THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST
By Rev. Samuel Arimoro
Main Text: Ephesians 1:23
Key Verse: “Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” — Ephesians 1:23 (KJV)
Supporting Texts: Ephesians 1:19-23; Ephesians 3:17-19; Ephesians 4:10–13; Ephesians 4:15-16; Colossians 1:18-19; Colossians 2:9-10; John 1:14-16; John 15:4-5.
Description: This message reveals Christ as the fullness of God dwelling in His Church and teaches believers to receive, experience, and manifest the fullness of Christ in every area of life.
INTRODUCTION
Ephesians 1:23 presents one of the profound descriptions of the Church in Scripture: “Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” The Church is not merely a religious organisation or a gathering of people who share common beliefs. It is the body of Christ, connected to the risen and exalted Lord, and called to express His life, character, power, love, and purpose in the world.
The word “fullness” speaks of completeness, abundance, totality, and that which is fully filled. Christ is not a partial Saviour, nor does He provide an incomplete salvation. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9), and those who belong to Him are called to grow into the measure of the stature of His fullness (Ephesians 4:13). The believer therefore has access to everything necessary for spiritual life and godliness through Christ.
God's desire is not merely that we know about Christ but that we experience His fullness. His love should fill our hearts, His Word should fill our minds, His Spirit should fill our lives, His grace should strengthen us, His wisdom should guide us, and His character should be seen through us. When the Church is filled with Christ, the world encounters something greater than human religion; it encounters the life of Jesus manifested through His people.
1. THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST REVEALS THE COMPLETENESS OF WHO HE IS
Jesus Christ is complete in Himself. He is not merely a prophet, teacher, miracle worker, or religious leader. He is the Son of God, the Word made flesh, the image of the invisible God, and the One in whom the fullness of God dwells.
Understanding the fullness of Christ changes the way we relate to Him. We do not need to look elsewhere for another Saviour, another foundation, or another source of spiritual completeness. Christ is sufficient.
a) The Fullness of God Dwells in Christ (Colossians 2:9) – “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Jesus possesses the fullness of deity. He is fully God and fully worthy of our worship and trust.
b) Christ Is the Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15) – Jesus reveals the nature and character of the Father. When we see Christ's compassion, holiness, wisdom, and love, we see the perfect revelation of God.
c) Christ Is the Word Made Flesh (John 1:14) – The eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among humanity. In Christ, divine glory was revealed in a form people could see, hear, touch, and experience.
d) Christ Is Completely Sufficient (Colossians 2:10) – Scripture declares that believers are “complete in him.” Our ultimate spiritual completeness is not found in possessions, achievements, human approval, or worldly success, but in Christ.
Biblical Example: Peter and the other apostles came to understand that Christ possessed what no other person could provide. Peter declared, “Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
2. THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST IS AVAILABLE TO BELIEVERS
God does not reveal the fullness of Christ merely for information; He invites believers to experience it. Through salvation, the Holy Spirit, the Word, prayer, fellowship, and obedience, believers can continually experience more of Christ's life working within them.
The Christian life is therefore not designed to remain spiritually empty or permanently immature. There is room for growth, deeper fellowship, greater faith, stronger character, and increased spiritual capacity.
a) We Receive Grace from His Fullness (John 1:16) – “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” The believer receives grace from Christ's inexhaustible supply.
b) We Receive Spiritual Life from Christ (John 10:10) – Jesus came that we might have life more abundantly. His fullness produces spiritual vitality rather than empty religious activity.
c) We Receive Strength Through Christ (Philippians 4:13) – Christ supplies strength for difficult assignments, trials, responsibilities, and divine purposes.
d) We Receive Everything Necessary for Godliness (2 Peter 1:3) – God's divine power gives us all things that pertain to life and godliness. We are not abandoned to struggle without divine provision.
Biblical Example: The early disciples were ordinary people, but after being filled with the Holy Spirit, they demonstrated extraordinary boldness and power (Acts 4:31-33).
3. THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST IS EXPRESSED THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit makes the presence and life of Christ real in the believer. He does not replace Christ; He reveals Christ, glorifies Christ, empowers believers to live for Christ, and forms Christ's character within them.
A Spirit-filled Christian should increasingly display the nature of Jesus. The evidence of spiritual fullness is not merely emotional excitement; it is a life increasingly controlled by God's presence, Word, character, and power.
a) The Spirit Reveals Christ (John 16:14) – Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “He shall glorify me.” The Holy Spirit directs attention to Christ and makes His person more real to believers.
b) The Spirit Produces Christlike Character (Galatians 5:22-23) – Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance reflect the character God desires to produce in us.
c) The Spirit Gives Spiritual Power (Acts 1:8) – The Holy Spirit empowers believers to become effective witnesses for Christ. Divine fullness produces divine usefulness.
d) The Spirit Fills the Believer Continually (Ephesians 5:18) – Believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit. Spiritual fullness is not a one-time experience that eliminates the need for continual dependence upon God.
Biblical Example: Stephen was “full of faith and power” and did great wonders and miracles among the people (Acts 6:8). His life demonstrated what happens when a believer is yielded to the Holy Spirit.
4. THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST MUST FILL OUR INNER LIFE
Christ desires to occupy more than our outward religious activities. He wants His life to penetrate our hearts, minds, emotions, decisions, motives, and desires. Spiritual fullness begins inwardly before it becomes visible outwardly.
Many people may be active in church while remaining spiritually empty within. God's purpose is deeper than activity. He desires Christ to dwell richly in the heart and transform the whole person.
a) Christ Must Dwell in Our Hearts by Faith (Ephesians 3:17) – Christ dwelling in the heart means that His presence and authority become deeply established within us.
b) Our Minds Must Be Renewed (Romans 12:2) – The fullness of Christ changes the way we think. God's Word renews our minds and helps us reject patterns that oppose His will.
c) Our Hearts Must Be Filled with His Love (Ephesians 3:17-19) – Paul prayed that believers would know the breadth, length, depth, and height of Christ's love and be filled with all the fullness of God.
d) Our Lives Must Be Governed by His Peace (Colossians 3:15) – When Christ rules within us, His peace influences our decisions, relationships, attitudes, and responses to difficult circumstances.
Biblical Example: Mary demonstrated a heart yielded to God when she responded to the angel, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). Her inward surrender produced an extraordinary outward fulfilment of God's purpose.
5. THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST MUST BE SEEN IN THE CHURCH
Ephesians 1:23 connects Christ's fullness directly to His body, the Church. This means that the Church has a divine responsibility to represent Christ accurately on earth. The world should see something of Christ's love, holiness, compassion, truth, power, and grace through His people.
The Church cannot fulfil this calling through programmes alone. Buildings, titles, technology, finances, and organisational structures have value, but they cannot substitute for the fullness of Christ. What the world needs to encounter is Christ Himself through a Spirit-filled Church.
a) The Church Must Manifest His Character (Ephesians 4:24) – Believers are called to put on the new man, which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness.
b) The Church Must Manifest His Love (John 13:35) – Jesus said that people would know His disciples by their love. Love is one of the clearest expressions of Christ's presence in His Church.
c) The Church Must Manifest His Power (Mark 16:17-18) – Christ empowers His Church to proclaim the Gospel with signs following. The supernatural should point people to Jesus rather than human personalities.
d) The Church Must Manifest His Mission (Matthew 28:19-20) – The Church must make disciples of all nations. The fullness of Christ produces a Church committed to reaching the lost.
Biblical Example: The believers at Antioch became so identified with Christ that “the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). Their lives visibly represented their Lord.
6. WE MUST GROW INTO THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST
The fullness of Christ is both a present spiritual reality and a goal towards which believers continually grow. We have received Christ, but we must continue growing in Him. Spiritual maturity is a lifelong journey of becoming increasingly like Jesus.
God does not want His people to remain spiritual children. Ephesians 4:13 speaks of coming “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” The goal is maturity, stability, usefulness, and Christlikeness.
a) Grow Through the Word (1 Peter 2:2) – The Word of God nourishes spiritual growth. A believer who neglects Scripture will struggle to develop spiritual maturity.
b) Grow Through Prayer (Jude 20) – Prayer strengthens our relationship with God and helps us build ourselves up spiritually through the Holy Spirit.
c) Grow Through Obedience (James 1:22) – Spiritual maturity is not measured merely by how much Scripture we know but by how faithfully we practise what God says.
d) Grow Through Fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25) – Fellowship with other believers encourages spiritual growth, accountability, love, service, and perseverance.
Biblical Example: The disciples grew from fearful followers into bold witnesses. Peter, who once denied Jesus, later stood before authorities and boldly proclaimed Christ (Acts 4:8-12). His transformation demonstrated spiritual growth through his relationship with Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
CONCLUSION
The fullness of Christ is the answer to spiritual emptiness, instability, weakness, and fruitlessness. In Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and from His fullness we receive grace, strength, life, wisdom, love, power, and everything necessary to fulfil God's purpose. The Church is His body, and believers are called to reflect His fullness to a world that desperately needs Him.
Do not be satisfied with a shallow Christian experience when Christ has made abundant spiritual resources available to you. Remain connected to Him, feed on His Word, yield to the Holy Spirit, cultivate a life of prayer, obey His commands, and continue growing in spiritual maturity. May Christ fill your heart, your home, your ministry, and your entire life until His character and power are clearly seen through you.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, fill my life with the fullness of Jesus Christ and remove every spiritual emptiness from me, in Jesus name.
2. Lord Jesus, let Your presence, character, love, and power increase continually in my life, in Jesus name.
3. Father, let me receive grace upon grace from the fullness of Christ for every assignment You have given me, in Jesus name.
4. Holy Spirit, fill me afresh and make my life a true expression of Jesus Christ, in Jesus name.
5. Father, let the love of Christ fill my heart and influence my thoughts, words, decisions, and relationships, in Jesus name.
6. Lord, renew my mind through Your Word and deliver me from every thought that is contrary to Your will, in Jesus name.
7. Father, let the Church experience a fresh manifestation of the fullness, power, holiness, and love of Christ, in Jesus name.
8. Lord, make me spiritually mature and establish me in Your truth so that I will not remain a spiritual child, in Jesus name.
9. Father, let the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit operate effectively through my life for the advancement of Your kingdom, in Jesus name.
10. Lord Jesus, fill every area of my life until Your glory, character, and power are clearly manifested through me, in Jesus name.
PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS
1. You shall not remain spiritually empty; you shall continually receive grace, strength, wisdom, love, and power from the inexhaustible fullness of Christ.
2. The life of Christ shall increasingly be manifested through you, and people around you shall see His character, compassion, holiness, and goodness in your conduct.
3. You shall grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and you shall not remain stagnant in your spiritual journey.
4. The Holy Spirit shall fill you afresh, and you shall receive divine strength to fulfil every assignment God has committed into your hands.
5. The love of Christ shall fill your heart and drive away bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness, fear, and every attitude that is contrary to His character.
6. Your mind shall be renewed by God's Word, and you shall receive wisdom to make decisions that are consistent with God's perfect will for your life.
7. Your life shall become a vessel through which the power of Christ is demonstrated, and your testimony shall bring glory to His name.
8. You shall experience spiritual abundance rather than spiritual dryness; fresh grace, fresh strength, fresh revelation, and fresh fire shall continually flow into your life.
9. You shall grow into spiritual maturity and become stable, fruitful, useful, and effective in the kingdom of God.
10. The fullness of Christ shall increasingly fill your life, family, ministry, and calling, and through you many lives shall encounter the love, power, grace, and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
