Mon., 4/1/13 Devotion (Col. 2:8a, 9-10a)

Today's encouragement comes from Colossians 2:8a, & 9-10a, which says this:

"Beware lest anyone cheat you . . . For in [Christ] dwells all the full-ness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him . . . "

The free lives of redeemed Christian churchmen must always be zeal-ously guarded.  People devoid of grace--in particular, religious people devoid of saving grace--are always seeking to "cheat" the saints of their rightful inheritance in Christ.  They desire to bring us down to their level; and to see us enslaved to rules and regulations, just like they are.

The answer to this pressure is self-understanding, which is based in Christ-understanding.  The faithful believer is "complete" in Christ.  He or she needs nothing more.  Since God's "fullness" is in Jesus, we do not need look to any other beings for salvation or its benefits.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ's prayer takes away the sins of our prayers."   --Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]