Sovereign Grace Church

…in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily

(Colossians 2:9)

The church, considered in herself, is a weak, afflicted, defenceless society. In respect to numbers, she has been in general the fewest of all people. With respect to outward circumstances, she has been composed of a poor and an afflicted people. With respect to talents and human acquirements, not many wise men after the flesh have joined her fellowship; but God has chosen the weak things of this world to confound the things that are mighty, and the foolish things to confound the wise, and things that are not, to bring to naught things that are. But viewed in connexion with her Head, she is the most noble, most safe and happy society that ever has, or ever will exist on this side the grave. She is complete in Him who is the Head of all principalities and powers. And in the preceding verse, to convince us of this, the apostle says, “For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The Godhead is a scriptural expression for the divine nature. And we are here told that in Christ Jesus all the fulness of this nature dwells. In His person as the Son of God, there is not an essential attribute of Godhead which does not belong to Him. This fulness is in Him bodily, that is, wholly. Or, the expression may refer to His human nature; then it dwells in Him really, and not figuratively, as the Shekinah in the tabernacle or temple, which was only a symbol of Divinity, a shadow of His gracious presence; but in Christ the fulness of Deity dwells substantially, and all the divine perfections are exercised by Him, as “God manifested in the flesh,” through the union of the divine and human natures in one person. This fulness, as it is said to dwell in His person absolutely, dwells in it necessarily. In this respect it differs from His mediatorial fulness, of which the same apostle speaks: “For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell” (Colossians 1:19). It is in this relative fulness that His church is complete, or, as the word may be rendered, made full in Him; and it is out of this fulness that all His people receive grace upon grace. Thus the church is filled up, rendered perfect or complete in Him. Whatever is necessary for her purity, peace, happiness and safety, either in their beginning or consummation, is found treasured up in Him. “He is made of God unto her, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption” [1 Corinthians 1:30]. All who believe in Christ for the salvation of their souls, are complete in Him as a head of reconciliation. May you and I, Christian reader, be found among that honoured, that happy, that complete number.