Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Each year, I ask God for direction for our local church. Our theme for 2022 is, I am Seeking the Fulness of God. The word fullness is defined as – the quality or state of being filled completely, or to utmost capacity; having an abundance, or more than enough. A few synonyms are: completeness, saturation, totality, wholeness ampleness, completion, comprehensiveness, enlargement, entirety, extensiveness, fill
So, what is the fulness of God? We are no doubt familiar with Scriptures that speak of fulness:
The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof (Psalms 24);
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord‘s thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is (Deuteronomy 10:14);
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them (Psalms 89:11).
However, I believe that God has impressed upon me the need to remind believers to focus on the spiritual component of His fullness. Note how the Apostle Paul spoke of God’s fullness.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (Ephesians 3:14-20)
When Paul spoke of his desire to know God’s fullness, he was in a heated debate with several Jewish believers who wanted to hold on to the Mosaic Law. Furthermore, they wanted all newly converted Gentiles to adhere to the Law as well. Paul was adamant that if this heresy continued they would in effect make Jesus’ ministry obsolete. It was Paul’s contention that grace alone was the requirement, and to emphasize the Law diminished the love and power of God through Jesus Christ.
Too many of us today only see God through a restricted lens. God is so much more than the type of clothes you wear, or the style of your hair, or the day you attend church. Holiness is not what you put on or take off – holiness is a lifestyle that exemplifies God and His holiness. God’s fullness, completeness, resources, and reach are of such magnitude, eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has it entered into the hearts of man…
I ask you, why does the believer purposefully arrive to church late to avoid contributing to the offering; or why does the believer decide to stay home because their favorite preacher is not on the program? Why would a believer call another believer and ask if they are going to church, or if they are going to participate in a church event or activity, and make their decision based upon what the other one says? Why do believers send text messages, or emails and think no one will ever know? It’s because they do not believe in the fullness of God. The thought that we can do anything outside of God’s view is ludicrous. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him (II Chronicles 16:9). For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. (Proverbs 5:21).
These past two years, I have taken my Bible reading and study to a higher level. I spend much more time in prayer and meditation, and the more I learn about God, the more I realize how far I am from Him.
Paul recognized the body of Christ is stronger, better, and more reflective of God as we extend Christ’s love to others. We cannot afford to only accept people who look like us, or talk like us, or are from our communities. God is so much larger, deeper, and wiser than we think we know. There is a fullness in God that I want to experience. I want to know what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
I invite you to join along with us as we seek His fullness.