17 November | EVERYONE
"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." Colossians 2: 9,10
The incarnation of Christ is a mystery. The human mind will never be able to comprehend how God, infinite and eternal and a being who is not limited to time or space, became man and was born in the person of Jesus Christ. However, the Bible speaks clearly of the perfect union of human and divine nature in the person of Christ. The only begotten Son of God became fully human, without renouncing any of His divine attributes and without ceasing to be fully God. The Word, who was with God in the beginning, became flesh and dwelt among us. That is all the revelation we have.
There are truths that the Bible affirms and explains, while others it only affirms without explaining them. Even if it explained them, we would not understand. The issue of Jesus' two natures, and how they relate to each other, is one such truth. Paul, one of the first-century theologians of the church, addresses this issue when he says that “in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Christ did not borrow the human form for a period of time. He became a man. He took on our nature forever. For this reason, while He was ministering on this earth, He grew tired, hungry, and thirsty. He wept, became emotional, and finally died. And the most poignant thing is that in heaven He will remain God and man forever and ever.
But the nature of Christ is not just a doctrine. The theory is incomprehensible and beyond the human capacity for assimilation. The important thing is that, as the apostle tells us today, we are "complete in Him." His perfect humanity, together with His full divinity, makes it possible to overcome the separation, the abyss, the distance that sin had caused between God and human beings. And because of that we can grow to the heights to which we were called.
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In Christ, you are complete. He makes up for your shortcomings. In Him, you receive a new being that imposes itself on your fallen nature. And in Him is your hope and assurance of salvation. Look no further and make each day a time to surrender to Him.
NOVEMBER 18
WHAT LIFE IS LIKE IN CHRIST
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3: 1-3
The message of Christianity is a living thing. It is not limited to the wonderful letter of a concept but becomes a reality in the day-to-day of human existence. Anyone in whose experience only the word of the gospel works, but not its transforming power, cannot claim to be a Christian. This is the message in today's text.
In the first two chapters of his letter to the Colossians, Paul presented doctrinal issues. In the third chapter, he states that if the message entered the head and heart, it must be externalized in a person’s attitudes. We read today that this involves seeking "things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." That is, to strive to know God’s character that Jesus made clear to us.
“The uncertainty and the shortness of human life should lead us to the most solemn, serious consideration. We need to repent and be converted and to bring eternity into our reckoning; setting our affection on things above, not on things that perish with the using; seeking the riches that will endure forever, the righteousness that will never pass away” (Ellen G. White, Letter 124, 1902).
By being resurrected in Christ, the life we begin to live is no longer the same as the life we lived. That is why in today's verse the apostle tells us that now our “life is hidden with Christ in God.” We no longer live, but He lives in us (see Galatians 2:20).
Take Action
Are you willing to let your ego take a back seat? Christ wants to live in you His great works of victory. All you need is to stay hidden in Jesus. Then it will be Him whom you continually reflect. Sing "Do It Heartily" (if possible, with your family).