All Things
All Things. In two short verses, Ephesians 1 ends with a profound teaching. Who is this Christ we serve? Simply put, Christ is God of all Gods, King of all Kings, and Lord of all Lords. Or, as Paul put it, Christ is over everything: everything is under His feet, and He is the head over everything in this world.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:22-23, NKJV
All Things
Why does Paul add verse 23 to Ephesians 1? Is it not enough to know that Christ is over everything? We must remember that Christ, though He is God, is also the God-Man. When He walked this earth, He had a real body--as a matter of fact, He looked just like any other man. Has that changed since He went to heaven? As our Lord and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God today with a real body. He is not an ethereal, mystical creature.
Yet, that is not really the significance of this verse. The real significance lies in the fact that Christ, as the head of the church, is actively ordering and ruling this entire creation. Nothing happens apart from His will. In addition to ruling this world, He maintains a direct contact with each and every one of His children. When we have difficulties, when we struggle, when our life seems to fall apart, Christ is there at the right hand of God making intercession for us.
Truly, that concept is simply incomprehensible to us! God is not unmoved or unconcerned about the happenings of His people. Instead, He is actively involved in our lives, moving and guiding the circumstances which may appear to us to be just chance. Yet, each of these circumstances is moving us and growing us so that we become more and more like Him.
In a world filled with bitterness, anger, strife, greed, hatred--and the list goes on--we have an anchor in Christ our Lord. He gives us hope, joy, and peace.
Galatians 5:22 and 23 tells us, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Though these characteristics are certainly not natural for us, we can see God slowly ordering and changing our lives so that His fruits begin to dominate our lives, rather than the sins which so easily beset us.
What a wondrous hope. Let us live this day in the hope of the Lord. Let us rest confidently in Him, knowing that in everything, He truly does have our back! Go to Christ today, for only in Him is everything held together. All of the promises of Scripture are sure promises for the children of God.
What an amazing God we serve!
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