“And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” (John 1:16)
John the apostle is describing Jesus in this first chapter. It’s obvious that not everyone has received His fulness as we understand it. But John is saying it’s available to everyone. God is offering it to everyone. The fulness of Jesus is given to everyone, but not everyone has accepted His gift. A gift cannot be useful to us if we don’t accept it. Think of a birthday gift. You’re offered the gift, but if you never open it, you do not avail yourself of the gift.
And that gift is the fulness of Christ. The Greek word used means completion, finished and verified. We have all benefited from His fulfilment of the redemption of man. The fullness of Christ is divine. He is God. And He gives us of His fulness which are blessings to us.
It’s the completed work of redemption that has given us the blessing of love.
God is love. When we receive God’s gift and are reborn of God, we receive His love. It’s agape love, a sacrificial love. It’s the love described in 1 Corinthians 13. “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1Corinthians 13:3-7) This kind of love is not known in this world. No natural man can love like God loves. And it’s by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can love like God loves.
The completed and finished work of Christ offers us the blessing of joy. The Bible says that Jesus “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) When Jesus went to the cross, He was thinking of the joy that would follow after His resurrection, the joy of salvation for many, the joy of being in the Presence of the Father. And it’s the same with us. When we’re going through tough times, it’s hard, but we should think of the joy when we have persevered until the end. God is glorified when we have endured until the victory.
The completed and finished work of Christ offers us peace. It’s the peace that goes beyond our understanding. And this peace can only come from God. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) It’s a peace knowing God is in control. We are assured of His Presence in any situation. We are assured that God will ensure that all will be the best for us, even if the outcome is not what we’re expecting.
The competed and finished work of Christ offers us faithfulness. We are fickle beings, following our natural inclinations. But the Lord puts in us faithfulness, staying power. It’s a gift of the Holy Spirit. And it’s ours. God is faithful to us. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5) God is faithful to us; never failing. We have His nature as His children, faithfulness.
Because of the completion and fulfillment of the Cross, Jesus can give us of His fulness. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can walk in His fulness according to Galatians 5: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-25) His fulness comes to us through His grace. It is a new grace, freely given to His brethren through the Father of Grace who has poured out His grace on us now; undeserved favor. Old Testament grace of goodwill, kindness and graciousness, for those who obeyed for New Covenant grace of undeserved favor for whosoever believes.
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