The Apostle Paul brings to light a beautiful premise in his writings to the church at Colosse regarding the “fullness of the Godhead” dwelling in Christ “bodily.” Not just once, but twice the Apostle Paul makes this statement regarding Jesus Christ, the Godhead and not just who but what Christ was.

“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;” (Col 1:18-19)

“For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col 2:9)

The beauty in this message is not just the fact that there is a three-in-one God consisting of the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost (l John 5:7) but also the fact that Jesus Christ had all the fullness of that Godhead dwelling in Him bodily while He walked this low ground of sin and sorrow! The Apostle Paul told Timothy that there was no controversy over this very issue but rather “...God was manifest in the flesh.” In fact, Jesus Christ Himself tells his disciples that “he that hath seen me hath seen the father.”

To further amplify this truth, the Apostle Paul tells the Hebrews that Jesus Christ is the “brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.” I remember a time when Jesus took Peter, James and John up on a mountain and was transfigured before them. For just a moment, Jesus Christ (so to speak) removed the veil of His flesh and allowed the three disciples to see a portion, just a portion, of the glory of the Godhead - “For in him dwelleth ALL the fullness of the Godhead …

Yet words fail us to describe that fullness, How can we as mere mortals, finite in nature and mind, understand the fullness of the Godhead? So, returning to the basics, the word “fullness” in the two scriptures in Colossians means “complete.” And that so well states the truth of the Godhead; God is complete! There is nothing lacking in Him; nothing to add, nothing to take away, nothing to enhance, nothing to modify, nothing to nullify. God is complete!

As Isaiah so ably states in the 46 chapter of his prophesy, “I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me --my counsel shall stand--1 have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.” God is complete!

Now, Colossians 2:10 says that we are complete in Him. The word “complete” comes from the same root word as “fullness” in verse 9. However, the initial meaning of complete is “to be filled.” So, fullness = complete (or ‘that which fills’) while complete = to be filled. So, if we are complete in Him, then we are filled BY Him. We are filled with His fullness! In fact, in the lst chapter of Colossians Paul tells us that what we have is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Every child of God who has been born again has Christ in them — we are all filled with Christ. And this, my friends, makes us complete (realizing of course that the flesh is still born about in sin, the inward man however, lacks nothing just as God lacks nothing.)

The Apostle John is a witness to this truth as he writes in John 1:16, “And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.” Every child of God has received His fullness!

Furthermore, we are recipients of the marvelous Grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This grace is none other than Jesus Christ (“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”) Jesus Christ is Grace given for us (grace for grace.) Jesus Christ gave Himself to God, but for us, on Calvary’s cruel cross, He secured the redemption of the elect family of God by giving His life, shedding His blood and enduring the wrath of a just, holy and righteous God against our sins that “he was made to be” that we might have life in Him.

We are filled with all the fullness of God. We are complete, in Him.