Articles

Forgiven in Order to Be Filled

Christians spend a lot of time talking about redemption and the forgiveness of sins. And we should! But listen to this: redemption and forgiveness are the means to a much bigger end.

In other words, there’s more to the Christian life than the forgiveness of sins.

Why would God redeem us through his blood, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished on us?

‘…In all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth..’ — Ephesians 1:8-10

God is making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his consummate delight, which he set out long ago. Nowhere in the Bible is God’s plan for the fullness of our lives as humans set out more magnificently than in the book of Ephesians. It’s no longer a mystery! He’s making it known to us!

‘To unite all things in him (Christ), things in heaven and things on earth’

That’s the plan. In Christ, God plans to bring life (past, present, and future) into spectacular fullness; the very same fullness he had in mind from the beginning of creation.

God desires to unite all things, literally, ‘in Christ’.

The Greek word for ‘unite’ literally means ‘head’. ‘Unite’ is the English translation of a Greek word which means ‘to bring everything under one head’.

What a plan!

In our world right now, there are billions of heads moving in billions of directions. Each head has his or her own agenda, beliefs, needs, and moral standards. They all do their own thing, slamming into each other with increasing ferocity, leaving the world bloodied from their incessant collisions.

Think about it:

War . . . Rape . . . Income equality . . . Abuse . . . Exploitation . . . Racism . . . Global warming . . . Abortion . . . Human trafficking . . .

Everyone does what they think is right. We need one head. We need Jesus Christ.

The mystery of God’s will is now revealed. He wants to bring all things, all 7.1 billion people on this earth, under a very good head. He wants all things, in heaven and on earth, under one authority…Christ.

In Christ

To be plugged into Christ, like being plugged into a socket, allows us continual access to everything that Christ is. His grace, joy, wisdom, kindness, freedom, identity, and perfect love come surging into us like electricity.

It changes everything: thoughts, words, actions, relationships, marriages, singleness, homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, schools…

It changes all things in heaven and on earth!

It begins with redemption and forgiveness. We simply cannot plug into a Christ until we are a vessel suitable for his holy presence. Not until we’re washed clean, forgiven, and redeemed. But once he comes in…get ready for a change!

‘Christ is not in the heart of a saint as in a sepulcher, as a dead savior that does nothing but as one who exerts himself after the power of that fullness of life he received at his resurrection’ — Jonathan Edwards

Christian, did you know that you were forgiven in order to be filled?

A lot of Christians sound like people walking around in a coma. ‘I’m going to heaven when I die…so what else is there?’

We need to wake up, and see that our forgiveness was the means to a greater end. It connected us to Christ our head, filling us with the his resources! Christian, wake up to who Christ is in you by virtue of your redemption!

You are a part of something big! God is fulfilling his age-old plan to bring everything into the fullness of life under the proclaimed headship of his perfect son. We have the undeniable honor, not just to stand underneath him, but to stand plugged into him. Are you playing your part?

We do not come to Christ for nothing. We come to be the agents of change in this world.

And this world needs change.

It’s one thing to identify problems, but it’s another thing to proclaim the solution!

We must be plugged into Christ! He and he alone is the solution, not politics or education. We’re so worried we’ve lost the battle for this world.

We haven’t lost the battle! It can’t be lost!

God is reclaiming all things for his glory in Christ. Will you plug in?