Fullness is being full, that is holding all within its limits with no emptiness (for example a container), abundance, completeness. "The fullness of Christ." What does this phrase mean? How does it affect healthcare?
Let us see something of what the Holy Spirit has revealed to us in the Bible. He delights to honour and glorify Jesus. He takes what belongs to Jesus and reveals it to us.
In Colossians 1:19, we read that "it has pleased [the Father] that all the divine fullness – the sum total of the divine perfection, powers and attributes – should dwell in Him permanently." * This is true of no other man. No wonder that in the previous verse (18), we are told that He is the Head of His body, the church, and He alone in everything and in every respect occupies the chief place, standing first and pre-eminent. "In everything" includes our lives and our work. Recognition of this in practice would transform healthcare! The next verse (20) reminds us of the central message we are to bring to healthcare, reconciliation to God and peace through the blood of His cross.
In Colossians 2:9, we read that "...in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead), continues to dwell in bodily form – giving complete expression of the divine nature." "In bodily form" – a man, yet fully God, who could say "before Abraham was born, I AM." This is true of no other man. Amazingly, the very next statement is "And you are in Him, made full and have come to fullness of life – in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and reach full spiritual stature. And He is the Head of all rule and authority – of every angelic principality and power." Those who are born-again believers are in Christ, are made full in Him, are complete in Him and have abundance. The fullness of Christ means that we have need of nothing else for life and work! Fullness means fullness - no empty parts, nothing lacking! I have never forgotten Joni Eareckson Tada's closing remark to us at a HCF international conference - "all you need is Jesus." And, for that which is outside of us, in the spiritual realm, He is the Head of all rule and authority – every angelic principality and power. He will send us angelic help when needed and will protect us from spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly sphere.
In Ephesians 1:22,23, we read that "He (God) has put all things under His (Christ's) feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church...which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all – for in that body lives the full measure of Him who makes everything complete, and who fills everything everywhere [with Himself]." Born-again believer in Jesus, no matter where you are working, in a sophisticated modern hospital or in the most obscure poor part of the health field, or facing hostility wherever you are, Jesus is there, for He fills everything everywhere.
In John 1: 14 we read "And the Word [Christ] became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled – fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile – among us; and we [actually] saw His glory His honor, His majesty; such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving kindness) and truth. And in verse 16, we read "...out of His fullness (abundance) we all received." He is full of grace and truth and our lives and our work should therefore be characterized by grace and truth. Both, not one without the other! But who is sufficient for these things in this present, pressured world of healthcare? Let's read the rest of verse 16, " – all had a share and we were all supplied with – one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift." Our sufficiency is of Him. We have received grace from Him, free, full, infinite, never-ending.
His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
Annie J. Flint
As we act on His grace received, we receive more and more from His fullness. Our lives come more and more in line with the reality of the fullness we have received in Christ. The grace we receive from Him changes us into the same image. As Chris Steyn has written, “healthcare transformation begins on the inside.”
May Ephesians 3:16-19 be our prayer for each other in healthcare and the prayer of those who are our faithful intercessors. "May [the Father] grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the (Holy) Spirit [Himself] – indwelling your innermost being and personality. May Christ through your faith [actually] make His permanent home – in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints (God's devoted people, the experience of that love) what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [that you may really come] to know – practically, through experience for yourselves – the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God – [that is] may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself!
Yours in His amazing grace,
George McDonald
HCFI President
