this particular verse: “As he is, so are we in this world.”)

a. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We are not “gods” neither are we the “only begotten” sons of God but we are the sons of God by faith. 1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

b. Jesus Christ is with God. Our Lord now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven as he “ever liveth” to make intercession for the saints. You and I that are saved are also seated with God in heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

c. Jesus Christ is faultless before God. Our Lord is the sinless, absolutely pure, and forever holy Son of God! We are “hid with Christ in God” positionally and, in Him, is not sin. The seed of God remaineth in us and there is a part of us sealed until the day of redemption that “cannot sin” according to 1 John 3:9: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

d. Jesus Christ lives eternally. He is the eternal Son of God. He does not have life, He is life! We that are saved have eternal life. We are not on probation; we have salvation. We are kept by the power of God through faith, not by our obedience or goodness. John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.