April 29 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"You are complete in him" (Col. 2:10, KJV).

Devotional

Here is a truth, the immensity of which is equaled only by its unspeakable value. The Lord Jesus Christ is the life of our acceptance with God. We stand as believers in the righteousness of a living Head. Within the veil he has entered, "now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf" (Heb. 9:24), presenting each of his people each moment complete in himself. It is a present justification. "You are complete in him," "accepted in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6, KJV), "justified from all things" (Acts 13:39).

The enlightened soul utterly repudiates perfection in himself. He totally rejects completeness in anything that he is, or that he has done. His deepest repentance is incomplete. His strongest faith is incomplete. His best obedience is incomplete. His most costly sacrifice is incomplete. He lays himself low in the lowest dust. He cannot think himself too wretched. He cannot be too little in his own eyes. Language fails to express the deep self-loathing and sin-abhorrence of his soul.

But hark! a voice is heard! Oh, it falls upon his ear like the music of the spheres—"You are complete in him." In an instant all is peace. The believing soul ceases from his works; the weary spirit enters into rest because, believing, it enters into Jesus. In Christ he now stands complete. His pardon complete! His justification complete! His adoption complete! His whole person complete before a holy God! Is this not a vast truth? And is it not a glorious one? Where is the doctrine that exceeds it? Where is the declaration that has such life in it as this?

Dear reader, it may be that you have long been looking at yourself for something complete. Something! In your judgment you may reject the thought; yet in your heart there is nevertheless that principle that has been looking for something in yourself to commend you to God—something to make you more acceptable to him, something to make you more welcomed by him. But behold where your completeness is truly found—in, and solely in, Jesus Christ.

Oh precious truth! A poor, vile sinner standing before a holy God, complete in righteousness! The object of his infinite love and delight, over whom he rejoices with singing. Oh, how divine, how finished, how glorious must that righteousness be, which so covers your soul as to present you before a God of immaculate purity, "without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing" (Eph. 5:27)!

Thy works, not mine, O Christ,
speak gladness to this heart;
they tell me all is done;
they bid my fear depart.

Refrain: To whom, save thee,
who canst alone
for sin atone,
Lord, shall I flee?

Thy pains, not mine, O Christ,
upon the shameful tree,
have paid the law's full price
and purchased peace for me.

(Refrain)

Thy cross, not mine, O Christ,
has borne the awful load
of sins that none in heav'n
or earth could bear but God.

(Refrain)

Thy righteousness, O Christ,
alone can cover me:
no righteousness avails
save that which is of thee.

(Refrain)

(Horatius Bonar, 1857)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2025.