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and to know the Messiah’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)

What does fullness look like?

When speaking about the fullness of the Creator one is talking about something that is immeasurable. How might we see what this fullness is like? We get hints through the incarnation. The fullness of God is most clearly seen in Jesus.

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9)

Father delighted in having all the fullness of God dwell in the man, Jesus the Messiah. It seems as if the incarnate Creator was filled by the Father with what Paul calls “fullness.” If we want to see what the fullness of God looks like in interaction with humanity, we look at the Messiah.

For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; (Colossians 1:19-20a)

Relational holy maturity, integrity, power over nature and the adversary, loving people, one could go on and on describing how wonderful Jesus is.

We long to see this fullness through the Church. At this time, we don’t. Yet, fullness is promised. What do I mean? Let’s look at just two promises in John’s Gospel.

In the first promise we have the Messiah Jesus’ word that He will answer prayers.

 

Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

(John 14:13-14)

In this next promise the Lord said that those who believe in Him will do the same works that He did.

 

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

(John 14:12)

Notice, I am ignoring the second part of this prophetic promise that believers will do even greater works. The same works Jesus did would be sufficient to demonstrate the fullness of the Kingdom God has promised.

I’m not going to get into other manifestations of fullness that are either not seen, or only sporadically seen, in the Church. It would take up too much time. Let it be established that God’s fullness looks like Jesus and the Church is to resemble its Lord. The Body is connected to the Head.

What can be done so that the Church is “filled up to all the fullness of God”? Various remedies have been offered by the Church, but Paul said that the key to experiencing this is to know the Messiah’s love.

and to know the Messiah’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)

It seems too good to be true. Paul recognized that it is unbelievable and sought to bring his disciples’ vision beyond what they believed was possible.

and to know the Messiah’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us (Ephesians 3:19-20)

Let’s take this to heart as a strategy. Prioritize knowing Jesus’ love and let’s see what happens.

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Also, David wrote a book about God’s love for the Jewish People called, For the Sake of the Fathers

Check out David’s new worship album, Looking for a City

These are words that reach the heart:

In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Messiah, things in the heavens and things on the earth. … (Ephesians 1:8b-10a)

This is a blog about God’s love. How might we view these verses as relevant to our Father’s love? Look at how the Messiah is described in Ephesians 1:5-6.

He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus [the] Messiah to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:5-6)

He is called “the Beloved.” The Complete Jewish Bible translates this as, “Beloved One.” The New English Translation as, “his dearly loved Son.”

God is summing everything up in the His dearly loved Son, the Beloved One. Wickedness will be banished from all influence through the dominion of the Beloved One. Redeemed humanity and restored nature will be within the sphere of liberating holy love.

In both sentences the Greek word eudokia is used. It is translated “kind intention.” Both uses are connected to God’s will and are centered in God’s Messiah, His Beloved One.

the kind intention of His will (Ephesians 1:5b)

the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention (Ephesians 1:8b)

God’s will, thelematos, has to do with accomplishing what will give Him pleasure. He wills to do that which He will enjoy. The King James Version gives this sense when it translated thelema in Revelation 4:11 as “pleasure.”

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 KJV)

Let’s look at eudokia, God’s “kind intention.” “Kind intention” is a good translation. However, I prefer a stronger nuance to this word. Friberg Lexicon defines it like this:

generally what pleases; (1) of people; (a) as having good intent goodwill (PH 1:15); (b) as a feeling of strong emotion in favor of something desire, wish, good pleasure (RO 10:1); (2) of God good pleasure, favor, approval

I have chosen to view eudokia as being easily translated “delight.” Both “kind intention” and “His will” point us to what God loves. And His ultimate delight is that all things would be summed up in His Beloved One. Everything that exists is destined to be within the sphere of the One the Father loves. This is His “kind intention.”

In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Messiah, things in the heavens and things on the earth. … (Ephesians 1:8b-10a)

The future fullness of the appointed times will have everything summed up in the Messiah. Creation will share God’s delight, for it shall be summed up in the Beloved Son in whom God delights (euodokia).

He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus [the] Messiah to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:5-6)

That is your destiny.

Purchase God’s True Love

Or on Kindle

Also, David wrote a book about God’s love for the Jewish People called, For the Sake of the Fathers

Check out David’s new worship album, Looking for a City

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of [the] Messiah; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of [the] Messiah. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

We are on a journey. Our Father has a goal in mind for the transnational community of disciples. Before the return of the Lord, before the resurrection, there will be a display of the Messiah’s fullness in His people. This describes God in action on the earth through those who are like the Messiah Jesus. They shall be rightly relating to one another in loving humility and will resemble Him in compassion, character, courage, and charismata.

These shall be those who are receiving the Father’s love.

The grace of the Lord Jesus [the] Messiah, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)

Like their Lord, they shall burn with zealous love for their Father’s house.

His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” (John 2:17)

They shall be faithful to the point of death.

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. (Revelation 12:11)

The foundation of fullness is knowing the Messiah’s love, who loves each one, and loves them as a family.

and to know the love of [the] Messiah which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)

The Messiah’s fullness in His people is one of the final stops on the journey to the resurrection. Our Father’s goal is that His Son’s people shall look just like the Messiah Jesus.

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

We are destined for sharing Jesus’ glory.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus [the] Messiah; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)

Meanwhile, those who are Jesus’ ministries to the Body help us on our way.

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of [the] Messiah; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of [the] Messiah. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Next stop? The Messiah’s fullness.

Purchase God’s True Love

Or on Kindle

Also, David wrote a book about God’s love for the Jewish People called, For the Sake of the Fathers

Check out David’s new worship album, Looking for a City

“and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  (Mark 12:30)

King David is believed to be the author of Psalm 1. He followed the example of holy men and meditated on God’s Torah day and night. Do you think he believed that God paid attention to him? Yes. In fact, the psalmist was in awe of God’s thoughts toward him.

What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? (Psalm 8:4)

What is the nature of God’s thoughts? They are good, and there are plenty of them. The number of them towards each of us is staggering. Think of counting the sand in the desert…

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. (Psalm 139:17-18)

If the vast quantity of His thoughts are any indication, the Creator is a Father-Friend who is really concerned about each of us. In addition, Your Father loves you so much that He has made plans for you.

but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

He is adjusting all of creation and every instance of everything-that-ever-happened for your benefit.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

God is omniscient and God is wise. The Scriptures are clear: God knows. God thinks. God concentrates.

How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep. (Psalm 92:5)

His sense of knowing, use of imagination and focus is akin to ours. We are the image of God. Of course, (!) the Creator is on a whole other plane of existence. We are like a selfie on a cell phone compared to the subject of the photo. Our love for Him mirrors His love for us.

We are not being asked to concentrate upon Him while His attention wanders far from us. No, the text is clear:

You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. (Psalm 139:3)

He loves us so much that He is concentrating upon us. He loves us with all His mind.

This is the Greatest Commandment:

“and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  (Mark 12:30)

The Greatest Command is a call to corresponding love.

Purchase God’s True Love

Or on Kindle

Also, David wrote a book about God’s love for the Jewish People called, For the Sake of the Fathers

Check out David’s new worship album, Looking for a City