Sufficiency of Christ

Colossians 2:9-10 (ESV) ⁹ For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,¹⁰and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

You know the feeling.  When you look into your own heart and are ashamed by what you see.  How can God love such a sinner as I?  And why do I live by the flesh more than the Spirit?  These are only some the questions that run through the mind as we get closer to Christ.

And precisely the problem is that we try to live for Christ on our own too often.  When looking back on my life I have to admit that anything good that came out of me come directly from Christ and His influence.  As scripture says, "No one does good" (Romans 3:10-12).  I am only righteous through the blood of Christ who is fully God and able to forgive sins.  His righteousness is imputed to me.  Oh, the glorious grace of God.

I cannot live for Christ on my own strength.  It is only through the power of Christ in me that any good comes from my life.  He is sufficient.  And with Christ within me, His power strengthening me to fight the battles against my flesh, nothing can stand against me.

"In Christ we have been filled, and since He is fully God, Paul means [in Colossians 2:9-10] that all believers have been filled with the very fullness of the Almighty Himself. . . Thus, indwelt by the Spirit, we have the power of God to conform us to godliness, and we do not need anything or anyone else to make us holy" (Tabletalk, February 2011 issue).
Praise God.