What Does It Mean to Be Complete in Christ?

Welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a 30-minute walk through the Scriptures, teaching in-depth Bible truths that change people's lives. Now, here's your host, Les Feldick. Okay, good. See everybody in again? Now, I've explained this before to our television audience, while we have a break between our half-hour programs, of course, everybody can go out and get a cup of coffee and Iris isn't alone in bringing cookies anymore. Some of the other ladies are helping out, but anyway, when I say, well, I'm glad to see everybody back in here, someone just said, how do you get them all back in there? Well, it's not all that hard, but anyway, we'd like to have folks know how we operate, and if you're ever coming through Tulsa from wherever, you check with us and maybe you can join us for an afternoon of taping. We usually do it on the first Wednesday after the first Sunday of every month, and we just tape four programs and take a break in between them. So if you're ever in town, you feel free to come in and join us. With the new facilities now, we've got a lot of room, and we can just envision the day that we can have even more than we've got today. Okay, now I think all I have to mention is that all the past programs are available on videotape, the audio cassette package, and they're also in print. Now, if you ever are watching a program and you'd like to have that particular program in one of the formats of video, always watch for the number on the board, because this is our formula whatever. We are presently in Book 41, and we're in the middle two hours, and this of course is the third program this afternoon. So just watch for these numbers. I wish we'd have had the wherewithal to have done it from day one, but I let people know, I make no apology. You know when we started television we were as ignorant as they come. We didn't know anything about television, and so Iris and I and the rest of us have all just sort of grown together, and we listen to our audience, and this is what they've suggested. Why don't you put the book number on the board, and so we've been doing that. Okay, I think now we're ready to get back and pick up where we left off. You're used to hearing that too, aren't you? Colossians chapter 2, and we're just going to re-read verse 8. I think I've finished commenting on it. We're going to re-read it to introduce verse 9. Colossians 2, verse 8, and again beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, in other words that which is strictly the materialistic and not the spiritual, and not after Christ. Now verse 9, for in him, that is in Christ, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, but how? Bodily. Now, you have to constantly remember that when Christ made His appearance among men back there in Bethlehem, He never stopped being God. Now because He was God, He was able to limit. He didn't abuse it like we would, but He never stopped being God. In fact, we looked at it several programs back, and come back again, turn the page back to Colossians 1. Verse 15, and the reason Paul keeps repeating this all the time, is to drive the fact home as to who is Jesus Christ. Well He is the visible manifestation of the Godhead, all three. You got it? Colossians 1, verse 15, who, speaking of God the Son, up in verse 13, who is the image, the visible appearance now, of the invisible God, the Godhead. He is the visible image of the invisible God. And then to show who He really was, He goes on into verse 16, and shows us that He was the Creator of everything. He's the God of Genesis 1. For by Him were all things created that are in heaven, earth, whether they're visible, invisible, thrones, dominions, principalities, everything, good and evil, were all created by Him. And then the next verse, of course, in verse 17, says it was for Him. Another verse says that everything was created for His pleasure. So come back then to Colossians 2, verse 9 again, for in Him, in Christ, the visible manifestation of the invisible God, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Now this is hard for us to comprehend, I know it is. But I think, I'll take the time, come back with me to John's Gospel. John's Gospel, chapter 14, I'll pass you this scripture that I think we used maybe a couple of weeks ago. And it says it all. But I don't mind when people have a little trouble comprehending this, because the Twelve couldn't. The Twelve had a hard time. And it's epitomized here when Philip says, show us the Father. Alright, John 14, starting at verse 7. John 14, dropping in at verse 7. And Jesus is speaking to the Twelve, and He said, If you had known Me, if you really knew who I was, you should have known My Father also. And from henceforth you know Him, and have seen Him. See? Now that's a hard pill to swallow, it was for the Twelve. So Philip comes right back and he says, now wait a minute. Now you want to remember, these people are just as ordinary as you and I. These men had the same thoughts, they had the same questions that you and I. And so Philip says, now wait a minute. How can we see the Father? Show it to us, and then we're satisfied. Show us the Father, and it suffitheth us. Now look at Jesus' answer. And He said unto him, Have I been so long time with you? Three years now, remember. And yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath, past tense, not going to someday, but he who hath seen Me hath seen the Father. It's a done deal. Then Jesus goes on to say, so how, Philip, can you say, show us the Father? You've seen Him. How did they see Him? Because in Christ dwelt the Godhead bodily. And always remember that when the Scripture speaks of the Lord, let me give you a good example. Come back to Acts, it's a good verse to use periodically anyway, and I have it now for a few weeks. Come back to Acts 16, and I'll just use several Scriptures. We can also go back to Matthew 16. In fact, let's just start with Matthew 16, honey. Sorry about that. Matthew 16, and then we'll go and look at Acts 16, so that you can see that all the persons of the Godhead can be referred to synonymously. Matthew 16. And here we have Jesus and the Twelve clear up in northern Israel, Caesarea Philippi, the headwaters of the Jordan River. They're going to be making their way down to Jerusalem for the last Passover and His crucifixion. And He asks the question, of course, in verse 13, Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? Matthew 16, verse 13. And they said, now imagine, after three years of miracle upon miracle upon miracle. And you want to remember, the Bible only just gives us a little sampling of His miracles. We only just get a sampling. He must have performed miracles by the dozens every day, because the last verse of John's Gospel says that the world couldn't hold the books if they would have described all of His miracles. Now, even if that were a play on words, it just simply tells us that we only are told a sampling of the ones that He performed. But even after three years of all those miracles, the disciples said, well, some say, verse 14, you're John the Baptist. Some think you're Elijah. Others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. See, they had all kinds of ideas, except the right one, that He was the Messiah. And He saith unto them, but whom do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered with the right answer. See, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Now, here's what I want you to see. Verse 17. Blessed art thou, Simon bar Jonah. In other words, he answered totally correct. Blessed art thou, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. Now, in our line of thinking, who should have been the one that gave Peter that kind of knowledge? Well, the Holy Spirit, isn't that right? It's the Holy Spirit who gives us knowledge in those things. So here, it's the Father. But I'm sure it was the Spirit who accomplished it. Now, let's go to Acts chapter 16. Acts chapter 16. Dropping down to verse 14. Acts 16, verse 14. Boy, that's music to hear those pages rustle. Acts 16, verse 14. And here, of course, is Paul and Silas at Philippi. And a certain woman named Lydia, seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened. Now, instead of the Father, it's the Lord. Well now, who is the Lord? Well, God the Son, Christ. So here we have, the Scripture says, the Lord opened. And yet, we know from all the rest of the Scripture, what person of the Godhead actually opened the eyes of Lydia? Well, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who opens our understanding. Now, let me prove that. I Corinthians. I Corinthians. Chapter 2, verse 13. And see, don't let this throw a curve at you, because you want to remember the three persons of the Godhead, even though we recognize they're separate entities, yet they operate as one. And it doesn't make any difference whether it's the Spirit who opened Lydia's heart, or whether it was the Lord, or whether it was the Father. It's still the same God. Oh, and now here, in I Corinthians 2, it's definitely the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians, chapter 2. What did I say, verse 13, honey? Okay, verse 13. Which things also, Paul says, we speak. That is, all of these things that he's been writing about. Not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth. Comparing spiritual things with Spirit. And the natural man, verse 14, receives not the things of the Spirit of God. Well, now does that leave God the Father and God the Son out of the picture? Well, of course not. Of course not. They're all involved constantly in the working of any one of the three. And so always be careful that you don't just say, well, now I can't figure out. Who's doing it? Is it the Father or is it the Son or the Holy Spirit? Well, since Christ, now come back to Colossians, chapter 2. Since Christ is the bodily manifestation of the whole Godhead, there you have it. That He is God the Father, He's God the Son, He's God the Spirit, but yet they function in their individual roles. All right. Maybe all I did was confuse you. Chapter 2 of Colossians, and now let's move on. Verse 10. And we, as believers, now remember Paul never talks to the unbelieving world. He always talks to the believer. And we, or you, are complete in Him. That is, that Godhead epitomized by Christ. You're complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. Now what does that involve? Everything. Everything, whether it's the satanic powers or whether it's the angelic powers or whether it's whatever, whether it's earthly powers, whether it's kingdoms. He is in control of everything. There's never been an emperor that assumed a throne without that sovereign God in control of it. Oh, He doesn't use a puppet string, but nevertheless in His sovereignty nothing happened. Now again, let me show you from Scripture what I'm talking about. I hate to have people think, well, where does this guy get this stuff? Because I imagine I'm accused of that more than once. Come back to Romans 13. Romans 13. And let's start at verse 1. Romans 13, verse 1. And remember why I'm coming back here. Christ is the head of all principality and power. Not just in the realm of the spiritual, but in everything. Romans 13, verse 1, where Paul writes, "...let every soul be subject to the higher powers." Now he's not talking about spiritual power here. He's talking about political power. Government. "...for there is no power," that is government, but how? Of God. See? There's never been a government on the face of the earth that wasn't ordained of God. Yes, even a Hitler. Even a Stalin. They're all there for His purposes. So they're all ordained of God. And we can't ignore that. Which means that, now come back to Colossians, that it says just exactly what it means, and it means what it says. That Jesus the Christ, the very epitome of the Godhead bodily, is still the one who is the head of all principality and power. Alright, now I'm going to have to do with a couple of verses here like I did in the last program. I'm going to have to jump down, and I want to cover verse 13 before I cover verse 11. Now that may seem like gobbledygook to you, but I think it's going to make sense when you see what I'm doing. Let's drop down to verse 13, and then I'm going to come up and deal with 11. Don't worry, I'm going to hit verse 12 too, but we're going to leave it for now. Verse 13. And you, talking to believers, being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he, God, in verse 12, has quickened, or made you alive, together with him, having, that's a past tense participle, if I know my grammar, having forgiven you, how much? All trespasses. Now the other word, and we're going to look at that a little bit, is the word justification. We've been justified from all things. You remember what my definition of justification was? The judicial act of God, whereby He declared the sinner just as if he had never sinned. Now that's beyond human comprehension, but see, that's what the grace of God does the moment we believe. Alright, but now verse 13. Being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh. Okay, now let's explain from Scripture what He's talking about. Come back a few pages again to Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2. Now this is going to get a little sticky. I know it is. I'm going to have to go as slow as I can. Ephesians chapter 2, and drop in at verse 11 and 12. Ephesians 2, verse 11 and 12. Verses that we've used a lot of times. Wherefore remember that you, the Ephesians, and remember, is writing just as well to us today, that you being in times past, Gentiles in the flesh. In other words, our genetics, we're not Jewish, they're what? They're non-Jew, so we're Gentile. Now that's all the word Gentile means. I had to explain that to somebody the other day. A Gentile just simply means someone who is not a Jew. That's all it means. It's the goyim in the Hebrew, and it's the non-Jew. So whether you're Oriental, or whether you're African, or American Indian, or European, or whatever, as long as we're not out of the stock of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we're a Gentile. It's just that simple. So now then, Paul is saying of us that we were in times past, Gentiles in the flesh, by virtue of our genetics, who are called what? That's what I want you to see. What are we called? Uncircumcision, see? The uncircumcision. Now that was the Jewish term for a non-Jew. He was the uncircumcised. Then a lot of times, they'd add the word dogs. Uncircumcised dogs is what they thought of Gentiles. Now, I'm going to give you one more. Come back a few more pages to Galatians chapter 2. Keep your hand in Ephesians, honey. I'm going to come back to it. Galatians chapter 2, verse 7. Galatians chapter 2, verse 7. All got it? Now Paul says, "...contrarywise when they," that is the leadership of the Jerusalem Jewish assembly, "...when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was committed unto Peter." Now how many classes of people do you have? Two, see? Paul and Barnabas were the apostles of the uncircumcision, or what people? Gentiles. Peter on the other hand, and James and John, and the others of the disciples, were the apostles of the circumcision. Israel. Oh, I could stand here for another hour on that alone, see? Why do you suppose Jesus chose the twelve inside of Israel? Because they were to be the apostles of Israel. Why do you suppose He chose the apostle Paul outside of Israel? On Gentile ground, because he's to be the apostle of Gentiles. And so all of this just fits together. But what I'm trying to show you here is the terminology, the uncircumcision is the non -Jewish world of which you and I are a part. The circumcision was the Jewish world. Okay, now I think I'm ready to come back to Ephesians 2, honey. Ephesians 2, finishing verse 11. Now like I said, I'm almost sure I'm not going to finish these two verses in this half hour. We'll probably need tomorrows and the next ones and whatever. But alright. Ephesians 2, finishing verse 11. "...you who were Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by those who were called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands." In other words, the Jew would refer to a Gentile as uncircumcised. Alright, verse 12, that at that time, while God was dealing with the circumcision, with Israel, you, uncircumcision, Gentiles, were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Now that was the lot of the Gentile world, because God was dealing with Israel. But the day came when Israel rejected everything, and God of course turned to the Gentile world through this apostle. Now come back to Colossians chapter 2, and like I say I'm going to try and take this slow enough that I don't leave everybody totally confused. But now in Colossians chapter 2, he said you, verse 13, speaking to Gentiles remember, being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh. Now you tie them together. Why were they dead in their sins? Because they were outside the covenants of Israel, they were outside the citizenship, they were Gentiles. And so this is what Paul is saying, this was our past. We were dead spiritually, mostly because we were Gentiles and were outside the covenant promises, and so as the uncircumcised physically, we were dead spiritually. But what has God done? He's quickened us. He's made us alive. Now maybe I can go off the board. Three minutes? No. I haven't got time. No way. Okay, what has happened? Come up to verse 11. I'll leave this half hour in total confusion, I'm afraid. Now up to verse 11, in Christ, positioned in the body, in whom you also are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands. What's he talking about? A spiritual circumcision with which the flesh had nothing to do. Now I guess the Lord must have instituted circumcision in the flesh, knowing that the day would come when it would be the perfect example of spiritual circumcision. And this is what we're going to see in these two verses. Now I'm not going to finish it in this half hour, no I can't. So now then, we who were in the flesh, uncircumcised, in the spirit we are circumcised, not the fleshly circumcision, but a spiritual one. And I hope I can put it on the board in the next half hour and clarify it. And that simply means that God has done something spiritually that was a good example of that which was practiced in Israel physically, and that was cutting off that which is superfluous or no longer needful. That's the whole concept. Now for you and I then as believers, what did God cut off that was now superfluous? The old Adam. The old Adam has been cut off. It's been crucified with Christ, and we'll pick it up in our next half hour, so hang by a string if you can. But anyway, this is the whole idea of these two verses. That yes, in the flesh we're uncircumcised, we're Gentiles, but spiritually we've been circumcised by virtue of the old Adam being crucified with Christ, cut off, and is no longer something that we have to deal with so far as eternity is concerned, because it has been done by God Himself, see? And that's where we'll have to leave it. We'll pick it up in the next half hour. Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick. Through the Bible is a partner-supported ministry. If this program has been a help to your study of the scriptures and you'd like to see others enjoy the teaching, your support would be greatly appreciated. Write to us at Les Feldick Ministries, Route 1, Box 760, Tinta, Oklahoma, 74552, or call 1-800-369-7856. Remember, all programs are available in printed form, audio cassette, and videotape. Be sure to tune in next time to Through the Bible with Les Feldick.