As living stones in the spiritual temple (1 Pet. 2:5) we must be purified (1 Pet. 1:5-7). We are told not to think it strange that the dross from the silver and gold (impurities in our faith) must be burned out (1 Pet. 4:12). The afflictions, persecutions, tribulation and so forth are the fiery trials that burn out the dross and leave purified gold (the love of Christ). God works in us to purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) but we also have our part in that purification process (2 Tim. 2:20-21; 2 Cor. 7:1).
The love of God in us needs to be perfected (Greek teleios, completed as in 1 John 4:17) because it has many different parts. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows some of the parts of God’s love. Even though many parts of love mentioned in 1 Cor. 13 are negative, we understand that the negatives are opposite to the positive—so, if we don’t vaunt ourselves, we humble ourselves. If we don’t seek our own, we seek other’s good. There are as many as 43 different parts of God’s love. God promises that if we keep his commandments (as in the third part of the great commission) his love will be perfected (completed) in us (1 John 2:5). If his love is completed in us, we will certainly be in the image of Christ (Rom 8:29, 1 John 4:17).
Colossians 1:27-29 shows that the Lord directed Paul to fulfill this purpose in each of His children. If the love of Christ is in us, this is the divine nature (1 John 4:8; 2 Pet. 1:3-4). Paul literally labored to present every man complete (teleios) in Christ, but it took all wisdom to accomplish that work (Col. 1:29). If we have every part of God’s love in our hearts we will have all the fullness of God in us (Eph. 3:17-19). He describes the same purpose in Ephesians 4:12-13 as growing to be in the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. If our hearts are full of evil (Matthew 15:16-19) we have no glory at all. On the opposite pole, if we have some of the parts of God’s love, we have some glory. But if the Lord blesses us to be fully formed in every part of the love of God and Christ (who is in the image of God—Heb. 1:3) it is described as Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col 1:27). What a glorious mystery revealed in Christ!
Beth Johnson
I had forgotten about this one.