Complete in Christ – Daniel Gibson

Today’s Scripture calls to mind the first verse of Aaron Robarts Wolfe’s 1858 hymn, “Complete in Thee!”

Complete in Thee! no work of mine
May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine;
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And I am now complete in Thee. – Aaron Robarts Wolfe, 1858

If you asked the average professing believer in Christ, “Are you complete in Him?,” he or she would likely be clueless. Religious tradition has muddled and distracted them from such simple Scriptural truths. They are busy with ceremonies, rites, and rituals – profession of faith, walking an aisle, shaking a preacher’s hand, elaborate prayer recitation, confession of sins, burning of incense and candles, tossing “generous donations” into the collection plate, et cetera.

Sadly, they are likely attempting to get something from God. If they “rub Him just the right way” – as we would summon a genie from a lamp – He may grant their wishes (larger bank accounts, bigger houses, newer vehicles, better health, job promotions, improved romantic relationships, answered prayers, and so on). They have failed to realize that it is Jesus Christ’s shed blood – not our work – that gives us blessings from and favor with God.

Romans 3:24–28 · KJV ²⁴Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; ²⁶To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. ²⁷Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. ²⁸Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

If we believed exclusively, entirely, on Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, God the Holy Spirit placed us forever into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). Our efforts were and are not the issue. We are “complete in Christ” – lacking nothing – and “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).