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"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Ephesians 3:8
One of my favorite authors, and probably the closest writer I could count as a spiritual mentor, is A.T. Pierson (1837-1911). Pierson was a friend and contemporary of Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, George Mueller, A.J. Gordon, A.B. Simpson, C.I. Scofield, and Andrew Murray. Both Gordon and Pierson were dually instrumental in preaching the revelation of our identification in Christ, upon which E.W. Kenyon found to be a great source to his enlightenment, and a major contributor to the foundation of his teaching ministry. I have both books ["In Christ," by A.J. Gordon, and "Our Vital Union with Christ," by A.T. Pierson in my library. These are classics that should be in the possession of every Christian].
Pierson's writings uncovered something of such great worth to me that I think was singularly responsible for putting in me a hunger to know the depth of redemption like none other. Many of the teachings of Kenyon and even Kenneth E. Hagin were adopted by Pierson's teachings on the subject of our union with Christ. For instance, and I quote: "A very small key may open a very complex lock or a very large door, a door which by itself may lead into a vast building with priceless stores of wealth and beauty...these three short words, "in Christ Jesus," are, without doubt, the most important ever written, even by an inspired pen, to express the mutual relation of the believer with Christ. They occur, with their equivalents, over one hundred and thirty times. Sometimes we meet the expression, in Christ, in Christ Jesus, in him, or in whom, etc. And sometimes this sacred name is associated with the prepositions, through, with, by; but the thought is essentially the same. Such repetition and variety must have some intense meaning. God's Spirit is bringing a truth of the highest importance before us, repeating for the sake of emphasis, compelling even the careless reader to give heed as to some vital teaching."(In Christ: The sphere of the believer's life, by A.T. Pierson 1898).
There is a depth to what these third words bring to our identification with Christ that can only be explained by the Greek word, PLEROMA. PLEROMA is primarily translated as filled, fullness, or being full. Colossians says, "For (in him) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete (in him), which is the head of all principality and power" (Col. 2:9-10). In our infancy of understanding the great secret of being (in him), we often interpret this verse as a reference to what was in Christ as an individual, leaving ourselves out of the equation. But through further study, what Paul was describing points to the great mystery of Christ where this word PLEROMA carries its deepest and truest meaning.
Our completeness is (in him). In other words, our union with Christ has joined us to all that he is. John wrote in his epistle, "As he is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17). The word complete comes from the root word for PLEROMA, which is PLEROO. We could read it this way: "And ye are FULL (in him)!" The deeper I have sought to go in delving into my vital union with Christ, the more I have discovered the caverns of this fullness. There lie within these three words entire plateaus of fullness that are beyond description! What we oftentimes overlook hides within itself the breadth, the length, the depth, and the heights of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fullness of God! (Eph. 3:18-19).
So how do you measure the fullness of God? What instrument would one use to calculate the depth of the fullness of the Godhead? It is immeasurable! It is unfathomable! No wonder why Paul called it the "UNSEARCHABLE RICHES." We can contain water in a glass. We can contain water in a tub. We can even contain water in a pool. But how can you contain the ocean? Just about the time we think we have reached a full supply, suddenly the Lord opens up his good treasure to let us know there is far more awaiting us if we will dare explore what we have (in him).
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