# 4: 6-10-16

Ephesians 1:8b-10
Paul begins his general letter to the assemblies in praise of God, for His plan to save mankind. First Paul
considered the Fathers part, in His choosing those who would put their faith in Christ before He ever
started to create anything. God chose those who would one day believe into Christ to have a destiny with
Him, forever. Paul spoke of the first aspect of this destiny to be adopted as sons, through Jesus Christ, to
Himself.
We were all born as sons of Adam, at enmity with God separated from Him by our sin. But our sins were
placed on Jesus, on the cross, and paid for with His death so sin no longer separates us from God. We are
no longer at enmity with God, but have peace with Him. That makes us friends with God; we have the
same mind on things now, the same perspective that He does.
But we can see from this passage that we are even more than friends, arent we? In believing, we were
born again (Jn 3:3), born from above, born of the Spirit (Jn 3:5); we are now children of God (Jn 1:12).
That makes us members of Gods family.
They say that blood is thicker than water. There is often a special love between members of a family; an
intimate love, that a father tends to have for his own children; just because theyre his own. And that love
is often reciprocated; the children feel loved, and they tend to love in return.
But weve been born into a supernatural family; and the character of the love in our supernatural family is
agape; a love that selflessly serves one another; a limitless love that works to meet the needs of the others
in the family even abounding to those on the outside (1 Th 3:12).
And you could say we are even more than just children. Paul wrote in this letter that we are sons adopted
sons through Jesus Christ, to the Father. Now there is only one Son who was, is and always will be the
Fathers only begotten Son, of the same essence of deity Jesus. But by adoption, God can offer those
who have no right to be His sons, to become His sons through His grace.
Whereas child emphasizes the idea of birth being born of God, in this case son stresses the dignity
and the character of the relationship. The Father has bestowed on us the ultimate dignity that a man can
receive, by adopting us as His sons.
Weve been raised out of our miserable position in that old creation in Adam dead and in the dark to God
and have been raised up to the heavenlies - dignified as a new creation in Christ. Our relationship with
the Father is no less than that of a son, with all the rights and privileges that accompany a sons position in
the family.
Theres a psalm that reflects how God dignifies a man, to become His son. Turn to Psalm 8. Like Paul,
David also wrote praise to God for His work of salvation.
[Psalm 8]
v. 1 David was speaking of the glory of the LORD in the highest heaven; the home of God. Throughout the
earth, and to the highest heaven, the LORDs glorious reputation is universal. Notice that the LORD sets His
glory above the heavens, speaking of the realm of angelic beings. This is a veiled reference to the Coming
One, in whose face will be seen the glory of God.
v. 2 This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus came into Jerusalem, showing Himself to be the King of
Israel, and the children proclaimed Him to the fury of His enemies (Mt 21:15-16).

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v. 3 David was considering the heavens that the LORD created that were the work of His fingers. What do
we find in the created heavens; in the moon and the stars, which the LORD had set in the heavens, and
named, and which He appointed for signs and for seasons? The Mazzaroth; the gospel in the stars. And
what story do they tell? They tell Gods plan of salvation. And as David considered the purposes of God
for mankind found in that story, he came to his next thought.
v. 4-5 David is marveling at the salvation that the LORD has planned for mankind, as he sees in the stars.
He speaks of it here as an accomplished work.
The LORD is mindful of man God loves His creation of mankind He cares about him, and sees his need.
Seeing his need, God visited man God the Son came down from heaven, and fulfilled Gods plan of
salvation for men.
Because of that visit Jesus in His first coming the LORD was able to crown man with glory and honor
as a son of God, in a body of glory. Thats the dignity of an adopted son of God.
The remainder of the psalm speaks to the completion of the plan.
v. 6-9 David is prophesying of how man will have dominion, ruling over the creation as Gods
representative (under Christ), as God purposed from the beginning. This will occur during the Kingdom
age.
What I wanted you to see was how, as adopted sons, we have been given dignity by the Father. We have a
special relationship with the Father, and are entrusted by Him with responsibility.
A son bears the likeness of his father. Even so, the adopted sons of God have the character of their
heavenly Father His wisdom, His righteousness by virtue of being in Christ (2 Cor 5:21), and having
our minds renewed by the Holy Spirit within us (Rm 12:2, 1 Cor 1:30).
[Return to Ephesians]
Now in Pauls use of the term adoption in other letters, he includes the idea of a heavenly inheritance.
For instance, Paul wrote of the adopted sons of God, as the children of God, being heirs heirs of God and
joint heirs with Christ (Rm 8:14-17). Of course, heirs are those who are due to receive an inheritance.
But here in this letter, Paul separates the idea of being adopted as sons, and being heirs. Paul begins to
write about inheritance in verse 11.
As Paul expresses his praise to God for His glorious plan, the Holy Spirit is allowing the readers to absorb
the idea first that, because of what Christ has done for them, they have a Father-son relationship with God
now.
God has dignified them with a position in His family, and He is cultivating His character in them, through
His Spirit through sanctification. This is what prepares them for their inheritance of which we shall
speak more next time.
Now last time, we looked at just what it was that Christ has done for mankind as Paul shifts his main
focus from the Father to the Son. And what is it that Christ has done for mankind? V. 7 He has redeemed
them. In Him, we have redemption through His blood.

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As mentioned, this Greek word for redemption, apolutrosis, means to liberate by the paying of a ransom in
order to set a person free. The key idea in the word is deliverance; being made free.
I want to emphasize the difference between this word and another Greek word used in the NT for
redemption which is exagorazo, meaning to buy out or purchase. This word is especially used to
describe the purchasing of a slave off the slave market, with a view to his freedom. The emphasis with this
word is on the price paid.
Paul uses this other word, exagorazo, elsewhere to metaphorically describe Christs deliverance of
believing Jews from the Law and its curse, death they were as slaves to the Law, and Christ purchased
them (Gal 3:13, 4:5). This word is also used in the phrase redeeming the time, meaning to buy up the
opportunity; to make the most of the time (Eph 5:16, 4:5). Other than that, it is not used in the NT.
The more commonly used term for redemption and redeeming is the one we see in our passage, apolutrosis,
which emphasizes the deliverance itself. Although not emphasized in this word, the concept of the
purchase price is certainly present in the work of Christ, of course; for you were bought with a price (1
Cor 6:20, 7:23).
Even though these two Greek words have very similar meanings, we will find the distinction becomes
important as we come near the end of Pauls praise in chapter 1, and he speaks of redemption again
apolutrosis being delivered, or loosed, by paying a ransom, in order to set a person free. Well look at
that next time.
The ransom paid to deliver men from their sins was the shed blood of Gods only begotten Son a ransom
of infinite value. That ransom resulted in the loosing of men from their sins sin was taken completely
away enabling God to forgive men.
The man who comes to God by faith through the blood of Christ is justified; what does that mean? He is
freed of all charges of sin and guilt, and made righteous in Christ. And having been justified, the man now
has peace with God though Christ he has been reconciled to God (Rm 5:1).
Now, lets continue with Pauls praise. Well go back and read from verse 7, and continue through verse 10.
I am going to insert the person of the Godhead where we see the third person singular pronouns, just to help
you differentiate who it is that Paul is writing of.
[Ephesians 1:7-10]
In Christ we have redemption through Christs blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of the
Fathers grace which the Father made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made
known to us the mystery of the Fathers will, according to the Fathers good pleasure which the Father
purposed in Christ, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times the Father might gather together in one
all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in Christ.
Now, you remember that, in the Greek, there is no punctuation; the phrasing provides clues as to how a
passage would be punctuated in the English. In the Greek, verses 3-14 is one continuous praise, as if one
long sentence, in the English. But there are definite clusters of thought.

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Last week, we ended in the middle of verse 8, for a reason. I believe that the beginning of verse 8
completes the thought of verse 7, while the rest of verse 8 is the beginning of the thought expressed in
verses 9 and 10.
Paul had been saying that, through the blood of Christ, the Father forgives our sins, and He does so
according to the riches of His grace. How rich would you say Gods grace is? Infinitely rich? Yes; and our
forgiveness is in accordance with that; we are forgiven without measure. You can see that the idea of His
grace abounding toward us fits in with this; in His grace, God lavishes the riches of His forgiveness on
us.
The second part of verse 8 In all wisdom and prudence would seem to support the thought of verses 9
and 10 better. Prudence means insight or judgment. Some have translated it this way: In all wisdom
and prudence, He has made known to us the mystery of His will and then so on.
Here we see an act of the divine mind, a decision on the part of God to reveal an aspect of His will that had
never been revealed before a mystery. Why this showed wise judgment on the part of God will become
plain as we consider the whole thought. But can you see that wisdom and prudence relate more to Gods
decision to disclose a mystery to us?
So forgiveness of sins is according to the riches of the Fathers grace, which He made to abound toward us
then In all wisdom and prudence, the Father has made known to us the mystery of His will.
Now, in Scripture, a mystery is not something mysterious. It is something which has previously been kept
secret in the purposes of God, but which God is now disclosing. These mysteries cannot be discovered by
human logic or reasoning, but must be uncovered by God; revealed to men. And God decides how much
and what He wishes to reveal.
Who is it who will reveal the meaning of a mystery to a man? The Holy Spirit. So a mystery that is being
disclosed by God can only be truly understood by those who have received the Holy Spirit - that is, by
believers. Thats because these mysteries involve the deep things of God, which must be revealed to men
by the Spirit.
Paul explains this clearly in his first retained letter to Corinth. Turn to First Corinthians chapter 2. The
Corinthians were Greeks, and valued wisdom and knowledge, as well as fine rhetoric. But Paul was
showing them that there is a difference between the wisdom of this age and the wisdom of God.
[First Corinthians 2:6-12]
v. 6 mature here means complete. Paul is speaking of those who have become complete in Christ (Col
2:10), who now have His Spirit dwelling in them. The wisdom Paul refers to here is the wisdom of this
world (1 Cor 1:21). Where is that sourced? In the evil one. The whole world lies in the evil one (1 Jn
5:19), and its rulers have his thinking.
v. 7-10 Paul is speaking of a mystery within the purposes of God which God had previously concealed, but
now He had revealed. How did God reveal this mystery (v. 10)? Through His Spirit. So those who have
the Spirit of God have the mystery revealed to them; while to those who do not have the Spirit of God, such
as the rulers of this age, its still a mystery, and in fact seems like foolishness to them.

# 4: 6-10-16

What mystery is Paul talking about here? If we look back over chapter 1, we see it is the gospel Christ
crucified (1 Cor 1:23-24). As men of this world try to measure the gospel with their logic and reason, they
see it as foolishness how does the crucifixion of some insignificant Jewish teacher somehow relieve the
world of its sin? And He somehow came back to life after three days? Foolishness, the world says.
But thats just what God purposed, before the ages before He created the world. And He did so for our
glory so that He might have glorified sons of God. Unwittingly, the rulers the movers and shakers of
that world put to death the very One who came to save the world. If they knew He was the Lord of all,
would they have done that? No; but in doing that, they did nothing less than fulfill the purposes of God
(Acts 4:27-28).
v. 11-12 The spirit of man is the innermost heart of a man; his very being. There are things you keep deep
in your heart that no man knows of; only you. In order for them to know these things, you would have to
reveal it to them.
Likewise, only the Spirit of God can reveal the deep things of God to a man. God has given us His Spirit
because He desires for us to share in certain of the counsels of His will; specifically, to know the things
that have been freely given to us by God.
Paul is speaking here of mysteries that pertain to Christ and His Body the church. Many of the mysteries
in the NT specifically have to do with the church in some way; and God has revealed these mysteries to the
church, so that they will know. Know what? What has been freely given to them. You have to know what
it is that you have, before you can use it. Thats what Ephesians is all about!
Now, the mystery of which Paul speaks of here in this letter is connected overlaps, you might say the
one we are looking at in Ephesians. This one speaks of the mystery of the gospel of Christ crucified. The
one in Ephesians pertains to that most central of events, as well. Lets go back to Ephesians now.
[Return to Ephesians]
In verse 9, Paul uses three words that all share a similar meaning purpose but each shows a slightly
different facet of the concept. The Greek words translated will, good pleasure and purposed all
speak of Gods purposes; His plans.
Paul is saying that God, in His wise judgment, with good intention (good pleasure), has revealed to
believers that which was previously a mystery: His purpose (will), a certain purpose, which He had
designed beforehand (purposed) in Him in Christ.
We have previously learned that God chose us beforehand in Christ before the foundation of the world
to be His adopted sons. What Paul is revealing here is that God has a plan of even greater scope than that,
which also centers upon Christ; that is to say, it will be brought to fruition in Him in Christ.
What is this plan? We read of it in verse 10: that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times the Father
might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in
Christ.
What does this mean? Well, we need to start with the word dispensation here, because without
understand it in this context, we cant really grasp the full meaning.

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To some, the word dispensation has a specific theological meaning, and it would certainly skew this
passage, if we were to go there. So well start with the Greek meaning instead. The word actually means
administration or stewardship. It speaks of the responsibility of one who administers a household; who
sees to the implementation of all the developments in it; who manages and controls it; the work of the head
of a household.
Now, the word is being used metaphorically here; there is no actual household being spoken of, is there?
No. But there is something that we can see which could be considered like a household, a very giant one,
with all of its interwoven events and developments; and there is Someone who is administering, or
managing it.
Who is doing the administering? God is; the Father. He is the one with the authority, the rule. And what
does He rule over? The entire universe; Paul writes, all things all things in heaven and all things on
earth. This is referring to every created thing; everything apart from God Himself. Thats His household,
so to speak; thats what He administrates; He governs; He rules.
Now, there is a phrase added on to dispensation which qualifies it to us, in a particular way. What is the
whole phrase? The dispensation of the fullness of the times.
Times here does not speak of chronological times, but decisive times, in the fulfillment of the purposes of
God. God is ruling over the universe, managing all of its events and developments, as He has always been.
From age to age, God has been working all things, throughout the entire universe, to bring His purposes to
pass, and most specifically and centrally, His purpose in Christ for the whole universe all of creation.
This purpose for the universe, in Christ, is actually stated in verse 10 can you find it? That He might
gather together in one all things in Christ.
That term, gather together in one, is one word in the Greek. It literally means to sum up, as an orator
does at the close of his discourse; giving the main point. In the NT, it has the meaning of collecting under
one head. The word here speaks of the unity of all things, in Christ; and it also speaks of the headship of
Christ, over all things.
Paul also wrote about this purpose in his letter to the Colossians, where we can glean a little more
understanding. Turn to Colossians chapter 1. Remember that Paul wrote this letter shortly before or
concurrent to his general letter to the assemblies that we are studying.
A report had come to Paul from Colosse that assemblies in that region had been subject to some false
teaching. Paul wrote this letter to establish these assemblies in the truth. This letter particularly
emphasizes the person of Christ, and the centrality of His position in the purposes of God. After writing of
the Father and His plan of redemption, Paul speaks of the Son of Gods love (v. 13), in whom that plan was
realized.
[Colossians 1:15-20]
v. 15 To say that the Son is the image of God is to say that in Him, the being of God has been perfectly
revealed Spirit being of Deity making the invisible God, visible.

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Paul indicates that the Son is also the firstborn over all creation, or before all creation. The idea is of the
Son in His preeminence, as the heir Gods firstborn who was the Son before any created thing was
brought into existence. This makes it clear that the Son was preexistent; that is, He existed before time
began; He is an eternal being. That is only true of God.
v. 16 Here we have all things again, with the same meaning as in our passage in Ephesians. This is the
entire created universe, both in heaven and on earth. Notice Paul says that by Him the Son all things
were created. What does that make Him? The Creator.
And Paul also says that all things were created through Him He was instrumental to the Father in the
creation of the world. All of the Fathers plans are realized in His Christ, including creation.
Finally, Paul says all things were created for Him. They exist for His good pleasure; they can only find the
true purpose for their existence in Him, their fulfillment in Him. In a sense, the Son is both their beginning
and their end.
v. 17 Again, Paul maintains that the Son was before all things, which shows His priority and superiority
over His creation. And Paul adds, in Him all things consist. Not only did the Son bring creation into
existence, He maintains His creation; He upholds it; He sustains it. Clearly, the Son is omnipotent God.
v. 18 Paul now moves on from creation to the new creation. As the Head of His Body, the true Church,
Christ is being shown here in His preeminence as the source of its life - eternal life.
Paul says that Christ is the beginning. The beginning of what? Of a new creation. Notice that Paul again
names Christ as the firstborn, as he did in verse 15. There, Christ was the firstborn over all creation. But
here, He is the firstborn from what? From the dead.
What Paul is saying is that through His resurrection, the risen Christ became the firstborn of a whole new
creation the beginning of a creation that is in Him. In both the original creation, and the new creation that
is in Him truly the Son has the preeminence.
v. 19-20 Looking ahead to chapter 2, verse 9, we see that when Paul writes of all the fullness dwelling
in Christ, he is referring to the fullness of the Godhead, dwelling in bodily form in Christ; Jesus is God,
who inhabited a body of mortal flesh.
Verse 20 provides us with more of an understanding of the purposes of the Father for the universe, which
are realized in Christ. In a word, what is it that the Father has planned? Reconciliation; of all things to
Himself, the Father through Christ. All things in heaven, and all things on earth, will finally be
reconciled to God the Father.
And it is the Father who will make that peace. How? Through the blood of His cross the cross of
Christ.
We have a couple of additional ideas here that shed light on our passage in Ephesians. First, we had
learned from Ephesians that the Fathers purpose for the created universe is to gather together in one all
things in Christ. Now here, we learn that this unity and completion will take the form of a reconciliation of
all things to the Father. And, that reconciliation comes in the same way that it came to men through the
cross of Christ.

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Through the blood of the cross, all things will be at peace with God. This means that all things do not have
peace with God now. And that is true, isnt it?
It began with a rebellion against God in the angelic realm, when Lucifer aspired to be like the Most High
God, the possessor of heaven and earth (Is 14:12-15). He tempted the first man and woman to transgress
the express command of God, which they did, in rebellion against their Creator (Gen 3:6). Their sin
brought death into the world, and death passed upon all mankind (Rm 5:12); and further, it passed upon all
the earthly creation (Gen 3:17-19).
But the Father always knew that His created beings would rebel against Him. Before He ever created the
heavens and the earth, He planned to send His Son, through whom the Father would reconcile His entire
creation to Himself.
It would be accomplished in the fullness of the times decisive times when everything that the Father had
fixed by His own authority had run its course. Lets consider some of these decisive times, in the
fulfillment of the purposes of God.
God created the first man and woman; mankind. They were created as beings in earthen vessels. But
because the man and the woman sinned, they defiled their earthen vessels.
God knew this always intending through His first couple to simply bring more men into the world
through them men born dead and in the dark to God, but capable of receiving the light of Life His
Christ.
God shared the good news of His Coming Christ with the first couple, who received His Life and could
then share the good news with others. And they did. The righteousness of God was revealed from faith to
faith (Rm 1:17).
But as mankind began to multiply on the face of the earth, they showed themselves to be corrupt; that every
intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually (Gen 6:5). In addition to this, angelic beings
did not keep their proper domain (Jude 6), in the heavens, but came to earth and procreated with human
beings, further corrupting the earthly creation (Gen 6:1-2, 4).
God always knew this, as well. He cast the angels down, delivering them into chains of darkness, to be
reserved for judgment (2 Pet 2:4). Then God washed the earth clean with a flood, preserving the one
righteous man that remained Noah and his family.
These eight people began again, this time with government, which God appointed as a means of restraining
the evil in mens hearts, so that the creation of mankind might fulfill the command of God to be fruitful, to
multiply and to fill the earth.
But as mankind multiplied into many families, they united in rebellion against God. Refusing to fill the
earth, as God had commanded to Noah (Gen 9:7), they instead elected to remain in one place, and build a
city and a tower, and make a name for themselves (Gen 11:1-4).
God always knew that the families of the earth would do this; and what did He do? He confused their
language, so that they couldnt understand one another; and He scattered them abroad, across the face of
the earth (Gen 11:7-9) which resulted in them filling the earth, as He had intended. And in the locations
that God apportioned to them (Deut 32:8), the families grew into nations.

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With the nations having rebelled against Him, God chose one man Abraham and made for Himself from
Abraham a nation the nation Israel. Then the LORD offered Himself to His nation, Israel, on the basis of
His eternal covenant His Christ (Ex 19:5-6).
But Israel rejected the LORD, choosing to enter into a covenant of works, instead (Ex 24:7-8). This they
quickly broke, but they persisted in their rebellion against the LORD, opting for the form of religion rather
than the substance of a relationship.
The LORD knew this too and He put Israel under the Law, which served to keep them a separated people;
for even though Israel refused to have a relationship with the LORD, the LORD would still work through
Israel to bring forth His Christ into the world.
Israel persisted in her lawlessness, so the LORD put her under judges, as His representatives to the people.
But the people refused to obey their voice, and asked to have a king, like all the other nations (1 Sam 8:1920), never considering that they already had a King the LORD.
Nonetheless, the LORD gave them the desire of their heart, a king just like that of all the other nations
Saul. And when that king proved to be an unfit ruler, God gave them a man after His own heart David.
David followed the LORD, and Israel was united as one kingdom under his rule. But Davids son Solomon
turned to other gods, and according to the LORDs judgment, the kingdom was torn from the hand of
Solomon, during the reign of his son.
The ten tribes taken away from Solomon were ruled over by wicked kings, who took the people into
idolatry. In like manner, Judah and Benjamin, who continued to be ruled by Davids descendants,
eventually pursued false gods, as well. Both came under the judgment of God for their rebellion against
Him, being taken into captivity by enemy nations.
But the LORD knew this, as well, didnt He? And meanwhile, the LORD, having appointed David as ruler
over Israel, established His throne through Davids Seed forever - through Christ - for the kingdom of God
on earth (2 Sam 7:8-16).
In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman the nation Israel born under the Law
(Gal 4:4). Here was Gods second man, the Lord from heaven, who would succeed where mankind had
failed in His perfect obedience. And it was through His obedience unto death, the death of the cross, that
the Father would reconcile all things to Himself.
How? It would begin with men. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God provided the means
through which men could become His righteous sons. Then through these righteous ones, God could
extend His message to the whole world be reconciled to God.
Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Paul wrote of this ministry of reconciliation.
[2 Cor 5:17-21]
v. 17 The man no longer has his being in Adam, but in Christ.
v. 18 We have peace with God, because we accepted His peace terms Christ. Now we can extend that
message to others.

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10

v. 19 Notice how it is the Father, who though Christ, reconciles men to Himself. Christ is the one who
brings His plans to pass. The Father doesnt impute sins to the man who has accepted Christ as His
substitute; his sins were nailed to the cross with Christ (Col 2:14).
v. 20-21 Now God works through us, through His Spirit in us, to reconcile men to Himself, to share with
them the good news of how they can have the righteousness of God in Christ.
This is the message of the gospel, going out to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8), during this time,
the church age. Those who embrace the good news are added to the true church; and when the church is
complete, Christ will come and gather us to Himself, and take us to our heavenly home.
And then what will happen? Seven years of tribulation will commence on earth a fiery trial. During that
time, Satan and his demonic angels will be cast out of heaven (Rev 12:7-9). The heavens will be
completely cleansed of any defilement (Rev 21:1-3).
Those angels who remain in heaven will be at peace with God as they always have been. And the church
will be in the heavenly Jerusalem as the Lambs wife - all of whom have been reconciled to God. So all
created beings that remain in the heavens both the angelic creation, and the church are at peace with
God - one with Him. The heavenly realm is established.
Meanwhile, the tribulation on earth will prove to be a cleansing by fire. It will cause the remnant of Israel
that remains to repent as a nation, and receive Jesus as their Messiah as He returns - His Second Coming to
the earth. In believing, the entire nation that remains will be born in a day, the regenerate nation of Israel,
completely reconciled to God - one with Him.
The nations will be judged, and all the rebels will be destroyed. Those invited to enter the earthly kingdom
will come under the rule of the Shepherd King, Jesus, who will have returned to the earth to rule and reign
for 1000 years a kingdom of perfect peace and righteousness.
By the end of the thousand year reign of Christ, the earth will be filled with men, all of whom are
reconciled to God. All will have accepted Gods peace terms - the blood of the cross of Christ. Then the
kingdom of God will be established - on earth as it is in heaven; and God will have His kingdom of sons,
who are all one with Him, in Christ.
Paul wrote of this to the church in Rome. Turn to Romans chapter 8. Paul speaks here of humanity - all
mankind - as the creation, like a woman who will give birth.
[Romans 8:19-23]
v. 19 Gods creation of humanity is like an expectant mother, waiting to give birth. To what? To sons of
God; glorified sons, for Gods kingdom.
v. 20-21 the futility to which the creation of humanity was subjected is death, through the sin of the first
man - death is the bondage of corruption.
God subjected humanity to death, but He gave them a hope - the hope of eternal life - through the
deliverance from death by the second man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Through believing into Christ, men are
reborn, as children of God. And humanity, like a mother, is looking forward to that deliverance.

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11

v. 22-23 Paul is describing human suffering to be like the labor pains of a mother, ready to give birth. The
we in verse 23 are those who have believed into Christ - the Body of Christ.
We believers have the firstfruits of the Spirit - we already have eternal life - but were still suffering, as we
wait for our bodies to be redeemed - that is, delivered from death. When we are delivered, we will be the
first glorified sons of the kingdom, from humanity.
Glorified sons for the earthly kingdom will follow, and then the creation - humanity - will have her
expectation realized; she will have her sons. All will have been reconciled to God, through believing into
Christ.
Paul speaks of this ultimate accomplishment of God to have all things in subjection to Christ in his first
retained letter to Corinth. Turn to First Corinthians 15. Paul was writing about the certainty of the
resurrection of mans body - based on the resurrection of Christ.
[First Corinthians 15:20-28]
v. 20 Remember the firstfruits is the promise of a future harvest. The resurrection of Christ in a body of
glory is the guarantee that all who sleep in Christ - that is, all who died believing in Him through all time that they all will be raised in a body of glory as well.
v. 21-22 Here are Gods two men, His whole plan for sons will be realized - Adam and Christ.
Paul now continues to speak of the sons who will occupy the earthly realm, which will complete the plan of
God for a kingdom in two realms - in heaven and on earth. The heavenly sons - the church - are spoken of
by Paul later in the chapter (v. 51-58).
v. 23 Paul is talking about the earthly kingdom here. So those who are Christs at His coming refers to His
return to the earth, to set up His Kingdom. Those resurrected at that time will be the OT saints and the
Tribulation martyrs - the resurrection of life (Jn 5:29).
v. 24-26 The end spoken of here by Paul is the end of Gentile dominion; it ends when Jesus sets up His
kingdom, God having put all enemies under His feet. Deaths dominion over mankind also comes to an
end, through the resurrection of life.
v. 27-28 The Father will have gathered together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and
which are on earth - as Christ reigns in perfect righteousness and peace, on into eternity.
Everything that is not of God will be done away with. All of humanity will be reconciled to God; at peace
with Him. They will be one as God is one, in unity with Christ, in subjection to Christ, under the Father.
Every knee shall bow (Phil 2:10). God will be all, in all.
This is the mystery of Gods will, His great, ultimate purpose, that in His wisdom and prudence, He has
made known to us, the true church. Why did He choose to share it? Because we are in the work with the
Lord, in the implementation of this plan through our ministry of reconciliation. The Lord wants us to
know just what it is we are working toward, with Him as laborers together with the Lord so we have His
perspective on things all things.
Next week: Eph 1, Col 1-2, 2 Cor 5:1-9, Rm 8:14-18.