…may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Paul ended verse 17 with so that — so that you, being rooted and grounded in love….
Paul thought that what was coming next was so important that he preceded it with a plea to be strengthened by the Spirit of God in the inner man, Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith and being rooted and grounded. What comes next?
That you may have the strength to grasp something. Some truths are so powerful and deep that they take strength — spiritual, emotional, maybe even cognitive strength — to comprehend. Paul had already prayed for that foundational strength.
What is it that we should comprehend? Answer: the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.
The love that Christ has for us surpasses the ability to really understand it. And yet, Paul prayed that we would comprehend it with all the Spiritual strength that God has provided.
The love of Christ for us is pure agape love. It is a love that reaches out to us in spite of our sinfulness and rebellion and it draws us in. It does not take account of wrongs and does not hold grievances against us. It is a love that doesn’t seek revenge or reduce its intensity because of the unworthiness of its recipients. It is the pure love of God.
Finally, in verse 19, Paul prays that we might be filled with all the fullness of God! I don’t even know where to begin thinking about this. Filled with the fullness of God?! Really? God’s design for us entails way more than we could ever conceive. We limit our perspective of what we can do for Christ as His power is at work in us. We’re still playing with baby toys rather than growing up to be adult sons, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. What is it that Christ would have us, His adopted and co-heir brothers, do for Him and what blessings might he be ready to pour out on us if we came to understand the big picture?
Exported from Logos Bible Software, 2:14 PM December 17, 2020.