Christ is Enough

​How’s your tree growing?  Last time we talked about being rooted and built up in Christ and used the analogy of a tree and how it grows upward and downward simultaneously. Likewise, we also must be growing in our spiritual walk with Lord by rooting ourselves more firmly in Him through time spent with Him in the pages of His Word and relationship-building time of prayer.  And as we grow and root ourselves in Him, we’ll come to an astounding realization that Christ is enough.  Enough to satisfy our hearts.  Enough to keep us from returning to our slavery to sin.  Enough for all areas and aspects of life.  

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”
 ~Colossians 2:8-10

​We walk in him.  We are rooted in Him.  We are built up and grow in Him.  Now we are filled in Him.  Do you see a theme here?  There is a recurring phrase:  in Him.  It’s not by what we’ve done or can do, but only in Christ alone.  He only can save us and only in Him are we filled up.  Or as some translations read “are complete in Him” (NKJV) or “have been made complete” (NASB).  These translations better convey the literal meaning of the text.  For according to the Strong’s Dictionary, the Greek word translated filled literally means:  “to make replete, level up, satisfy, finish accomplish, complete, fill, make full, perfect.”  So in Christ we are made complete, leveled up, satisfied, finished, accomplished, made full, and perfected.  What a beautiful truth!
 
But how are we made complete?  How are we filled, perfected, satisfied, and finished in Christ, the One in whom the whole fullness of God dwells?  The answer lies in the atoning work of the cross which Paul concisely outlines in the verses below.

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”  
​~Colossians 2:13-14

This is the why.  Why we are complete in Him.  Why we walk in Him.  Why we root ourselves in Him.  Because Christ is enough.  He has done the work, paid the price, won our hearts, and triumphed over death.  We did nothing to earn or deserve this great sacrifice.  In fact, we were dead, alienated from God, and enemies of Christ at the time of our ransom.  Yet in His great mercy and fathomless love, Jesus Christ died for me and for you so that we could be made alive and receive adoption as sons and daughters of the living God.  We have been forgiven our trespasses.  Our record of debt has been canceled out and nailed to the cross of Calvary.  We are alive, loved, redeemed, and complete.
 
So let us not be taken captive by empty words, false promises, or lies from the enemy.  But let us be firmly established in our faith, for Christ has and will always be enough.  For in Him we are filled up, fully satisfied, and lack nothing.
 
Oh, praise the One who took our place and raised this life up from the dead!

“I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”
~Colossians 2:4