To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 15:28:41 -0500
Subject: HF009 - The Fullness of Christ
Hebraics,
This is a ninth Bible study. It is entitled 'The Fullness of Christ.' Our
subject Scripture is John 1:15,16, where it is written,
"John testified about Him and cried out, saying, 'This was He of
whom I said, "He who comes after me has higher rank that I, for He
existed before me."' For of His fullness we have all received, and
grace upon grace."
A difficulty we have in interpreting Scripture is the tendency to read our
own belief systems into the text. This is called eisegesis, or 'reading
into.' The proper way to interpret Scripture is called exegesis, or
'reading out of.' (Most doctrinal failure is a problem of eisegesis.)
To properly understand what a Biblical writer means when he uses
a certain term, we have to understand how that term was used
during his time. When John says, "For of His fullness we have all
received, and grace upon grace," we need to know how the term
'fullness' was used at that time.
Let's get the technical language out of the way. The word 'pleroma'
means 'that which fills,' and it comes from 'pleroo', or, ' to fill with a
content.'
Pleroma as used by the gospel writers had a two-fold meaning. It
meant that believers have been brought to fullness in Christ's
sphere of life. In this case there is nothing we need to do to be any
closer to God, than being 'in Christ.' This fullness of our sphere of
relationship takes place in the new birth. It is not some later added
spiritual experience. (We don't get more of Christ, but He can get more of
us.)
The term also means believers are filled absolutely by the Person
of Christ as the Giver. No believer has more of Christ than another
believer. It is here that we get the idea of Christ living out His life in
us. Paul had this idea in mind, when he said, "I have been crucified with
Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the
life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Gal2:20)
Then you had the nonliteral use of pleroma or pleroo by the gospel
writers which was, "to fill up to a specific measure." or, "to fulfill a
divine demand or claim."
We see this when Jesus speaks to the rejecting Jewish leadership,
saying, "Fill up (pleroo), then, the measure of the guilt of your
fathers." (Matt23:32) This meant that they would become completers
of all those who killed the prophets in times past. He goes on to
say, "Upon you will fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed
on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, to the blood of
Zechariah, etc." (Vs35)
In coming back to how this term applies to the new covenant, let's
go another step. Paul says, "Owe nothing to anyone except to love
one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled (pleroo) the
law." Paul is saying that the love of God that is poured out in our hearts
in the new birth, is now the governing principle of the new covenant, and
that by walking in the Spirit of love we automatically fulfill, or reach the
full goal of the Law of Moses.
Paul's point is that Christ has removed any need for performing
rituals. Anyone can perform a ritual, but only those truly born of
God's Spirit have the capacity to fulfill the love walk.
There is a final sense in the word 'pleroma' which has to do with
completeness, or to finish up a thing. This is a very important
concept, since it relates back to our original reference Scripture.
Listen again; "For of His fullness (pleorma; or, 'completeness') we
have all received."
Again listen carefully to Paul; "For in Him [Jesus] all the fullness
[pleroma] of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made
complete [pleroo], and He is the head over all rule and authority."
(Col2:9,10) Paul's emphasis is our completeness in Christ. Completeness
means there is nothing you can add to make it any more complete.
At the very moment of the new birth, a believer is made complete in
Christ. No one can take from that. Nor is there anything to add to
that. All the apostles agreed on this issue of our completeness.
This is the sum and substance of the new covenant. And it is
because of this sum and substance, that John said we are given
"grace upon grace." Grace upon grace means that at no time in a
believer's life will he or she be able to get beyond God's redeeming
grace.
Is that what it means? Hear again the apostle; "In Him we have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins,
according to the riches of His grace, which He *lavished* on us, in
all wisdom and insight." (Eph1:7,8)
The key word is 'lavished.' Perisseuo means a super abundance, or
be over and above anything needed or required. God can lavish
grace on all His children because we have received the fullness of
Christ.
This continued to be a struggle for the early believers. Just as it is for
many today. With them you had the judaisers on one hand, who said you must
fulfill the law of Moses, and, on the other hand, you had the gnostics and
philosophers who had plenty of additions. These kinds of systems have
always been around.
In coming against the gnostics who were troubling the young
believers, John had this to say; "Whoever confesses that Jesus is
the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." He then says,
"By this, love is perfected (brought to completion) with us, so that we
may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He [Christ] is, so
also are we in this world." (1John4:15,17)
John is bringing out another view of our relationship to God. He
says that Christ perfectly represents every believer in heaven. And
this is where our salvation lies. You can also refer to this as the life
exchange of the cross. Christ took our life to Himself in His death on the
cross, and, He, in turn, gave us His perfect life to be our standing with
heaven.
Before I close out this Bible study, let me relate to you a dream I
had a few months ago. Certainly we are not to take our stand on
dreams, but dreams can serve a purpose in our lives, especially if
they are what I call 'signature dreams.'
I'll make it short - The meeting place was packed, but the peoples
there were peoples I had known over the years. Oddly enough they
were people I had done funerals for. (Interesting, no?)
Standing at the sacred desk with a large open book was the Lord
Himself. He was facing the congregation. I was behind Him and
sort of to His left.
The Lord had a lady stand up, that I had conducted a funeral for
last year. He was so gracious in speaking to her. And she was a
precious saint. But there was a problem. Everyone in the meeting
knew that she had had a certain failure in her life when she was
young.
When she stood, the Lord began reading out the huge book all the
wonderful deeds that she had done. He spoke nothing but praise
for her. But both I and the congregation knew 'the' incident was
coming up.
When it came time to speak on this failure, the Lord passed it over. It
startled me, and the congregation. And so I looked over at the book to see
what the problem was. When I looked at the book, that spot was blank.
There were no sins recorded.
When I awoke, I mused over the dream. Then the Scriptures began
to spring up in my mind. One of them was, "For of His fullness we
have all received, and grace upon grace."
Another was, "There is no no fear in love; but perfect casts out fear,
because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears [punishment] is
not perfected in love."
Then I thought of others; "For this is the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days ... For I will be merciful to their
iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." (Heb8:10- 11)
Has God's love perfected itself in you?
The study is open for discussion.
Shalom in Christ,
Buddy
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org