Filled & Bearing Fruit: Complete in Christ

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had ^adisarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Completeness in Christ means to walk in Christ    

Firm foundation

Prf, PPtc NMP  having been rooted in Him

Progressing construction

PPPtc, NMP now being built up in Him

Learned confirmation

PPPtcNMP established in your faith, just as you were instructed

Abundant appreciation

PAPtcNMP overflowing with gratitude

Completeness in Christ means to watch out for deceptive philosophy 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Completeness in Christ means to wonder in Christ 

9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had ^adisarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

We wonder at the hypostatic union in Him. 

9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

“Hypostatic Union” is the mysterious joining of the divine and human in the one person of Jesus.  Jesus was always God and He became a man.  So this personal union comes from above and is the uniting of the already existing divine with the human.  Jesus is the God man.  100% God and 100% man at the same time.  It is a union between the divine and the human.

We wonder at being complete in Him 

Our salvation is complete in and with Him. 

11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Our forgiveness is complete with Him. 

13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Our victory is complete through Him. 

15 When He had ^adisarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Conclusion:

The work of Jesus is a finished work.  It is a complete work. 

We are not complete outside of Christ.  But in Christ we are complete.

Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it in the day of Jesus Christ.

We must walk in Christ.

We must watch out for deceptive philosophy.

We must wonder in Christ.

These actions will lead us to experiencing what is available in Christ.  That is that we are complete in Him.  That means that we are lacking in Him.  He is sufficient for our forgiveness, our salvation, our sanctification and our victory.

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