Mark Vestal Supporter Proud of nothing of myself. Freed by Christ who did it all!

To be “complete in Him” means that the believer’s standing before God is fully supplied in Christ. Nothing is lacking that must be added by religious works, rituals, human philosophy, law keeping, or personal merit in order to make the believer acceptable to God.

Paul’s point in Colossians 2 is that Christ is not merely part of the Christian life; He is the fullness of it:

Col 2:9-10
“For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him…”

So the believer is complete because Christ Himself is complete. All that God requires for righteousness, forgiveness, reconciliation, and acceptance has been fulfilled by Christ on the believer’s behalf. This is why Paul immediately goes on to speak of what God has done for us in Christ: we have been spiritually circumcised, buried with Him, raised with Him, forgiven, and released from the condemning record that stood against us.

Col 2:13-14
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

This means the daily Christian walk does not begin with trying to become complete before God. It begins with believing that, in Christ, the believer already is complete. We do not obey in order to make Christ’s work sufficient. We walk by faith because His work is sufficient.

Col 2:6:
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.”

How did we receive Him? By faith. Therefore, we walk in Him the same way: by faith in who He is and what He has done. The Christian life is not self-improvement in order to earn God’s pleasure. It is a life lived from the finished work of Christ, trusting that He has already pleased God perfectly for us.

This does not mean the believer’s daily conduct is unimportant. Rather, it means our conduct flows from completeness in Christ, not toward it. Essentially, we work from our gifted salvation ("with fear and trembling" for others), not out of fear of any rejection or punishment towards us by God.

So “complete in Him” means that Christ is enough. The believer lacks nothing before God because the believer is in the One who fulfilled everything God required. Daily Christian living is therefore not striving to complete what Christ left unfinished, but resting in and walking out what Christ has already accomplished on our behalf. That's faith.

Gal 5:1
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

9 hours ago • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Dear Anonymous,

Our "completeness" in Christ is a positional reality, not a progressive achievement. To answer your opening question directly, "complete in Him" daily means living from your union with Christ, not for it (Galatians 2:20). This truth is confirmed in John 1:16, where we learn that from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace; your completeness comes from His fullness, not your own effort. First Corinthians 1:30-31 further establishes that "you are in Christ Jesus, who became for you wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." You lack nothing because Christ Himself is your completeness. Galatians 3:26-29 reminds you that you are a son of God through faith in Christ Jesus, and there is neither Jew nor Greek, for you are all one in Christ. Your complete standing before God is in Christ alone. Ephesians 4:15-16 shows that completeness is not isolated but happens in union with Christ and His body, as you grow up into Him in all things and the whole body is joined and knit together. Colossians 3:11 reiterates the theme directly: Christ is all and is in all. You need nothing added because Christ is everything. Therefore, every thought, task, struggle, and interaction is met from the fullness you already have in Him, rather than as a bid to become more acceptable.

Let me add a few more practical daily expressions with their biblical foundations to what I have already outlined. When you fail, you do not spiral into shame because your completeness is not based on today's performance. You confess quickly and receive grace immediately (1 John 1:9 -- "[But] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness"; Romans 8:1). When you are anxious, you remind yourself that the One who rules every authority is in you, so no situation is ultimately out of control (Colossians 2:10b; Philippians 4:6-7). When you are tempted to compare, you rest in the fact that God's deposit in you is tailor made. Someone else's gifts do not signal your lack (1 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 1:3 -- "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,"). When you feel spiritually dry, you do not panic. You say, "My feelings do not determine my completeness. Christ's finished work does" (2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 10:14).

Now let me tie Bible references directly to the daily implications I originally listed. Confidence, not insecurity (Hebrews 4:16) means you pray and serve from acceptance, not for it. Freedom from performance traps (Galatians 5:1) means legalism loses its grip when Christ's finished work settles your worth. Ongoing repentance and growth (Philippians 1:6) means being complete does not negate growth; it fuels it, because you are secure enough to change. Victory in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-11) means the head over every ruler lives in you; temptation no longer owns the final word. Humble service (1 Peter 4:10- "Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God") means full people can pour out; you give because you are overflowing.

6 hours ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report