Complete in Christ
Perfect in weakness…2 Corinthians 12:9
We are not hanging on to our salvation. God is hanging on to us! God is not remodeling us. We are His finished work; a new creation. Having begun our new life in Christ, we should continue in grace. This is exactly what Paul and Barnabas said in Antioch, Acts 13:43. Having been asked to speak by the rulers of the synagogue, Acts 13:15. Paul began with what he knew they would accept, Israel’s history. He began with their exodus from Egypt, verse 17. From there he pointed out how God had chosen David, the son of Jesse, to bring forth a Savior, Jesus, verses 22-23. Jesus, who was put to death, but God raised Him from the dead, verses 29-30.
This is the gospel of salvation. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. This was the message of grace Paul preached to the Jews in the synagogue. This is the gospel Paul preached to the Gentiles, verses 42-44. Luke summarizes Paul’s message in one verse: now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God, verse 43.
Continuing in grace is exactly what we do. As a new creation in Christ, this is what we do: we continue. We continue because of Christ. Our ability to keep the faith is because of where we are—in Christ. Our ability to continue in the faith is not based on what we do, but on who Jesus is.
Paul’s encouragement to continue in grace appears in many of his letters. It is by grace that we are saved; made new, made complete, made able to remain in Christ. God’s grace keeps us. Knowing this, why go back to religion. Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?Galatians 3:3. Perhaps Paul’s question should be repeated in the churches today.
God gave the church His Spirit that we should come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…Ephesians 4:13. God gave the church the gospel of Jesus, Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, Colossians 1:28. God gave us prayer that we may encourage each other to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God, Colossians 4:12.
The good news is simply this: you are perfect in Christ. Perfect means completed, finished, lacking nothing, mature in integrity and virtue. Compare this truth to how you feel. Now, adjust your feelings to fit the truth. Rather than adjusting the truth to fit your feelings. The truth Scripture abates all confusion about who you are in Christ. Trust God. Because His grace is sufficient for you. His strength is made perfect in your weakness, 2 Corinthians 12:9, paraphrased.
