Fullness

Fullness is defined as the state or quality of being full or filled, the state of abounding, abundance, completeness.

Fullness of the Time

The fullness of the time was characterized by a maximum amount of illness and a minimum amount of Satanic miracles. So Christ’s miracles involving healing was effective to the maximum. In Galatians 4:4-5, “fullness” is πλήρωμα (plērōma) and means that which has been filled, that which fills, completeness, complete or fullness of time, fullness in the sense of fulfillment, abundance.

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5, NASB)

“Time” was God’s perfect timing for the Messiah, Jesus Christ to arrive on earth and to die spiritually for the sins of mankind. From the very beginning, after Adam and Eve’s fall in the Garden, God promised that one day the seed of the woman would come.

“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."” (Genesis 3:15, NASB)

Genesis 3:15 predicted that Satan would bruise the heel of the seed of the woman. Bruising the heel indicates a serious injury and one of terrible suffering. When Christ went to the Cross and paid the penalty for the sins of mankind, this was the fulfillment of Satan bruising the heel of the seed of the woman. However, at the same time, Christ bruised Satan’s head, which meant that Christ dealt Satan a fatal blow, destroying and defeating him at the Cross.

In Galatians 4:4, “God sent forth” is in the aorist tense and refers to a point in time when God the Father sent God the Son on a mission – to bring salvation to mankind. “His Son” means His adult son (deity). “Born of a woman” is Jesus Christ taking on Himself the form of true humanity so that we might receive adoption.

“Born under the law” refers to being born a Jew under the authority of the Mosaic Law. The humanity of Jesus Christ was subject to the Law. Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law perfectly. Believers of the Church Age are not subject to the Law. However, the Law is fulfilled when the believer walks in fellowship. Matt. 5:17; Rom. 10:4.

“"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17, NASB)

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4, NASB)

Our Lord’s arrival on earth was the perfect time in that the Roman occupation of Palestine provided stable conditions for our Lord’s ministry. It provided police protection. The crowds that followed Him caused a minimum amount of killing, harassment, etc. It provided good communication for that day.

Fullness of the Times

In Ephesians 1:10, “fullness” is also πλήρωμα (plērōma) and “times” refers to the Church Age. Every believer in the Church Age is provided grace resources and blessings from God beyond those provided in any previous dispensation.

“with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him” (Ephesians 1:10, NASB)

Fullness of Him

In Ephesians 1:23, the “fullness of Him” refers to the filling of the Holy Spirit who empowers the Church Age believer’s spiritual life that results in spiritual maturity.

“which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:23, NASB)

Fullness of the Gentiles

The “times of the Gentiles” in Luke 21:24 and “fullness of the Gentiles” in Romans 11:25 refer to the dispensation of the Church Age. Until the Church Age is completed, there will be no reforming or regathering of the remnant of Israel. This will occur in the dispensation of the Tribulation following the Rapture of the Church.

“and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24, NASB)

“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;” (Romans 11:25, NASB)

Fullness of Deity, Fullness of God

In Colossians 2:9-10, “the fullness of Deity” and in Ephesians 3:19 the “fullness of God” both refer to God the Holy Spirit who indwells every Church Age believer. “Made complete” is πληρόω (plēroō) and means to make full, to fill up, to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally. We are filled with the Holy Spirit when we are in fellowship with God following confessions of sin. We are “made complete” through the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;” (Colossians 2:9-10, NASB)

“and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19, NASB)

In Colossians 1:19, “all the fullness” is also πλήρωμα (plērōma) and refers to the humanity of Jesus Christ living the spiritual life in hypostatic union with the deity of God the Son. This first use of this unique spiritual life became the universal spiritual life for every believer in the Church Age.

“For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,” (Colossians 1:19, NASB)

Fullness of Christ

In the dispensation of the Church Age, every believer is given the opportunity and God's grace provision to advance to spiritual maturity - “the fullness of Christ.” Eph. 4:13.

“until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13, NASB)

Since we have the same spiritual life that our Lord had, we have the opportunity of executing God’s plan to achieve the fullness of Christ. Our Lord set the standard when He lived the unique spiritual life during His First Advent. Using the enabling power of the Holy Spirit and applying the epignosis Bible doctrine in His soul, our Lord quickly grew to spiritual maturity. 

His Fullness

In John 1:15-16, “His fullness” refers to royalty and the Church Age.  John 1:16 is the transition when ritual is out and the reality of the plan of God is in. “Grace upon grace” means that God's grace resources in the Church Age with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit enable every believer to fulfill the plan of God for their lives.

“John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:15-16, NASB)

Fulfillment

In Romans 11:12, “fulfillment” refers to the Church Age as the dispensation where all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, have both the opportunity and God's grace provisions to fulfill the plan of God for their lives.

“Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!” (Romans 11:12, NASB)