Have you ever put a puzzle together, and it was missing a few pieces? How about ordering something at the drive-thru, and then you got home, and some of the food was missing? Something is unsettling when things aren’t complete. The same can be said for Christians who are lacking in their faith. They aren’t complete. The Apostle Paul wants you to be complete in Christ.
â€â€Colossians 1:28
“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.”
Less of Ourselves
Paul lays out his method for discipleship. He tells the Colossians that he proclaims Jesus while admonishing and teaching every man. It reminds me of what John the Baptist said, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” We have to make more of Jesus in our lives and less of ourselves. The more Jesus becomes prevalent in our hearts, the less we worry about ourselves.
Be Willing to Listen
No one wants to be admonished nowadays. People get offended if you tell them they are doing something wrong, but for real discipleship to happen in our hearts, we have to be willing to listen to those more mature in the faith tell us what we are doing wrong. When Paul preached, he called out the sin of the people. He didn’t water it down, but at the same time, he did it with an attitude of love. Don’t be quick to take someone’s critique as an attack.
Complete in Christ
To be complete in Christ, you need to be teachable. That means sitting under a pastor who proclaims Jesus and teaches you the wisdom of God’s Word. When that happens, the Holy Spirit can convict you of the areas God wants to work on. As you respond to those, you will begin to see new growth in your walk with Jesus. Allow the process to happen. You won’t regret it.