“For In Him Dwelleth All The Fullness Of The Godhead Bodily”
Feature 2 – February 2024 – Grace & Truth Magazine
“For In Him Dwelleth All The Fullness Of The Godhead Bodily”
Colossians 2:9 (KJV)
From the very commencement unto this day, it has been the ambition of the Devil and of mankind to be like God. We see in Isaiah 14:12-14 ( KJV ): “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” This serpent appealed to Eve, “Ye shall be as gods” (Gen. 3:5).
The Devil has neither repented nor given up this evil ambition of his; he continues to teach rebellion among mankind even though God:
- Overthrew him (Isa. 14:12),
- Drowned Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea (Ex. 14:26-28),
- Sent Nebuchadnezzar to eat grass for seven years (Dan. 4:32-33), and
- Caused Herod to be eaten by worms (Acts 12:23).
In a coming day, God will cast the Devil into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years and then into the lake of fire forever (Rev. 20:1-3,10). Like the Devil, religious and political men the world over persist in their folly to displace God and occupy His throne. What utter foolishness!
On the other hand, marvel of marvels, God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, chose to become Man. Indeed, “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14). “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Tim. 3:16). All these He accomplished as Man bodily.
What Is Meant By The Fullness Of The Godhead?
First of all, “Godhead” means divine nature or deity. This applies to the Trinity – comprised of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Simply put, whatever is in the Godhead is in the Lord Jesus Christ. The nature or character of the Godhead – life, light and love – is in the Lord Jesus Christ in all its fullness. The attributes of the Godhead – things that are attributable to God alone, such as being “omnipotent” (all-powerful), “omnipresent” (everywhere present), and “omniscient” (all-knowing) – are Christ’s attributes. So too are all the other attributes of God, including being immutable (unchangeable), eternal, absolutely holy and true. From all eternity, all the fullness has dwelt in the Son. When He came to earth and was manifested in a body as the Lord Jesus, all the fullness remained in Him. He laid aside nothing in coming to earth; all was veiled in human flesh.
Yes, He took on flesh, for He is “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Mt. 1:23). All the signs He did in the gospel of John gave testimony to the fact that He is the Emmanuel (also spelled “Immanuel”). This was as the prophet Isaiah declared, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). The same prophet also said, “Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God” (40:9). Therefore, we may say when the Lord Jesus:
- Turned water into wine (Jn. 2), one could hear the refrain “behold your God.”
- Healed the nobleman’s son from a great distance (Jn. 4), one could hear the refrain “behold your God.”
- Healed the man at Bethesda pool (Jn. 5), one could hear the refrain “behold your God.”
- Fed the multitude of over 5,000 men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two small fish (Jn. 6), one could hear the refrain “behold your God.”
- Walked upon the sea (Jn. 6), one could hear the refrain “behold your God.”
- Opened the blind man’s eyes (Jn. 9), one could hear the refrain “behold your God.”
- Raised Lazarus, a man who had died four days earlier, from the dead (Jn. 11), one could hear the refrain “behold your God.”
He was and is altogether God and altogether Man at the same time, in one blessed union. Marvel of all marvels, God became Man forever!
By Milton P. Jamieson