Daily Bread - DEC/29/07
Ephesians 4:13 - "Until we all come to the oneness of faith and the full knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man to the measure of the maturity of the fullness of Christ."
There are two challenging and yet glorious privileges expressed in this verse: First "the measure of the maturity of Christ" and second "the fullness of Christ". The fullness of Christ in ministry is promised to the believer by Jesus when He said, "He that believes on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater"(John 14:12).
When Jesus was baptized in the Spirit He was filled with the Spirit without measure (John 3:34; Matthew 3:16). Jesus came as the express image of the Father filled with all of the fullness of God (Colossians 1:19; 2:9). God made it possible for us to be filled with all of the fullness of Christ Jesus first by the new birth and secondly through the Baptism of the Spirit. When we were born of the Spirit Christ Jesus was formed in us (Colossians 1:28; Galatians 4:19; 1 John 4:4; Romans 8:29). This new creature that is created in Christ Jesus possesses both the abiding presence of the Father, the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit (John 14:23; 1 John 3:24).
Paul testified that he had received the fullness of Christ when he declared to the Romans that he would "come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ" (Romans 15:29). And then again when he made it known that he no longer lived but Christ which was in him (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21). Paul also revealed that the fullness of God was made available to all of the saints through knowing the love of Christ: "to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge so that we might be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19). In fact, he revealed that the church was the fullness of Him who fills all things (Ephesians 1:23). Although we look at such a promise and are overwhelmed with amazement and a sense of impossibility we must with awe and expectation embrace the call to this unspeakable gift of God. Father has revealed these things to us by His Spirit because it is His will for our lives. If we refuse to believe and take hold of the faith, by both accepting and expecting this to be the reality of our lives, then we will certainly never realize this glorious privilege.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org
About Me
- Carol L
- San Diego area, California, United States
- I started this blog back in 2005, but in 2006 began dedicating it solely for the purpose of posting email messages called, Daily Bread, sent out Monday through Saturday by my pastor, Mark Spitsbergen. These daily emails contain fresh revelation that Mark gets from the Word of God by the Holy Spirit for that day for the church that God has called him to pastor, Abiding Place. 1 Peter 4:11 says, "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God gives that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen." Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, (John 14:6), and He says, "The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are Life." (John 6:63). For the Word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).
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