Complete in Christ

by Terry Wane Benton
Daily Points of Light from Heaven

A denominational preacher wrote: "Paul says: 'And ye are complete in him...' (Colossians 2:10). Think about that. Complete. Not almost complete. Not complete after water baptism.
Complete in Christ."

His argument is flawed. We are complete in Christ, no doubt, but how do we get in Christ, where this completeness is found? The same text explains that we were “buried with Him in baptism” (Colossians 2:12). So, Paul is not writing to unbelievers. He is writing to believers who came from outside to inside. Paul says faith leads us to be “baptized into Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27). So, when we were baptized into Him, we became complete in Him.

But notice that the context shows that Paul had to remind the brethren that they don’t need the doctrines and philosophies of men, which could spoil or cheat them (Colossians 2:8 ). He has to remind them that they do not need what the world is peddling, and that their attention should be focused on what they have in Christ. Everything that pertains to life and godliness is found in Christ (II Peter 1:3f). We must focus our attention on the things already provided in Christ, but the fact that all things needed are in Christ does not mean that we have no danger of drifting away from those provisions.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit (Colossians 2:8). The preacher misusing Colossians 2:10 is someone who can cheat you through his empty deceit. He doesn’t even seem to realize that he is using a text written to already baptized people and using it to suggest that you can be complete before and without being first baptized into Christ. If you are not baptized into Christ, you are still on the outside, still alienated from the spiritual blessings in Christ. Through faith in Jesus, be baptized into Him, so that you can be complete with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3,7f).