The Complete College Student

A life of emptiness or a life of fulfillment?

Have you ever played the game “Would You Rather”? Often, on a road trip, my 12-year-old son will start coming up with strange scenarios.

“Would you rather have a flying carpet or a car that can drive underwater? Would you rather have unlimited sushi for life or unlimited tacos for life?” In a game like that, the possibilities are endless and there is room for differing opinions, but, when you start asking real-world questions, the correct choices should be clear.

Would you rather live a life of emptiness or a life of fulfillment? Would you rather be insecure without Christ or secure in Christ? Even though we know some choices in life should be “no-brainers”, oftentimes, our behavior reveals our confusion about the choices we make. Sometimes, what we say we desire is contrary to our actual behavior. Our behavior will reveal what we truly want.

Beware! Lookout! Pay attention!

It shouldn’t shock us that those who are outside of Christ struggle with the idea of significance. What’s unfortunate is that many believers struggle as well. Most of us have felt, at times, like we don’t measure up, but how should we respond to those feelings? Every Bible college student will benefit when they “come to grips” with a biblical perspective about significance.

Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Paul says, “Beware, . . .” take caution, look out, “ . . . lest any man spoil you.” The idea of the word “spoil” is to take captive or take possession of something, as in an army taking the spoils of war. We are in danger of being spoiled, or being taken captive—not in a physical battle, but in the spiritual battle for our minds.

Don’t be deceived! People will try to tell you that philosophy will bring spiritual enlightenment or that traditions of men are the key to fulfillment. Paul says in Colossians 2:9, “For in him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”. Everything that God desires for us to have is found in Christ. You are not completed by philosophy, traditions of men, religious activity, dietary laws, peer acceptance, or by following holy days, but, rather, you are complete in Christ! Everything in your life depends upon your relationship with Christ; He needs to be the central focus of your life.

Understanding Who You Are In Christ

If Christ is sufficient to meet the greatest need of your life – reconciliation with God – He is also sufficient to give you fulfillment. He is sufficient to save you AND complete you.

Being at Bible college can cause some to think that they have to live up to man’s ideas, traditions, rules, and religious activities to be complete, but, the truth is, if you’ve been born again, your completion is not in any of these things, but, rather, in Christ. This shouldn’t cause us to be self-confident. We shouldn’t say, “Oh, yeah, I can handle this,” but, rather, we should simply rest in Him. If you weren’t perfect when Christ saved you, you don’t need to be perfect for Him to love you now.

 I can fully rest in the fact that I am right before God—not because of who I am, but because of Who Christ is.

Rest in Christ

Rest in the confidence of who you are in Christ. If you think, “I’m not good enough, I can’t measure up.”; you’re right! The world would say you’re good enough and that you have goodness inside of you, but the Bible says you have no goodness inside of you. However, we can have a righteousness that is not our own. I have righteousness that was given to me when I was placed in Christ on the day I was saved. When I understand that I am in Christ, and that I have the righteousness of Christ, which no one can take away, in me, then I can fully rest in the fact that I am right before God—not because of who I am, but because of Who Christ is.

You Are Accepted In Him

You can rightfully say, “I’m okay with not being good enough. I’m alright with that.” Why? Because, Christ is all you need. You don’t need to measure up to man’s standards if you have done what Christ has demanded of you and are accepted in Him.

It sounds strange, but we waste hours looking for moments of fulfillment, moments of acceptance, and moments of approval. Those moments become idols that keep us from what truly satisfies. When Christ is given the “leftovers” of our lives, the result is emptiness.

Are you content in your relationship with Christ? Are you finding fulfillment and significance through your relationship with Him? Your relationships, accomplishments, and performance in life will not provide lasting fulfillment or complete you. Lasting fulfillment will only come through your relationship with Christ as you understand that you are complete in Him. Everything you need is in Christ – delight in Him!