God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:22-23)
We hear a lot of talk these days about self-fulfillment. “Be the person you want to be . . . Accomplish the goals you want to accomplish . . . Follow your heart . . . Live the life that you desire and self-fulfillment will follow.” Here’s the problem: at no time does the Bible even encourage, much less command, the saints of God to be “self-fulfilled.” Rather, it is Savior-filling that is our goal.
The unbelieving world tells us that self-fulfillment is the goal and purpose of this life. This was the goal and purpose for both the fallen angels and our first parents in the Garden of Eden. But the Word of God says that knowing our Savior is the goal and purpose of this life; each disciple of Christ should be the “full” expression of Jesus. This happens only to the extent that we are filled with our Savior. Savior-filling, not self-fulfillment, is the goal and purpose of this life—and the next one—for the committed Christian.
So . . . what have you been seeking lately: self-fulfillment or Savior-filling? The day you said, “I believe,” the Savior filled you with the presence of His Holy Spirit. As you live your life for the glory of God, that fullness will put the truths of the Gospel on display and point to the One who filled you: your Savior.
Paul expressed this truth this way:
It was Jesus who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Our confession should echo that of John the Baptist: “I must decrease and He must increase.” Seeking self-fulfillment sets the focus on the self and the things of this world. It puts self on the throne of life, seeking a coronation of the self. But a Savior-filling focus keeps our eyes fixed on Jesus and keeps our hearts beating for nothing smaller than Him. Savior-filling keeps Jesus on the throne of our lives and eagerly seeks the coronation of our Savior, “so that in everything he might have the supremacy” (Colossians 1:18).
When we remember that it pleased God to have His fullness dwell in His beloved and precious Son, we will seek our Savior, rather than self-fulfillment, because in doing so, we will not only get more and more of what we need most—our Savior—we will also receive the deepest level of self-fulfillment known to man.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 