In the second chapter of his letter to the church at Colossae, Paul makes three assertions about the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, setting off each with the phrase, ‘in Christ’ or ‘in him’. The first (v.9) talks of the sufficiency of Christ himself; the second (v.10) and the third (vv.11-12) talk about the sufficiency we enjoy by virtue of our union with him. 

Christ is sufficient because he is the eternal God in human flesh – ‘For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form’ (v.9) is one of the most direct and clear statements of the deity of Jesus Christ in all scripture. It asserts both the full deity and complete humanity of Jesus Christ. It means that Jesus Christ ‘was, and is, absolute and perfect God’ ¹ But Paul also asserts that Jesus is truly human: God’s fullness dwells in Jesus bodily. This refers to his incarnation, when the eternal Word took on human flesh through the virgin birth. 

A saviour not quite God is a bridge broken at the farther end – our sins could not be forgiven since only God can forgive sin (Mark 2:7). But a saviour not quite man is a bridge broken at this end – if Jesus is not fully human, then he could not bear human sins, and could not sympathise with our human weaknesses, to be our faithful high priest (Hebrews 2:17).

Paul’s point is that if Jesus Christ is the eternal God in human flesh, what more could we need? He alone can atone for our sins. He alone lives to make intercession for us. Religion is empty, but a relationship with the eternal God in human flesh is all we need.

Christ is sufficient because in union with him we are made complete – ‘…in Christ you have been brought to fullness’ (Colossians 2:10). Paul is saying first, Christ has the fullness of deity dwelling in him; secondly, you are in him, thus, you have been made full in his fullness; thirdly, therefore, you don’t need anything else, ‘…you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ…’ (v.10 TLB). We get everything in Christ the instant we are born again. We are joined to him in such an intimate way that Paul often refers to it as being ‘in Christ’ (Colossians 2:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1) and by being in him we are spiritually full and complete. 

Christ is sufficient because union with him in his death and resurrection gives us power over sin – ^‘In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.’ (Colossians 2: 11-12). When we were joined to Christ, he cut off our sinful nature so that we can live in holiness before him, which is pictured now by baptism, and not circumcision. When a believer is immersed in the water, it symbolises his burial with Christ, being identified completely with his death. When we come out of the water, it pictures being raised up with Christ, whom God raised bodily through his power. Because God has raised Christ from the dead, victorious over the devil, we can have victory over sin and the devil because we’re in Christ through faith, and therefore, because of our union with him in his death and resurrection, Christ is all we need. 

Christ, fully God and man, in whom we have union, provides us with the power to overcome Satan and sin – what more do we need?  

¹Trench, R. C. Synonyms of the New Testament, p. 8

Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead 
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA

Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm

Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:  
wordoflife@gracecom.church