Ephesians 1:23

The completion. The church completes Christ in the sense that the church is the visible declaration that Christ is Lord!!! Paul stresses the close connection between Christ and his Church!!! See note on Acts 9:5. This also can be translated fullness as the NIV has done. Lipscomb says: "Jesus filled with all the fullness of God bestows the fullness of his blessings on his body, the church." Paul shows the Ephesians how very inferior in both dignity and happiness the members of pagan fellowships and mystery religions are, when compared with the members of Christ's Church!!! The church of Christ is a fellowship protected and ruled by One whom God has raised to the highest position in the Universe, in order to make the members of the Christian fellowship (church) holy and happy through all eternity!!! Notice the church does not terminate, but continues on into Eternity!!! Compare Revelation 19:7-9; Revelation 21:1-5.