How to Know You are Complete
Disciples of Jesus Christ of the past were striving for completeness by striving to enter the narrow door that Jesus Christ said few would enter. In order to do this, they were constantly disciplining themselves in order to be like God (1 Tim. 4:7). They were daily imitating God (Eph. 5:1). They were being careful to engage in good works for God (Titus 3:8) and Christ (Eph. 2:10), were constantly being told not to get weary in doing good (2 Thess. 3:13). They knew that in due time, God’s time, they would reap blessings and completeness of character if they did not grow weary (Gal. 6:9).
Followers of Jesus Christ were crucifying their natures, their evil passions and desires (Gal. 5:24). They were glorifying God in their bodies by living each day for Him, perfecting their faith (1 Cor. 6:20). Each of them will receive a reward from God according to their own labor (1 Cor. 3:8).
Paul compared the life of overcoming to sports. He said it is exercising self-control in all things, forcing the body to do what pleases God (1 Cor. 9:24-27). It is doing the Will of God from the heart by becoming a slave to righteousness (Eph. 6:6; Rom. 6:18-19, 13). These are the directions on how to overcome evil by doing good (Rom. 12:21; 6:12; 8:13), and how to serve one another in love (Gal. 5:13).
Jesus Christ’s true disciples walk in the spirit so they would not carry out the evil desires of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). They provoke and stimulate others to more love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24; 1 John 4:7). Even when suffering, they continue to do what was right and rejoice because God is busy perfecting and establishing His new nature in them (1 Peter 4:1, 12-13, 16, 18-19; 5:10).
What is it like to be complete? You no longer condemn yourself for the things you allow yourself to do. You no longer worry. You are at total peace inside. You only live to do God’s Will each day and you have ceased from doing your will of the flesh. You only live to do good each day to your neighbors, your friends and strangers. You love to serve, love to give, and love to do good. It’s your food now, just to do God’s Will (John 4:34). You are completely new. All old things have passed and everything has become new.
To get where you are now, you had to fight the good fight and finish the course. You kept Christ’s works and continue to persevere in them without looking back. You are there. You have arrived! You may not be complete on the outside yet, but you have cleaned the inside of the cup thoroughly (Matt. 23:26). You have allowed God to crush your evil nature and put it under your feet (Rom. 16:20). You have entered spiritual rest, and the inner struggle is gone. You no longer do your own works, but you constantly do the works of God (Heb. 4:10).
You continue to perfect the outside of the body as you continue growing on the inside of the body. No wonder the Scripture describes it as, “The peace that is beyond all human comprehension” (Phil. 4:7). Jesus Christ had that peace when He was on the cross. Stephen had that peace when he was being stoned. Dying is nothing, but entering the rest is something, and Jesus said it is very easy and pleasant (Matt. 11:30).
You do have to endure to get there (Matt. 10:22; 24:13; 2 Tim. 2:12). You must persevere and strive to get there (Luke 21:19; 13:24). You have to suffer to enter the kingdom of God within you (Luke 17:21; Acts 14:22). You must force your way in by seizing it for yourself (Luke 16:16; Matt. 11:12).
If you tell others in the world, they hate you for it because God has chosen you out of the world (John 15:18-19). But be of good courage. As a result, some will see your example, be converted to God and have Christ formed in them too (Titus 2:7; Gal. 4:19). Then they will become complete, will overcome the evil one and be perfected in love, just like you (2 Cor. 13:9, 11; 1 John 2:13-14;1 John 4:18)!