He is the solution to our inadequacy
Colossians 2:9-10 · Bob Eckel · May 26, 2019
Colossians (2019), No. 15
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/49261914582481

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

So we're in Colossians. The assignment today is two verses, which means sometimes more difficult and sometimes it doesn't mean that. So we'll see how the Lord leads today. So let's begin with the beginning of chapter 2 in Colossians and read down through verse 10. Who would like to read this morning? Roy, how about you? Could you read Colossians 1-10 please? that you knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

This I say, lest any man would beguile you with enticing words, for though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the Spirit, joying and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him. rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith as you have been taught, abounding with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men and the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. You are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. All right, good. Thank you, Roy.

So, kind of what's the theme here that we're seeing in the first ten verses of Colossians 2? Watch out. All right, watch out's part of it, but the other part of it? Stand fast. Stand fast in what you've already learned. But the focus is on whom? The Lord Jesus Christ, in Him be all wisdom and knowledge. So if you will, I think the first part of Colossians 2 really is about identification, exclamation point, period. So let's look at verses 9 and 10 in more detail today. So in verse 9, let me make sure this is turned on here.

For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. That's a stack verse isn't it? The term for here which leads into the rest of the sentence or phrase gives another reason to abandon false teaching doesn't it? So why is it for? Because false teaching can make us pause and remind us that in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, full of wisdom and knowledge. So that's in fact a caution again about false teaching. And remember we talked about that some last week. Macaulay says the most common pursuits of men are things.

So Caroline, 1 Timothy 6.17 is your assignment. Isaiah 46-8, Tom, you have an Old Testament capability there? Dave, you have an Old Testament capability? And Colossians 2-8, that's easy for you Roy, you just read it, so look at 8 again.

This is what Macaulay says, the most common pursuits of men are these things, meaning things, people, or human ideas. I'm quoting Macaulay here, so we're going to do a little homework. command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant, nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Do you see things there in that verse? Haughty? Do you have that adjective in that sentence? Haughty? Oh, arrogant. Arrogant is the translation for your version. Is that what I've got? People, Isaiah. A voice says, call out. Then he answered, what shall I call out?

All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades. When the breath of the Lord blows upon it, surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of God stands forever. We cut the grass, but we just trim it back, right? We're talking about grass ultimately dying. How's that for relating to people? The common pursuits of man are things and people. Well, people to the Lord are important, but people to the world are people. They're like grass. They wither and die.

Human ideas, again, 2.8. Beware of any man that spoils you through philosophy. and men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. Back to the introduction to verse 9, for these false doctrines and being deceived by false religions and faiths. Okay, good. Let's move ahead.

Dwells, the Greek verb, in this context for in him dwells is a fact. And it's a metaphor for divine powers and influence and beyond. And the word in the Greek really means to pervade or to prompt or to govern his soul. So in other words, strong verb indicating for in him dwells. Boy, pervading and prompting and governing. It's really a commanding kind of verb that relates to Christ himself, okay?

I mean how do you describe the Lord Jesus Christ? These verbs really are pretty strong indicating what he's all about. What do you think about when you consider all the fullness of the Godhead bodily? In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. It's everything he is. I mean everything. It's not like it's subdivided among the three different persons. They all share the same character. OK. All right.

Other thoughts, Roy? In contrast to the preceding verse, the prevalent philosophy at that time that they were facing was that Jesus Christ did not come bodily. He came only as an emanation, as a spirit. And remember last week we talked about our Indonesian experience a little bit, whereas in the Hindu faith there are 30 million gods. Presumably all are partitioning some aspect of their view of the Godhead. But in him is all the fullness of the Godhead. In a real body. Right, bodily. Okay, we're going to get to that.

Particularly fullness was an important concept for the Gnostics and their kind of, if you will, rabbit trail of faith and religion. Ultimately fullness was something they were looking for in terms of the human experience. But here we're talking about Christ himself manifesting the fullness of the Godhead.

I wonder if that was in contrast to the wisdom of man again, you're looking back at it, that God gave us information about himself and Jesus Christ only partially, and if you needed the full picture, you've got to go the agnostic way, the secret knowledge, something beyond. One of the Gnostic, if you would call it a faith, but philosophy almost, was really paradigm and Colossi at that time. So I think in terms of the text and Paul's epistle to the Colossian church, I think the Gnostic way of life, in fact, needed to be recognized. And so this is in contrast to the Gnostic view of fullness.

All right, good. hope this is going to work okay so we got some verses here that's going to build on this concept in chapter one of Colossians for in him all the fullness of the God was pleased to dwell isn't that interesting pleased to dwell so who's pleased here was it God who was pleased or was it us who are pleased or who's being pleased well when I talk about pleased in the inner linear the word Who is being well pleased here? The Father. I get the impression that it is the Triune. The Spirit is not mentioned often when we think about Christ having the fullness of the Godhead. Nevertheless, we know scripturally that the Holy Spirit is part of that.

Philippians 2.6 and 7, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.

How about that? But made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men. This whole issue of Godhead bodily, right? Now you wonder, I don't know about you, you kind of wonder about his childhood and adolescence.

You don't hear much about that. Scripture doesn't give us much detail, but this is fully God as a young boy and as a young man and throughout the course of his life up until when his ministry began in the River Jordan. I mean we don't know much about that and we have trouble conceptualizing what the Lord Jesus Christ being, having all the fullness of the Godhead was in the human form growing up. I mean you get hints of it. in the gospel accounts, the synoptic gospels, but we don't get much detail. But nevertheless, being in the form of God, meaning, what do you make of that, being in the form of God, but then being equal with God? In the form of God, didn't consider Robert to be equal with God. How do you interpret that?

They're all on the same level as far as relationship, familiarity, love, all the characteristics of Godhead. It's not subdivided, some on this and some on that and some on person number three. It's all there in each one. Okay, but you revert back. If he in fact is equal with God, this being in the form of God made himself of no reputation.

So the form of God now is taking a bodily persona, if you will. It's a form of God, but it's a form now made bodily. Being the first of the new creation, he's fully God and fully man, so this is totally new for him. So it's a form of God in the bodily sphere, if you will. But it's also equating him with God. He's equal with God but now in the form of God he makes of himself no reputation.

To me this goes back to the agreement. The eternal agreement. The eternal agreement that happened before the beginning of time where they had an agreement that the Lord would come to earth as a man, a God-man. So that's what that verse makes me think of, is the actual covenant. Taking the form of a bond-servant, coming in the likeness of men. That was the covenant.

Can you think of other forms of God? None made equal with God, right? And when we look at Melchizedek in Genesis, was Melchizedek an epiphany or a theophany, a better term? Most people think Melchizedek was a real person and not. the Lord Jesus Christ in his appearance to Abraham. Nevertheless, I mean... That's the whole thing in Hebrews, isn't it? Yes. That Jesus Christ was made a priest after the similitude of Melchizedek, not Melchizedek, but like him. Elkisidek is one of the mysteries of the scripture isn't he?

John 1.1 the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. How about that? I mean we are studying the gospel of John in our Bible study in our home.

Since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, meaning the unsafe world. Nobody is without excuse from the creation, remember the three C's, creation, consciousness and Christ. Creation and consciousness don't say, but it's evidence that Christ does.

Yes, Roy? I was just thinking about that this past week and the things that he has created and the delicate balance that he has created, the things that we can observe. If we were closer to the sun, if we were further away from the sun, there wouldn't be life. If we were in the Milky Way, in one of the arms of the Milky Way, we wouldn't be able to see the other Milky Waves. So he not only created a perfect environment, I was thinking, but he also created us in an environment where we could learn, we could observe, and the majesty of this creation. Somebody says, well, the ozone depletes, right?

And it's so delicate. And the answer to that is, well, who's keeping it balanced? I mean when you look up to the stars it's an incredible belief there's got to be something to this. Can you think of a God who makes galaxies? And what about this concept that the scientific world brings to us and I think from a scientific perspective you could defend this to some extent. And with all these galaxies and all these stars out there, presumably planets with the same atmosphere and the same distance between the star and the planet, so therefore man could exist there too. Do any of you believe that? And why don't you believe that? It's not what the word says. Well, be more specific. What do you mean it's not what the word says?

It says that the Lord made everything. It doesn't talk about any other galaxies. Alright, that's one thing, the omission. But what else, in terms of logical conclusions from the word of God, makes us think there's no other planet with man on it? Meaning generic man, Anthropos.

I think you're getting where I'm going with this. Is Christ going to die multiple times in different solar systems and planets for our sin? Thank you, Tom. We can be speculative and schematize the fact that there could be life on other planets around the solar system. Think about how many stars are out there. There are millions of stars. Think of this God who can create galaxies, I mean it just blows your mind, but I think Christ won't die twice, once and for all. And that's what gives me faith that there's no life elsewhere.

Q. The one thing about Anthony is that he died for the sin, for the existence of sin, for the pain that you're seeing and the effects that you feel. by our sin and where did that sin originate but in the garden and what other sin was that that satan felt and so when he died on the cross did he cover and pay for the sins of us as well as maybe satan I don't know is that heresy to think of it that way that he is no longer offended by the sin of Satan as well, and of course that would be a heavenly sin. It's just a thought, that here now the judgment waits for those who refuse to accept that pain.

Let's turn to Hebrews 2.14. whoever gets that read it for us. For as much then as the children would take us in flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. I mean Satan effectively before God is powerless, before us he still has something to say. But it also doesn't say that he took away the take away the sins of the world. Right, I mean there's just no ability to conclude that again Christ is going to die again someplace at some time to pay for the sin of the worlds, right?

But then you conceptualize the magnitude of the creation process by which galaxies are created. For what purpose? Just so we can enjoy looking up or going into our telescopes to imagine the magnitude of this universe? But you know what, we're going to know all that when we get to heaven. We're going to know about Melchizedek then too. Our brains are going to know everything. So anyway, we're talking about the fullness now.

All the fullness that God had in him made bodily. That's the message from this verse. The Greek word theotes indicates the unique essence of God. There are lots of terms for God that ultimately are in the scripture, both in the Greek and the Hebrew, but this indicates the unique essence of God. How you want to interpret unique probably relates to the fact that ultimately the Godhead is really what we're talking about that's made bodily.

And bodily, not in the Jewish temple or the tabernacle, but in the human flesh. He went to the tabernacle to throw out the money changes. It wasn't that the tabernacle didn't have significance, but now the tabernacle or the temple is us. And he came bodily just to indicate that when we identify with the Lord Jesus Christ, we in fact have that fullness of the Godhead. Now you may doubt that as I do sometimes too.

Okay, John 1.14, the Word became flesh. and brought among us and we beheld his glory the glory is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.

Don't you love that full of grace and truth? Boy, what two fantastic principles of who the Lord Jesus Christ is. Full of grace and truth. And the contrast doesn't end up in that verse right here and there where Moses was the one but the grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Alright, moving on. How does this phrase relate to other views of our Lord Jesus Christ? Well, that he was just a prophet, or a good man, did good deeds, a teacher. Or that he didn't exist at all. So one thing that takes me to the next step in terms of sharing the Lord with people is what?

We talked about this maybe I think a little bit last week. That was last week. Refresh your memory. I think that the resurrection is everything we're about. And if you think about it, if Christ wasn't raised for the dead, our faith is vain, it's worthless. So the fact that he came bodily, it's not the fact that he came bodily, but that he was crucified, dead and buried and risen, as we are co-crucified, buried and risen with him in the newness of life. So this is all about identification. So the crucifixion, if it stops there, I mean the human mind can look at history to the extent to say that he was crucified, but if they deny the resurrection, if they think that Christ was resurrected from the dead, they need to get saved. I mean there's just ignorance then. If they believe that Christ was resurrected, you've got to deal with that. So the world would doubt the history there. They'd think it's faulty.

But as Margaret frequently reminds me, you know, the Bible is a historic book too. And all the witnesses have taught him a lie from the dead, right? Yeah, there are a lot of other historic books that also say that, that people saw him. But if non-believers agree that he was resurrected, then they have to say the Bible could be true. Then why was he crucified then, right? Or that the Bible could be true, and that they want to deny that it can be true. But if you go back to Romans, it placed it in the heart of man to know that there is a God.

And he's without excuse. So it's just a pure rejection. It isn't that, well, I don't believe that. No, you don't want to believe it. No, absolutely. Because you know the truth. They don't want to believe it. And in general I think remember to the Jew Christ is a stumbling block and to the Gentile he's foolishness and that's the world we hang out in. We have lots of Jewish friends and we could talk a lot of things about our Christianity with our Jewish friends but they just deny that Christ was their Messiah. I mean, there's no identification with the sin nature in the crucifixion. They just think he was a prophet for the time and not the Messiah they were looking for. So that's a conversation we can have.

That's a strong belief on their behalf. But to the world system, the Gentile non-believer, boy, this is foolishness. It just came to start a religion. And if you think about it, my brother used to claim this all the time, look at what's religion's done with the history of the world. It's caused war after war and death after death. A lot of truth to that statement. So anyway, that's religion in general, right? Not necessarily... Religion is man's idea, isn't it? Clark, one of the commentators I read, I pulled this from what he had to say.

This is opposed to the vain and empty doctrine of the Gentile and Jewish philosophers. There is a fullness in Christ suited to the empty, destitute state of the human soul, but in the philosophy of the Jews and Gentiles nothing like this was found, nor indeed in the most refined and correct philosophy of the present day. No substitute has ever been found for the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who have sought for one have disquieted themselves in vain.

And you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. Verse 10. And you are complete in Him. You are is present indicative. That's facts everybody and it's right now for each and every one of us. We're complete in Him. But complete, being made complete is passive. It's not we that make ourselves complete. It's the Lord and the Lord Jesus Christ that makes us complete by our belief system. Can we equate being made complete in Him with fullness?

Question. Well, positionally that's true, for sure. Okay. Positionally. A lot of times we don't reckon ourselves to be complete in fullness because we don't realize. I think if you don't understand your position. And it all starts there, doesn't it? Of His fullness we have all received and grace for grace. Margaret said it perfectly correctly. Positionally we have all the fullness of a Godhead.

Remember, he hath made him who knew no sin to be made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. But isn't it a sad story that most people in churches around the world have no idea what they have. They have no idea. And you know what this does is transform us into believers that have a peace and a rest and joy about our salvation.

But you remember what Paul said, should we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. No we shouldn't. I mean the Spirit leads us in a life of truth and righteousness. But yet they look at us as, you know, we'll let go, let God. No, that's not our faith. Our faith is believing in what God has revealed. And that's the creation each one of us is and are is new creations in Christ Jesus. That's why we're here, right? That's why we meet here every Sunday and in Bible studies to follow.

Ephesians 3.19, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with the fullness of God. I didn't look up the verb tense of may, but us being full in terms of the condition is dependent on what? This verse says it. Maybe it doesn't, but we're talking about an act of faith, right? I mean, that's what the principle is.

Well, to know, whatever the verb is for know. This verse 18 is the four-dimensional verse. You could go back to 17 too. I just ended up putting 19 here. I'm just giving that as a contrast to that. to know the love of Christ which passes that knowledge that he's just mentioned. Roy, could you go back and read 17-19 in Ephesians 3? I just put in 19 in terms of the fullness or being filled with the fullness, but I think you're correct if we go back a couple of verses we might have a little bit more.

Verse 17 begins, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. And that you, being rooted and grounded, and here's that word, in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints, the breadth, the length, the depth, and the height, and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. that God the Holy Spirit breathed these words for us to know.

And keep in mind this is a process that may be filled, it may be subjunctive likely here, I didn't look back at the tense for this particular verse, but what's the subjunctive tense? It may or may not be, but it's our faith that works this out in our lives, right? If we have no faith, we have the faith to be saved, in other words we're not going to hell when we die, but if we don't have the faith to live this new life in which we're established, then this fullness doesn't develop. What is that fullness but Christ himself? Well, as Margaret said, that's a position we'll begin with and I think the condition ultimately becomes more like the position by our faith. Well, and by the way, it doesn't happen overnight. This is a lifetime faith. Really? You've noticed this? Yeah. Has anybody not noticed this? You know, so many people, they get saved and they think, well, we should have all this right now.

It's not how it works. I mean, you have it positionally. But, you know, and then they don't understand why they continue to sin or they continue to use bad language or they continue to, you know, do whatever they did before they were saved. Well, you know, it's a lifetime. OK. Remember, the plug is plugged in, but you got to turn the light on, right? So positionally, the light's ready to be lit. But in fact, you need to turn the switch on that way. relationship. And to know him. It takes time to build it because you have to know him. If you are still working on something else, you have to know him. How do we know him? As you say, hanging out with him.

It's kind of the word of God, isn't it Roy? Forgive me, but I'm thinking of these verses as being, this is where we are right now, he is saying. that we are being rooted and grounded in his love so that we can not only understand the four dimensions of him but also the love dimension which goes beyond these four that we are now, he is at home in our hearts and we are at home in him in this environment that's real because he himself has opened us up beyond these four dimensions to the reality that we are really in. So all of a sudden we have to have oneness, isn't that something?

Vincent says, not ye are made full in him, but ye are in him made full. I thought that was kind of interesting. You're made full in him, no, but you're in him made full. So it's an interesting comment, I think, on this particular verse. Which is more important, that we're in him or he's in us? That's what Vincent would say anyway, if I can interpret his brief comment.

And if you don't understand that, then you get into this fix up the old man. Exactly. And you know, the old man's kind of rusty. If we just buff him up a little bit with some steel wool, we can get him behaving correctly. Keep in mind that the world system looks at the self-righteousness. Look at the Mormon faith. I mean, basically over time, it's self-righteousness that gets them at various hierarchies in terms of their faith and positions.

It reminds me of when we were in Indonesia and we went to the Buddhist temple. At every level you got closer and closer until finally you became Buddha because you were perfect. And what was the basis of getting up those ten ladders of Buddhist philosophy? Getting rid of all your desires. Inner desires being removed. But remember Buddha himself is the God, but it's not really... No, Buddha is a state. Well, Buddha himself represented this philosophy, right? Yeah, the state of mind.

So the question of the class here is, do we really believe this and if not, why? In other words, are we filled with all the Godness? What makes us doubt this at times? Being filled with all the fullness of the Godhead. The old man, I think because the old man is so prevalent. Exactly. It's very hard for us to go, gosh, we really are in him, even though we're acting like a jerk. Well, and the reminder is what?

Romans 6.11?

Reckon or consider yourselves indeed dead unto sin. And remember, the sin nature's been condemned, but it's not been put to death yet. I mean, before the Lord, it's been put to death, but we don't experience that in our day-to-day walk. We fall short at times. The sin nature is always there. That's the other thing I think that it's really so important for us to recognize. We make mistakes in the flesh, in the old man, and we need to confess those and get back in fellowship and move on, but that sin nature is still there.

It's been condemned but behind bars, right? Not been executed yet. And if you're a fan of capital punishment, we've got a lot of condemned people out there who are unnecessarily living a full life because of our government system. Okay, so what we're talking about here is identification. This is unequivocally fullness of the Godhead being manifested in our lives is identification truth.

1 John 2.23. Whosoever denies the Son, I love the epistle of John, it's really black and white. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either. He who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

So how is that fullness of the Godhead implied? Having the son and acknowledging who he is and what he has accomplished, we have the fullness of the Godhead to follow. as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises. Boy, pretty strong verse in terms of his divine power has been given to us in all things.

It goes on in the next page. Oh, yeah, good for you. That through these you may be partakers of the divine nature. Good, Margaret, thank you. I don't have my script before me. Having escaped the corruption to send the world through lust. Yeah, good. Next page. Partakers of the divine nature. How about that?

So what hinders us here in experiencing this identification? Is it our limited belief, or we've kind of dealt with this a little bit, or is it the sin nature of the world system and or Satan? And what are the three anti-Christ, if we will, in terms of the thematics of not having the identification truths lived out in us?

I'd say all of the above. All of the above. So Satan is the power of this earth system and works through the cosmos, the world system. The question is how much does Satan rule in us? Sin nature is enough for me. I don't need Satan to distract me from my identification with the risen Lord. Mike is always saying he doesn't know who you are or where you live.

So again, if we're really truly identified in the identification truths that we teach at this church, and also we believe the Bible really portrays, if we really believe in that, then Hebrews 2.14 has special meaning, because positionally Satan's been done away with. but he's been condemned as our sin nature has been condemned but he's still alive and well in terms of his power of the earthly system, the world system. Don't you think a lot of it is because we don't believe that. I mean we truly don't believe that. We think that in fact Satan is still in control of us and if we had reckoned ourself that to be true about us. That would really help us. Let me challenge the class a little bit.

Does Satan, is his power over us, first of all the cross is a final deal for Satan and for us as we believe, but is Satan's influence entirely through the world system? He also influences us very strongly to wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers. And is that the way Satan operates? Entirely. He doesn't come to us directly.

Works through the powers of the cosmos if you are the world system. I think he uses our sin nature too because he knows it very well. Look at greed and power and money and all those things. Lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life. Satan uses all those things. He knows what we want. He knows what each person wants. He kind of puts it in front of us like a little flag.

Do you remember James' study with Hound? That he gave us the distinction between the temptations of Satan And the testing of our Lord. Two words are used. Pairazzo means temptation to fail. And docimanzo, the testing for approval. And he uses that contrast. That's what we're talking about. The temptation to sin is part of the old man, but the testing proves who we really are in Christ Jesus. And in every place that you claim, Jesus Christ even when he was tempted of the Lord, of Satan I mean, it's Pyrrhon's own. He was tempting him to fail.

Interesting. Who is the head of principal and power? That's a quote from the verse. Let's look at that. Why do you think this phrase has been added here in the text? verse 10. Margaret, read verse 10 again. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalities and powers. So why do we need that?

He is sovereign. I believe that's what this is saying. When Satan came from going to the throne of the earth, you know, in the book of Job, what could he do? Only would God allow him. Well, but this being the head of all principality and power. Do we believe that? In terms of the way we operate here in the earthly environment? Well, we are told over and over that Satan is in charge of the earth, principality and power. Well, not according to scripture here.

For the believer. But for the believer it says that the Lord is in charge. Gil, this is mentioned partly to set forth the glory and excellency of Christ and partly against worshipping of angels making use of them as mediators for applying to them on any account. So that's... It goes back to the agnostic, doesn't it? That Jesus was an emanation of angels.

Ephesians 1.10, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him. So there is the principality and power of the worldly system. Colossians, back to the first chapter, and he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have the preeminence. which would include all principalities and powers.

And 1 Peter 3.22, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to him. These verses all kind of reflect on the fact that he is in control, even though we may doubt it at times. And why might we doubt it? Look at the world system that we're exposed to each and every day. I guess we could carry that over to the governments that we live under as well.

But we're not from here. That's right. This is our business address but our home is at the right hand. So I think this two verse section is rich in truth and grace and makes us remind ourselves that faith is believing what God has revealed. And do we believe this? Or are we going to say, gee, this is nice, but this doesn't apply to me or something like that. I mean, God said we have all the fullness of the Godhead. And it starts with position.

And unless you have that view of our lives as believers, It makes it difficult because we're always paying God back and as Wayne has said, we're buffing up the old man to make him look good, right? Remember, I love what John has said in 1 John 2, the three great sins are the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. About everything that exists in the human nature relates to one of those three things. Lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh. That's not all sexual. It's got a lot more to do with covetousness and all the things that relate to the sin nature and the pride of life.

Other thoughts about today's scripture? Let's close in prayer. David, will you close us in prayer? Father, we thank you for Bob and for the word he brought this morning and the reason him and our lives. Lord, we just ask that you do it tonight because he brings the message and help him get over his soreness and stuff. Lord, we thank you for what you did on the cross for us. Give us a good day.