One of the pictures that we started with on the PFG weekend away was that of water pots, some dry and cracked, only part full or empty. The scripture given was John 2:1-11 where Jesus attends a wedding in Cana of Galilee. The wine had tasted good but did not last. Jesus poured pure water into the empty pots until they were full ‘to the brim’. When the water was poured out to anyone present, out came the very finest of wine. Like those empty vessels, we are to be filled up by his water. But how do we get and stay filled, fully-filled, fulfilled.

In an age of the self help book you need to clear out the bookshelf and make some serious space for a classic page-turner. A book that gives an incredible method for fullness, spiritual fulfilment. It expands on what it looks like, and explains convincingly why the method works. It’s Colossians.

Living a fully-filled life:

Paul’s aim in Colossians is stated simply at the start and end of the book: [1v28] ”that we may present every man mature in Christ Jesus” and again in [4:12] “that ye may stand mature and complete in all the will of God”. Anyone serious about his faith would admit that they would love to have confidence that they were (spiritually) fulfilled, complete, mature, no longer striving to be something more or kicking and fighting to attain some higher level of existence.

The Method:

Col.2:6-9 “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving… For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete (fully filled, fulfilled, reach full spiritual stature) in him”

Being “In Christ” or “In Him” simply describes the relationship between a believer and Christ. You could re-write the phrase simply as “in (relationship with) Him”. Go and re-read your favourite scriptures like this. It’s a simple relationship, a simple daily walk, “as you’ve been taught”, a “walk” of scripture reading, prayer and giving thanks, growing into maturity.

The Reason it works:

As a man who walked this earth, Jesus had potential, potential for all sorts of things. Colossians tells us that that he fulfilled all of his potential, he was the “fullness of the Godhead in bodily form” or the completeness of God in human form. Amazingly, Paul immediately adds “and you are complete (fulfilled, fully-filled) in (relationship with) Him”. We fullfill all our (spiritual) potential when we are in (relationship with) Him. We are fully-filled.

What it does not look like:

But Paul adds more. Stop! Stop, stop, stop. The rest of chapter 2 (Col. 2:16-23) contains a list of all the things we should stop doing. Stop making up rules, introducing barriers, conditions, hurdles to get over. Stop thinking you’re saved by grace, earnt by works. To make Christianity a set of rules needed to earn salvation is to make it no different to any other world religion. Instead it is about His Action, your reaction. 1 John 2:6 describes our reaction like this “He that says he exists in Him ought therefore to also walk like he walked.”. Walk like it, Act like it. Live up to it. Walk “In Him”.

Paul’s Confidence in the Method:

Paul was confident in this method, walking (in relationship with) Him, simply because of Christs supremacy. By Him all things were created, exist and are held together.   He is supreme over all things visible and invisible, powers and authorities (Col 1:16-19).  Being “in Him” is not just supreme over all other methods, it is the method for being  spiritually fully-filled.  Any other system of religion man creates might look good but it is simply a shadow of the real thing, it has no substance (Col 2:17). The substance of Christianity is simply Christ and His Action.

What it does look like:

When this is got right, it should be something that spills over into the whole of our lives. It should affect us, those around us, friends, family, husbands, wives, children, collegues, the boss at work (Col.3:17-4:2). And then Church is described (Ephesians 1v23) as being “his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all”. As we walk this daily walk, existing in him, and as we meet with other Christians in our church in it’s broadest sense, we should express this fullness of who God is.