Chapter 12 | Revelations to the Apostle Paul

To follow Paul into the depth of the riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God to which he aspired, we must first enumerate the many challenging ideas which formed the basis of his ministry to the Gentiles of the known world. As previously stated, one cannot successfully walk this pathway without first seeking God’s Holy Spirit to serve as a guide. This is a vital component which will be repeated throughout the book.

Each presupposition is labeled for future reference. This is necessary since some will be explored in depth in this chapter, while others will be detailed in subsequent chapters.

P1 – The New Creation in Christ was established before the foundations of the world

Though the gospel proclaims Christ, the Messiah, as the Son of God and the Son of Man, Paul goes further and recognizes the resurrected Christ as the first of a new creation:

• The firstborn among many brethren[1]
• The firstborn among the dead[2]
• A life-giving Spirit[3]
• Born not from the dust, but from heaven[4]
• The author of eternal salvation[5]
• The source of eternal life and immortality[6]

 

None of these characteristics of Christ should be all that surprising. What may come as a surprise is that the work of Christ was no afterthought. It was never the hastily prepared solution to the weakness of Adam and Eve or the deception of the serpent. The work of Christ was established before the foundations of the world were set in place.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

 

To those he has chosen,[7] God makes known the mystery of his will and intention, established in the work of Christ;[8]

• A plan to be worked out in the fullness of time.
• So that Christ might unite all things in heaven and on earth.

 

In this plan is the hope of eternal life, which God promised before the ages began. Though only known in part for a time, God would manifest this hope through the word of his gospel and in the person of Yeshua the Christ.[9]

Presuppositions Shape our View

In light of the work of Christ as the firstborn of the new creation, and seeing that God established that work before the world was formed, surely this must change our view of creation, the events of the garden, and all that follows. Considering God’s willingness to suffer the disobedience of humanity,[10] it was always his expectation, if not his intention, that Adam and Eve partake of the tree of knowledge before partaking of the tree of life. Paul, however, hints toward his understanding of this in his discourse on the means by which we partake of the tree of life through the resurrection established in Christ. He echoes the creation process intended by God before the world was formed.

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. (1 Corinthians 15:42-46)

 

We’ll consider in detail the impact this presupposition has on the creation and the events of the garden in a later chapter of this section.

P2 – Humanity and Creation are subjected to futility in hope

In Romans 8, Paul introduced the concept of creation being subjected to futility, to share in the corruption (disobedience) to which humanity was likewise subjected. As we shall see, all this God does in hope.[11]

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)

 

There is much here to unpack, but let’s focus on a few key points and build from there:

• The creation was subjected to futility, not by its own choice, but by the sovereign will of God.
• The creation waits, in hope, with eager longing, for the sons of glory to be revealed.
• Like the sons of glory, the creation also awaits its freedom from bondage to corruption.

Purpose Behind Futility

Just as the firstborn of many brethren was intended before the world began, so also was God’s willingness and long-suffering to subject that world to futility in order to achieve his purpose; to bring many sons and daughters to glory. To see the world subjected to futility and stop there would be similar to asking how a just and loving God can allow evil in the world. The answers aren’t simplistic, and require a depth of understanding of all that God is working out in Christ. This book seeks to add to that understanding as it is reflected by the authors of scripture, unfiltered by modern perspectives.

 

Paul hints at part of the explanation in his first statement – I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. In one context, it has already been revealed to us in Christ our Lord. We’re trusting in this context that works toward the fullness of that glory yet to be achieved in us.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:16-17)

 

Just as Christ put the suffering of the cross before the glory of the crown,[12] so he expects all who will follow in this path to do the same. The bondage to corruption is part of the suffering to which all creation, humanity included, is subject. Note that in both cases, it is by the grace and will of God that our Lord and Savior gained victory over death and corruption, and by the same grace, so will all who surrender to Christ.[13]

 

It has always been God’s will that his creation share in the corruption to which humanity was likewise subjected. It was not an afterthought. As Paul declares in Romans 11:32;

• God has consigned (committed, bound, imprisoned) all to disobedience
• that he might have mercy on all

 

To understand this better, we need to see the full story of the work of God in Christ wrapped within the context of the mystery of God as outlined previously. This is the story we will explore in more detail as we look into the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.[14]

Not Without Hope

As Jesus Christ is his witness, God did not subject the world to futility, in futility, but in hope. The faithfulness of God to accomplish in us what he has completed in Christ is proven by his work in the Blessed Redeemer. Yet God demonstrated this hopefulness even before the appearance of Yeshua the Christ by the generous workings of his hands, even clothing Adam and Eve in tunics or robes[15] as they were placed outside the walled garden. Though they, and all since, were unfaithful in trusting God, he remains faithful, and has made himself known first through the creation, then through the Son of Man.[16]

 

Though the corruption and decay introduced to the world at creation continues even today, the creation remains hopeful in the one who created it and subjected it:[17]

• That the creation will be set free from its bondage to corruption
• To finally obtain the glorious freedom extended to the children of God

 

Subjected together, we likewise groan together; each enduring and trusting in the faithfulness of him who subjected both.

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. (Romans 8:22-24a)

Freedom From Corruption

Though both suffer, God, in his faithfulness, has given hope to both. Those who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, hope for the complete redemption of our souls in Christ,[18] and for the rest of creation, the redemption of the world which will follow afterward.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. (Revelation 21:1)

 

Because the pathway to reconciliation was paved in Christ our Lord before Adam was even formed, we can be sure the events of the garden were not a surprise, but according to God’s will and purpose to bring many children from dust to glory.

P3 – God’s Righteous Judgment ends in mercy, not wrath

The enormity of Paul’s realization, which we only touched on previously, where he sees the conclusion of the disobedience to which humanity is consigned, leaves him stunned and in awe of God’s wisdom and judgment.

For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor?”

“Or who has given a gift to him

that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.
Amen. (Romans 11:32-36)

 

In response to the insight Paul grasps of the work in Christ for Jew and Gentile alike, he rightly launches into an impassioned expression of praise. He sees not only the grace and mercy to be extended to both groups in spite of their disobedience, but the interconnecting relationship between them through uniquely different routes and a similar process of redemption. Here Paul realizes the impact this declaration has on the entirety of God’s work to complete his creation and bring many children to glory. As a key element of God’s righteous judgment, it expresses the reality where the grace of God is greater than the sin (disobedience) of mankind.[19]

 

The Bible commentary Barnes’ Notes on the Bible begins to touch on this when addressing the depth of the riches, and the wisdom, and the knowledge of God expressed in Romans 11:33. Let me quote it at length in order to bring out several points worth discussing.

“The wisdom – Wisdom is the choice of the best means to accomplish the best ends. The end or design which God had in view was to bestow mercy on all; i. e., to save people by grace, and not by their own works; Romans 11:32. He intended to establish a glorious system that should present his mercy as the prominent attribute, standing out in living colors in all the scheme of salvation. This was to be alike shown in relation to Jews and Gentiles. The wonderful wisdom with which this was done is the object of the apostle’s profound admiration. This wisdom was seen,

(1) In adapting the plan to the condition of man. All were sinners. The apostle in this Epistle has fully shown that all had come short of the glory of God. Man had no power to save himself by his own wisdom. The Jews and Gentiles in different ways had sought to justify themselves, and both had failed. God had suffered both to make the experiment in the most favorable circumstances. He had left the world for four thousand years to make the trial, and then introduced the plan of divine wisdom, just so as to meet the manifest wants and woes of people.

(2) this was shown in his making the Jews the occasion of spreading the system among the Gentiles. They were cast off, and rejected; but the God of wisdom had made even this an occasion of spreading his truth.

(3) the same wisdom was yet to be seen in his appointing the Gentiles to carry the gospel back to the Jews. Thus, they were to be mutual aids; until all their interests should be blended, and the entire race should be united in the love of the same gospel, and the service of the same God and Savior. When, therefore, this profound and wonderful plan is contemplated, and its history traced from the commencement to the end of time, no wonder that the apostle was fixed in admiration at the amazing wisdom of him who devised it, and who has made all events subservient to its establishment and spread among people.

And knowledge – That is, foreknowledge, or omniscience. This knowledge was manifest,

(1) In the profound view of man, and acquaintance with all his wants and woes.

(2) in a view of the precise scheme that would be suited to recover and save.

(3) in a view of the time and circumstances in which it would be best to introduce the scheme.

(4) in a discernment of the effect of the rejection of the Jews, and of the preaching of the gospel among the Gentiles.

Who but God could see that such effects would follow the rejection of the Jews? Who but he could know that the gospel should yet prevail among all the nations? We have only to think of the changes in human affairs; the obstacles to the gospel; the difficulties to be surmounted; and the vast work yet to be done, to be amazed at the knowledge which can adapt such a scheme to people, and which can certainly predict its complete and final spread among all the families of man.”

 

Let’s consider a few of the points raised in the commentary that reflect well the scope of Paul’s understanding and the depth of context to which he has reached.

• As we saw in Romans 8, the disobedient and sinful state that came upon humanity was not something for which God was unprepared. The solution would not lie in humanity’s ability to attain its own righteousness, but in God’s ability to lead those willing to exercise his gift of faith into his righteousness.[20]
• Some of the descendants of Jacob (Israel) and Judah, called and chosen of God, are now given over to their disobedience and cut off through unbelief and idolatry. Yet this is not the conclusion to their fate.[21]

 

While some of the Gentiles, who’ve dwelt in unbelief and embraced idolatry as a result of their ignorance of God, now find themselves exposed to the grace and mercy of God through the work of the Lamb of God.[22]

 

There’s a certain irony in the chosen of Israel becoming unchosen, and the unchosen nations are now among the chosen. Remember that it is only a minority of each group, Israel and Gentile, that are called to be chosen at this time. From all those of the descendants of Jacob (Israel) who were once called chosen, only some have been cut off, not all.[23] This temporary stumbling of the majority of Israel and Judah only results in highlighting the grace of God toward the remnant in Israel who do continue in faith.[24]

 

Similarly, it is only a remnant of the nations (Gentiles) who are now called into faith as an expression of God’s grace and mercy. Christ ends the use of the law for claims of personal righteousness for all those who believe, whether Jew or Gentile.[25]

• As the commentator noted – “When, therefore, this profound and wonderful plan is contemplated, and its history traced from the commencement to the end of time, no wonder that the apostle was fixed in admiration at the amazing wisdom of him who devised it,” So it is into the devising of this plan that we’ll delve further, in an attempt to broaden the context of scripture sufficiently to add greater clarity to the work of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Yet for all the insight noted here, I would suggest, and scripture confirms, there is room to go deeper still into the riches of God’s wisdom; all the way back to creation and to the events of the Garden, as a necessary process to achieve the new creation of which Paul is now an ardent advocate.

P4 – The Mystery of God in Christ

As we’ve already seen, the mystery of God is a large topic. The apostle Paul, throughout his writings, takes a deeper dive into the mystery while keeping his focal point on Yeshua the Christ. This is entirely appropriate since it is the work of God in Christ that has revealed a new and greater work than what was done in Israel under the law. The one was a guide to the greater, that being Christ. The incarnation of Christ as the Son of God revealed many new and hidden things:

• The complete removal of sin. Yeshua the Christ did what the law could never do.[26]
• He became our righteousness through his trust and obedience to the law of the Spirit and the will of God.[27]
• He became sin and condemned it so that it would no longer be a source of shame and condemnation for us.[28]
• He revealed to a world in darkness the light and power and faithfulness of the unseen God.[29]
• He revealed peace between Jew and Gentile through the unity of faith in the One, True God, and his Son Yeshua.[30]
• He gave us his Spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind, making in us a new heart. It has the power to lead us daily into the obedience of faith.[31]
• He revealed the assurance and guarantee of a glorious inheritance in the kingdom of God, a kingdom which has no end.[32]
• He revealed the completion of a new creation; bringing many sons and daughters from the incomplete, imperfect, and mortal nature of the physical realm into the complete image of God; the perfect righteousness of Christ and the eternal life that only comes through the last Adam.[33]

How was the Mystery Achieved?

The mystery of God in Christ was in process before the first Adam, and finds its completion after the revelation of the last Adam. It is achieved through what Paul calls the fullness of time, and includes our time forward until Christ hands the kingdom over to the Father.

Through the Fullness of Time

It was God’s will and purpose in Christ to redeem his children through his blood, according to the richness of his grace.[34] To be chosen in Christ, as holy and blameless and predestined for adoption, asserts the redemptive role of Christ was established before the foundation of the world was laid, before humanity existed.[35]

• In this way, it was clearly the will of God
• Though hidden in a mystery until the Son of Man was revealed
• A plan for the fullness of time, including our time, to bring many sons and daughters from dust to glory
• That is our inheritance, prepared in advance for us in Christ our Lord.

Through a Designated Order

The mystery of God was achieved through a designed order in the process of creation; beginning with the physical/natural realm and culminating in the spiritual.[36]

Through Chaos

It was achieved through the chaos inherent in the physical realm. God freely subjected his creation to futility, knowing the fruit of it will lead many sons and daughters from dust to glory.[37] God’s power over chaos as a basis for developing our trust is shown repeatedly in our history. One example that connects both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is Israel’s exodus from Egypt and passing through the sea; a source of death to them. Yet in God’s hands, it was a source of life and salvation. The same could be said for the prophet Daniel’s friends who chose loyalty to God over worshipping others. Their walk through the fire was more than symbolic. It was another expression of God’s power over the elements of chaos for our benefit and for achieving his will through men and women. As great as these examples are, they pale in comparison to the work yet to be achieved. All Israel will see a greater exodus than that out of Egypt,[38] and all the world will be renewed through fire.[39] Such is the will and power of God to lead many sons and daughters from the mist and the dust into glory.

Through Disobedience

It was achieved through disobedience. As we’ll see, the expression of free will by Adam and Eve, though it came through disobedience, is as essential to human development into the full “image and likeness of God” as is the free will expression of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God.[40] It’s a prodigal creation that leads to a reconciled world only through Christ our Lord.

Through Death

Death and decay (the first death common to mankind) were an integral part of the initial creation. Just as visible light is a part of the life-giving force on the planet, it is also a contributor to the death and decay by its invisible rays; x-rays, gamma rays, and ultra-violet rays which all contribute to the death and decay in the natural world. This inherent chaotic element is only one way in which God subjected his creation to futility even before Adam was placed in the garden of Eden.

Through Resurrection

It’s God’s wisdom and power over death that shows his faithfulness in bringing many sons and daughters from dust to glory. He will bring them from the kernel, planted in the very dust of the physical realm, and will harvest the full and glorious body of his children through the resurrection of the perishable to the imperishable, and the mortal to the immortal. This is consistent with the process of physical/natural creation coming first to be followed by the spiritual, and the connection between the first Adam and the last Adam.[41]

Through the Knowledge of Good and Evil

Another aspect of the futility which God subjected the world to and a chaotic element of morality is the co-existence of good and evil. To lead his children into the “image and likeness of God” requires the same context in which God reigns, acts, and has his being; in the context of good and evil.[42] This context allows the fullest expression of God’s character and faithfulness and comes through an expression of his free will. To achieve a similar character and likeness for his children requires the same parameters of free will and choice and the context of the knowledge of good and evil in which to exercise that choice.

P5 – The Son of God succeeded where Adam could not

In Romans 7 and 8, Paul expands on the contrast he establishes in Romans 5 and 6; the contrast between death as a result of sin, and eternal life brought to us through Yeshua the Christ. This is summarized in Romans 6.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

Death in Adam

As Romans 7 shows, along with this contrast between death and eternal life, there lies a contrast of the motivators which lead to their respective ends. Adam and all those who followed him, save one, are held captive to the sin that dwells in them. This sin, made obvious by the commandment, deceives us, and as a result, leads to death. Paul recounts his condition, our condition, and even Adam and Eve’s condition concerning the effect of the commandment:

• Where there is no law, no commandment, there is no sin[43]
• For Adam, the very commandment – “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat,” promised life, but brought death.[44] How did it do this? The sin in him seized an opportunity by opposing the commandment and deceived him.[45]
• As a result, the sin exposed through the commandment leads to death.[46]
• Through the commandment, sin might be shown to be sin; that is, we might see sin for what it is.[47]
• Confession of sin precedes, or accompanies, repentance.[48]
• The law and the commandment are spiritual.[49] They lead us to a spiritual end in Christ.[50]

 

Given free will, however, and the choice between life and death,[51] the flesh is destined to sin.[52] In this, Adam was not unique. All share in the dust of Adam, the flesh and blood of mortality, and all share in the free will and self-determination that comes with being human. It is this nature that we’re called to overcome in Christ.[53]

Eternal Life in Christ

Paul continues to lead us to the precipice of the reality that confronts each one of us when we stand face-to-face with the grace of God – Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?[54] He then graciously answers that question for us in Romans 8.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)

 

Let’s stop and observe what Paul is revealing:

• As it comes through resurrection, Christ is our source of eternal life beyond death, the first death common to man. But it doesn’t end there.
• Christ is the source of complete freedom from the law of sin and death, condemning sin in the flesh (vs 2-3).
• As long as we walk according to the Spirit of life in Christ and not according to the flesh. This shows the conditional nature of the gift we’ve received.[55]
• All who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

 

We see that for now, we are set free from the law of sin and death in Christ. When we live again and are resurrected, it will not be in the flesh but in the fullness of the Spirit, a Spirit that is no longer subject to the second death.[56] The eternal life that we gain in Christ through the first resurrection also assures our victory over the second death of judgment.[57]

The Significance of the Spirit

A consistent and vital thread running through the works of Christ in us and for us is God’s Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that continues the work of righteousness, justification, and glorification in each of those called into Christ our Lord. What we should not overlook is how that Spirit works with our spirit.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
(Romans 8:14-17)

 

Let’s connect this with what Paul teaches elsewhere:

• It is the spirit (mind) of man that knows the things of man.[58]
• It is the Spirit of God that knows the deep things of God.[59]
• The Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and co-heirs with Christ our Lord.

 

This affirms what Paul was saying earlier in Romans 7 about the fruit of our lives in Christ is to God and not to the law to which we’ve died. Our service to God is in the law of the Spirit written on our hearts, not according to the law written on stone.[60]

Physical First, Spiritual Second

When considered in its entirety, from the sin of Adam to the immortality in Christ, Paul explains a vital part of the process by which Christ succeeds where Adam could not.

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being [soul]”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. (1 Corinthians 15:45-46)

 

It was never intended for Adam to secure the way to the tree of life for all humanity. That was established for Yeshua the Christ before the world was formed. It was always Adam’s role to lead humanity into the one characteristic of God suitable to the mortality of the flesh – the knowledge of good and evil.[61] It was always Christ’s role to overcome the weakness inherent in the first Adam and provide the pathway back to the second characteristic of God that humanity lacked and could never attain on its own – eternal life. This will be examined more thoroughly in the next section.

P6 – The Significance and Supremacy of Christ

The distinction between Adam and Christ couldn’t be greater. Adam came from the dust, a mortal living being. Yeshua the Christ, born of God’s Spirit, became a life-giving Spirit. Christ alone is the visible image of the invisible God. He is the first fulfillment of humanity bearing the complete image of God, whereas Adam left the garden still incomplete.

The Firstborn to Glory

Paul elaborates further on the distinctiveness of Christ our Lord in his letter to the Colossians.[62]

• The Son of God is the firstborn to glory from all creation
• By him all things were created:

• In heaven and on earth
• Visible and invisible
• Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities
• All things were created through him and for him

• He is before all things
• By him, all things are held together
• He is the head of his body of believers
• He is the firstborn from the dead – resurrected to glory
• The fullness of God dwelt in him

• To reconcile all things to himself
• Both in heaven and on earth
• Bringing peace by the blood of the cross

 

Note especially that Christ is the means to reconcile all things; humanity and the whole creation, though both were subjected to corruption. He reconciles them to himself, and he does this through the grace and mercy of God in peace, not through condemnation.

One Dies for All

God’s gift of grace does not come upon anyone because of the righteousness they possess, but because of the faithfulness of God and his work in Christ for us and in us.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
(2 Corinthians 5:14-17)

 

The supreme point Paul is reaching for here is the significance of Christ’s work in that he died for all. Since Christ died for all sinners and wicked in the world, all these have already died to their sin and satisfy the wages of sin.[63] Those called by God have the distinct awareness of the work of Christ on their behalf brought to light. All others are simply unaware of Christ’s sacrifice or have not accepted it. Paul begins to see that time is what separates one from the other, a time of God’s choosing. Each is intended to become a new creation in Christ, and since Christ died for all, each must be viewed within that potential context.

So that Many could Follow

Paul goes on to explain that the remaining work of Christ and his priesthood is to lead as many of the others who will follow into reconciliation with, and obedience to, God.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

 

It is only through Christ that this needed reconciliation comes. In Christ, God is willing to not count their trespass against them. He likewise entrusts this message of reconciliation to the very recipients of his reconciliation; his firstfruits of salvation.[64] Those who are the first are not the only.

 

For now, Christ has bridged the gap, initiated by Adam, to complete the new creation by becoming the sin which condemned us – For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.[65]

 

God shows his faithfulness by making the way for all those guilty of unrighteousness to find the righteousness available through Christ. Whether Jew or Gentile, God’s righteousness is manifested through faith in Christ for all who believe. There is no distinction; Jew or Greek, past, present, or future. This righteousness is attributed through faith as a gift to some now and to others later.[66]

The Source of Our Eternal Inheritance

The whole promise of the good news of the kingdom of God is manifest in Christ our Lord. He is the source of eternal life and immortality, and it is only through him and a resurrection like his that we inherit his kingdom.[67] The contrast throughout all of scripture, old and new, is between death for those made from the dust of the ground and the hope of immortality made available to all in the work of Yeshua the Christ; death in first Adam,[68] eternal life and immortality through the last Adam.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:7-14)

 

Let’s look a little closer at the insight Paul is sharing with the Ephesians.

• That Christ is the source of our redemption is core to the gospel. Paul goes on to show, in part, how that comes about.

• Through the mystery of God in Christ
• Through a plan which spans the fullness of time; from the beginning of creation to the point where Christ hands the completed kingdom over to his Father[69]

• Any inheritance we hope to attain is only available in Christ our Lord
• Those called now into that inheritance are the first to hope in Christ, not the only

• We’re sealed (marked) with the Holy Spirit
• The Spirit is the guarantor of our inheritance until we take possession of it

 

The question of when we receive this inheritance isn’t left unanswered. Paul continues in Ephesians 1 with the same answer brought by the gospel of the kingdom of God.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:17-21 emphasis mine)

 

That inheritance comes through the death experienced by the first Adam and is manifested for Christ’s faithful servants at the resurrection of the firstfruits of salvation.[70] Blessed are those who have a part in the first resurrection.[71]

P7 – The Spiritual comes after the Physical (Natural)

The goal for the work of Christ in us and for us is not only to develop in God’s children the mind of Christ but also to develop the character of Christ. This is one of the products, the fruit, of the Holy Spirit. Paul reflects on this Spiritual activity in many places,[72] keeping in mind that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for our own good, but also for the common good. So let’s look closer at the scope and purpose for this Spiritual connection.

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, (Ephesians 4:13-15)

 

Here, Paul lays out some goals that are part of the eternal purpose being realized through the work of Christ on earth and in heaven.[73] Those now being called into Christ:

• Attain to the unity of the faith
• Grow into the knowledge of the Son of God
• To maturity, it’s a process
• Our measure for growth is the stature and maturity of Christ

 

Paul then goes on to point out a couple of ways in which we can pursue this process of maturation. It calls for the renewing of our mind. This involves changing our perception from what we’ve learned and experienced in the world to what is revealed in the truth of Christ. It also involves living in the new creation to which Christ has called us, which is created after the likeness of God in his righteousness and holiness.[74] He then continues with specific steps one can take to turn from our old way of thinking to that of emulating Christ.[75] Ephesians 5 and 6 continues further with steps one can take to change and grow in this process of maturation. The challenge comes in recognizing that it’s not just ourselves who are doing the work, nor is it just our inner selves that we’re battling.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

 

Our battle is also with spiritual forces. These rulers and authorities in the unseen realm influence this present darkness. As the days grow more evil, the challenge will be even greater, hence the need to be equipped with the spiritual armor God provides in Christ. It is through the Spirit that God equips us to follow Christ.[76] Yet our victory in Christ is already established, regardless of our individual paths, because his victory has already been attained, according to the will and power of God.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)

 

Paul’s motivation is to lead the Gentiles into obedience to Christ, a spiritual activity, thereby fulfilling the ministry of Christ’s gospel.[77] Our motivation then, having surrendered to the rule of Christ, ought to be to continue to grow in the mind and the maturity of Christ:

• As slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification[78]
• Serving in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of the written law[79]
• This leads us to the end of God’s work in Christ for us; to complete his creation of the children of God, leading many sons and daughters to glory[80]

 

All of this has an underlying purpose in the mystery of God.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)

P8 – Resurrection as a means to Glorification

Of the many things to which Christ has preeminence, perhaps the most significant for us is the one thing that reflects more than any other God’s intent for us.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)

 

Christ alone goes before us so that he can make us in his glorious image and likeness. It is by the work of Christ for us and in us that we are called by God, justified in Christ, and ultimately glorified by him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.[81] Yet how and when shall we attain this glorification? Is it at death? Or, following the example of Christ our Lord, is it at the resurrection of the dead?

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:3-4)

 

Scripture teaches that it is when Christ appears a second time that our inheritance in Christ is actualized.

Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (1 Corinthians 15:49-50)

 

The means to that glorification for the majority of those called, chosen, and faithful comes through the resurrection of the dead, while those who are alive at the time are changed. Our Lord’s trumpet cry will go out, and those dead and asleep in the grave will be resurrected to glory first. Then, faster than the blink of an eye, those who remain alive will be changed, the mortal made immortal.[82]

The nature of the change
From	To
perishable	imperishable
mortal	immortality
death	victory over death

 

It is then that we join him who precedes us; the firstborn to glory.[83] It’s not unreasonable to ask, what does Christ’s work and promise of glorification and immortality say about our current state? Paul outlines this for us in clear detail.

1 Corinthians 15:1-28

• The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the gospel being preached and by which we are being saved (vs 1-2)[84]
• Paul establishes the example in Christ; the evidence and the witnesses to the resurrection (vs 3-11)
• Without the resurrection of Christ, all who sleep in the grave have perished, and will remain there (vs 12-19)
• Christ alone is the first person resurrected to glory (vs 20).
• The only one to ascend into heaven is he who came from heaven.[85]

• By one man came death (Adam)
• By the Son of Man comes the resurrection of the dead (vs 21-22)

• Resurrection is a key part of Christ’s kingdom-building process (vs 23-28)

• Christ is first, the firstfruits offering and the firstfruit of salvation
• Then, at his return, those who belong to him will follow. They too are the firstfruits of salvation.[86] Paul doesn’t elaborate here on those who follow after his saints. We’ve covered this briefly in the first section of the book.

• Christ’s goal is to hand the kingdom over to his Father. To do so, he must first bring all things into subjection to God:

• Destroy every form of rule, authority, and power on earth and in heaven
• All enemies will come under his feet
• The last enemy to be destroyed is death

 

Just from these two sections of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes a clear contrast between our current mortal state and the eternal life and immortality we’re to inherit in Christ when he appears (vs 52). The primary means for attaining that glorified inheritance comes only through the resurrection of the dead. The change for those alive when Christ appears is a type of resurrection as described by the transition a seed goes through to bring about the body buried within the kernel. What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. (vs 35-38,44)

 

Are we to believe that resurrection is the only means to glorification, or does Paul speak of another means? To answer that, we’ll need to review numerous discussions on the subject. Let’s begin in the Acts of the Apostles, where Paul teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope of the resurrection, a gospel and a hope which are also the core of his defense before the Tribune Claudius Lysias, and later the Governor Felix.[87]

Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. (Acts 17:29-34)

 

Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. (Acts 23:6-8)

 

“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’” (Acts 24:14-21)

 

In these previous examples involving his Jewish brethren and their leaders, Paul doesn’t elaborate on the nature of the resurrection but on its certainty, knowing their expectation was only for a resurrection to physical life, not the eternal life revealed in Christ. Repeatedly, Paul defends himself and the gospel with the very promise the gospel of the kingdom of God carries – the hope of the resurrection to eternal life. The pathway to eternal life comes only through the resurrection of the dead, as it did for Christ our Lord.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:4-5)

 

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. (Romans 6:8-9)

 

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:20-23)

 

Christ foretells his own death and resurrection, pronouncing his role as a suffering servant first and not a conquering warrior.

As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed. (Matthew 17:22-23)

 

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Luke 9:21-22)

 

And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

“‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’

And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

Therefore he says also in another psalm,

“‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. (Acts 13:28-37)

 

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)

 

Returning to 1 Corinthians 15, we can see that Paul details the basis for the resurrection of the dead:[88]

• Resurrection is part of the creation process;

• The seed is sown and must die to become the body hidden within
• God has given each kind its own seed and its own body

• There is a distinction of flesh and bodies

• The flesh of humans, animals, birds, and fishes is distinct from each other
• Earthly bodies and the heavenly bodies each have their distinct glory

 

Paul draws a further contrast between our life in the body of the flesh and the glorified life in Christ. In all, he is describing the salvation of our souls, not merely our flesh.[89] The contrast is unmistakable.

The fruit born by the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:42-50)
Sown as	Raised as
Perishable	Imperishable
In dishonor	In honor (and glory)
In weakness	In power
A natural body	A spiritual body
A man of dust	Born of heaven
An earthly image	A heavenly image
Perishable flesh and blood	Inheriting the imperishable

 

Also in his letter to the Philippians, Paul clings to the hope of the resurrection.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8-11)

 

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul defends the future nature of the resurrection, the basis for our faith in Christ Jesus.

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:8-13)

 

The resurrection of the dead is not only pivotal to the gospel of the kingdom of God, but is considered a fundamental truth. Any truth revealed beyond this must stand on these fundamentals and be viewed through the lens established by them.

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1-2)

 

Individually the hope we find in the gospel is for our glorification after the likeness of Yeshua the Christ. It is for this reason that our hearts have been enlightened:[90]

• By the Father of glory, who has given us the Spirit of wisdom in the knowledge of him
• To know the hope to which we were called by him
• For the riches of this glorious inheritance
• By the greatness of his power and the working of his might toward us
• For what? What he already demonstrated in Christ our Lord when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

 

Christ’s glorification is more than receiving a glorified body at his resurrection. He was further glorified by:

• Being seated at the right hand of the Father
• Ruling far above every authority, power, and dominion; above every name that is named
• All things are under his feet; all are subjected to him

 

The promise of glorification through the resurrection of the dead for those in Christ ensures more than just our transition from perishable to imperishable, but to sit in authority with Christ as co-heirs, ruling with him in power and authority in his coming kingdom.[91] It is in the full context of glorification that the called, chosen, and faithful are co-heirs with Christ and inheritors of the kingdom and the promises of God.

• Though we die the first death common to man[92], our hope is secure in the resurrection to glory by the faithfulness of God;[93] a resurrection that ensures our complete victory over the second death as well.[94]
• Though we perish in the grave and see the corruption of our bodies; dust to dust[95]
• We wait in death for the resurrection of our very souls[96]
• Which Christ brings with him at his appearance in the heavens[97]
• That together with Christ, we might be kings and priests to God, ruling with Christ in his kingdom and sharing in his glory[98]

P9 – Resurrection: Process of the New Creation

This is the new creation in Christ, intended from the beginning for all God’s children:

• Adam rendered unto us the knowledge of good and evil[99] and brought us under the command of God.[100]
• Yeshua the Christ, the second Adam, gives us righteousness and immortality, the tree of life, which he is.[101]

 

Paul saw this new creation in Christ; the author and finisher of the faith entrusted to us. He sees the concluded work in Christ for the benefit of all.[102] Christ died for all the world, not just some. He died for all the wicked and all the sinners. Some have now come into that light which shines out of darkness, while the rest remain in darkness, being blinded by the god of this world,[103] unaware and un-accepting of the grace of God extended to them through faith.

Yet, Paul knows well the grace extended to himself and to the Corinthians, which God will also extend to all those still in darkness. As a result, he has taken on a new perspective, not based on the natural worldview, but from the supernatural worldview, according to the Spirit.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
(2 Corinthians 5:16-20)

 

The supreme point Paul is reaching for here is that Christ has died for all sinners and wicked in the world, therefore all these have already died to sin. They’re simply unaware that they’re still in darkness and who the source of that light is. It is only in Christ that reconciliation comes with the promise of the new creation.

• Through Christ, God has and is reconciling the world to himself. How?

• By his mercy, not counting their trespasses against them, just as he has done for us.
• By entrusting to those God has called, his firstfruits of salvation, the message of reconciliation.

• Those called now are the first expression of that new creation in the Spirit,[104] not the only.
• Having condemned the sin that condemned all humanity,[105] all that remains is to lead them into reconciliation with God.
• That is the very message God has entrusted to those called now, not only for their benefit, but for the benefit of others.
• We implore you, be reconciled to God!

 

What Paul reveals here is his awareness of the mystery of God as it relates to the new creation. It has changed his view of the work of God in Christ for all who will believe now and in the future. The divine reality expressed in the final verse of this chapter, together with his conclusion in Romans 11, is too great a reality to ignore.

 

The mystery of God in Christ for the New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:21	Romans 11:32
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.	For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

P10 – Christ’s Goal is to Lead Many into Obedience to God

Paul reflects that his fundamental motivation is to lead the Gentiles into obedience to Christ and, in so doing, fulfill the ministry of Christ’s gospel:[106]

• By word and deed
• By signs and wonders
• By the power of God’s Holy Spirit

 

Clear in his understanding is that it is the Lord, through the Spirit, who does these things.

“Those who have never been told of him will see,
and those who have never heard will understand.” (Isaiah 52:13-15)

 

In his closing remarks for the book of Romans, Paul returns to the underlying purpose for the revelation of the mystery of God, kept secret from ages past, is to bring about the obedience of faith.[107] Faith, a gift of God, is the very means by which we come into obedience to God. Not any faith, but faith in the risen Son of God, who now sits at the right hand of the Father with authority over all things seen and unseen.

Yeshua, the Christ, will use that authority, and his righteous judgment, to bring all God’s enemies to their knees.[108] The zeal of the Lord will do all these things, not only for Israel, but for the world.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:2-7)

 

For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!),

who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!):

“I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness;

I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’

I the Lord speak the truth;

I declare what is right.

Assemble yourselves and come;

draw near together, you survivors of the nations!

They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols,

and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.

Declare and present your case;

let them take counsel together!

Who told this long ago?

Who declared it of old?

Was it not I, the Lord?

And there is no other god besides me,

a righteous God and a Savior;

there is none besides me.

Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other.

By myself I have sworn;

from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return:

‘To me every knee shall bow,

every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,

are righteousness and strength;

to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.

In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.”
(Isaiah 45:18-25 emphasis mine)

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this

A reasonable question to ask is, how will our Lord achieve this for the offspring of Israel and the survivors of the nations? As it relates to disobedient Israel (Romans 11), the process is outlined for us in Joel 2, and occurs after our Lord returns to establish his earthly kingdom.

1. Joel introduces the Day of the Lord. Up until that time, their correction has come in part from the nations, in part from the wrath of Satan, and finally, the Lord himself will correct them. Ultimately, this correction is not for their destruction but for their redemption; to lead them to repentance.[109]
2. In the midst of the Lord’s correction is the call to repentance – to return to the God of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They’ve witnessed that the gods they’ve followed were not able to save them.[110]
3. Yet the Lord is full of grace and extends mercy to his people. He will bring them back to their own land and bless them. This is the greater exodus spoken of in Jeremiah.[111]
4. Finally, the Lord will make a new covenant with them. With his Spirit he will write his law on their hearts; and they will be his people, and he will be their God.[112]
5. All those who call upon the name of the Lord Yeshua will be saved. These the Lord will call from among the survivors (vs 32).

 

As for the survivors of the nations, once Israel and Jerusalem are established as the focal point of our Lord’s kingdom on earth, many of these nations will come up and worship the King of kings and Lord of lords.[113] As the obedient one, Christ, together with all his redeemed faithful, will lead all nations into obedience to God. For he must reign until he has brought all God’s enemies under his feet. At the end of Christ’s earthly reign, we see all that he set out to accomplish for the Father is fulfilled; a glorified kingdom that will never end.[114] Christ will succeed in putting all God’s enemies under his feet. This will take two possible forms:

• As a life willing to kneel and surrender in faith to the will of the King, or
• As ashes burned up in the lake of fire, a righteous judgment upon the unrepentant

 

The result will be countless hundreds of millions of glorified children, led into obedience to Christ through faith, and the grace of God poured out on many. This is the finished work of Christ according to the will of the Father; the process of creation completed from the physical to the spiritual.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)