Colossians 2:9-10 says, “For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you have been made full in Him, who is the Head of all rule and authority.” In these verses fullness and full are mentioned. First it says that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily; then it says that we who belong to Christ have been made full in Christ. Verse 11 of chapter three says, “Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all and in all.” Furthermore, Ephesians 1:22b-23 says, “The church, which is His [Christ’s] Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.” Verse 17a of chapter three says, “That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith.” Verse 19b continues, “That you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.” We, the saved ones, are being filled unto the fullness of God because we have Christ dwelling in us.
Generally speaking, religion focuses on three items: material blessings, behavior improvement, and man’s inner satisfaction. However, according to the revelation of the Word, the salvation that the Lord has given us is altogether different from these three items. Consider the matter of the satisfaction of man’s inner being. Many people are very prosperous in their enterprises and have no lack of material things, yet they still feel as if there is a lack. Obviously they still have a need in their inner being. It is difficult for human language to describe this lack or need, yet affluent people over the whole earth and throughout history have felt this need. Although sometimes they try to convince themselves intellectually that they ought to be contented, they simply are not satisfied deep within. Therefore, they gradually realize that in their inner being is an emptiness that cannot be filled by material things; material things cannot meet the need in their deepest part.
Therefore, among the human race, particularly among high-class people, religion has quite a firm foundation. This is because religion seemingly offers a solution to man’s need, a need that cannot be replaced or solved by material things. On the surface religion seems to solve this problem, but in actuality religion can only promise or attempt to solve the problem of man’s need because it has no way to satisfy this need practically. The Word of God shows us that this matter is simple, clear, and easy to understand. The book of Romans tells us that man is a vessel created by God for Himself (9:21-23). We may use a cup as an illustration. A cup is a vessel designed by a potter and then produced through burning. A cup exists for a purpose and a function-to contain water. Suppose instead of being filled with water, the cup is just placed somewhere and left there. If the cup could speak, it would tell people that it has a void within, that it is not satisfied. Even if we were to inlay it with gold or gild it with silver and elevate it to a place of honor, it would still say, “This cannot fill my emptiness. The reason for my existence is that I have a function, and this function is to contain water. Do not inlay me with gold nor gild me with silver. Moreover, there is no need to elevate me. Just fill me with water, and I will be satisfied.” It is the same way with a lightbulb. A lightbulb is created with a purpose, with an intention; it is specifically made for electricity to pass through it so that it may give light. If we do not let electricity enter into the lightbulb, it will be useless and its existence will be meaningless.
The Bible tells us that the way God created man was different from the way He created all the other things in the universe. God created man in His image and according to His likeness (Gen. 1:26) because God wanted man to be a vessel to contain Him. He wants to put Himself into man that man may express Him. God created man in His image and according to His likeness so that man may become a vessel to contain Him, just as a Coca-Cola bottle is specifically made to contain Coca-Cola. When we see an empty bottle with the words Coca-Cola printed on it, we know what that bottle was created for. According to the Scriptures we human beings were created to contain God. God wants to put Himself into us, so He created us in His image and according to His likeness. Furthermore, when the Coca-Cola bottle was being made, an empty space was left inside so that Coca-Cola could be put into it. The bottle was not made as a solid chunk of glass; otherwise, it would not be able to contain any Coca-Cola. In the same way, when God created man, He left an empty space within man for the purpose of filling it with Himself.
Today as “bottles,” are we empty? Or are we filled with different things? The reason why people throughout the ages have discovered that they feel empty within is because they are in fact empty. In the beginning when God created man, He did not fill him up; instead, He left an empty space within man. Some philosophers and sages have said that man is the most intelligent among all creatures. Believing that man as a complete entity is the most intelligent of all creatures, they think that if we just develop man’s intelligence and cultivate his conduct, then man will be able to live in abundance and sufficiency. In reality, however, there is no such thing. No matter how much man’s intelligence is developed and no matter how rich and sufficient is man’s living, man still will be empty and void within. This void cannot be filled by excitement nor by material things. This empty space is reserved for God. We all have such an empty space in us. We all have an empty room in our heart. Just as the Coca-Cola bottle is empty within so that it can be filled with Coca-Cola, we human beings are all empty bottles to be filled with the heavenly “Coca-Cola” to quench the thirst within us and to satisfy us. This heavenly “Coca-Cola” is God. As the Spirit and the living water of life, God wants to come into us to fill the vacuum within us.
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