Jesus Christ is the prime focus of the Christian message. This would seem obvious today, but that is because we have had centuries of reading the letters of Paul. But the first century church was just receiving this teaching for the first time. While the story of Jesus’ life had circulated widely, Paul gave cogent commentary on what that life meant in the face of false teaching. (Often through church history, doctrine is extolled and refined in the confrontation of false teaching). It is not just a moral code or a religious system, or just a subject for theological debate. It is all about a Person and a relationship with Him, the One who is God in the flesh. Someone has said that at the core of false teaching, there is a diminishing of the preeminence of Christ.

The proper response to false teaching is to exalt Christ, place Him at the center of all discussions, debates and refutations. Therefore, Paul never tired of proclaiming Christ. Further, he continually challenged people to consider the implications of Christ in their lives. Here he “admonishes every man” using every ounce of wisdom God has given him. The goal is to “present every man complete in Christ.” The Greek word here is “teleios” which can be translated “perfect, complete, mature.” The Christian life is a progression toward that goal and it cannot be done apart from Christ. No amount of tips or techniques,spiritual disciplines or rituals can move us toward spiritual maturity apart from being “in Christ.” It is all about having Christ’s presence actively and powerfully manifest in our lives.

That goal, namely “complete in Christ,” is the desire of every Christian: to be completely unified with Him in every area of life; to be dead with Him, and to be alive with Him (as Paul writes later in this epistle). In one sense we are already complete and have already identified with Christ in death and resurrection (see Romans 6). In that sense, we have nothing left to do in order to be accepted by God, forgiven and secure forever. However, as we progress through life, that knowledge of spiritual truth alters our daily lives.

Some religions are so other-worldly minded, they have no value for changing people’s lives and souls. The message of Christ transforms and life becomes a great unraveling of the mystery of Christ in us and us in Christ. So this message of Christ is not just some cerebral or esoteric topic designed to make one feel “religious.” The message is a Person, and He revolutionizes life!