God Shall Be All in All

God Shall Be All in All

“Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Cor. 15:28.

The Son was to submit Himself to the Father. At that point in time He had already put all His enemies under His feet. However, the goal of the Antichrist is to be God himself. 2 Thess. 2:4. This is a characteristic of every natural man. All the rulers of this world also want to be absolute rulers, and when they succeed in their aim, they exalt themselves. Then they become self-willed and conceited. Therefore it is difficult for God to bless people by giving them special gifts, for that would be the same as causing them to become conceited. Religious people usually strive for blessings and the gifts of the Spirit, imagining that they will be successful spiritually as well as in earthly matters. They do not realize that it is not difficult for God to bless them and give them gifts, but rather to humble them so they can bear the blessing and the gifts. Only then can they submit to God and give Him the glory instead of becoming arrogant. Many people have followed the anti-Christian way—as Satan did—and have fallen prey to arrogance. Very few people are humble enough so as to acknowledge it. Consequently, they do not understand God’s leading in their lives, always asking, “Why?” They are constantly dissatisfied with something.

“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger . . . .” Deut. 8:2-3.

They could not comprehend God’s leading, that its purpose was to humble them and to do them good in the end (v. 16), and so they murmured. All murmuring is pride. “When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God.” Vs. 10-11. How significant this is. In the midst of praising God for blessing and healing, saying, “All glory to Him,” people exalt themselves by the things that happen through them. Even Paul had to have something extra to keep him humble. 2 Cor. 12:7-9.

“Beware . . . when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; that you are not lifted up in your heart so that you forget the Lord your God . . . .” “Then you must not say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.” Deut. 8:12-18.

From this we can learn how difficult it is for God to bless us despite the fact that He desires to do so. We know how things went with Israel after God had greatly blessed them in the land. “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, you grew thick, you are covered with fat; then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.” Deut. 32:12-15. Here we see how deeply this anti-Christian tendency is ingrained in our nature.

After God had exalted Jesus and given Him a name which is above every name, and after Jesus had conquered all His enemies, including death, He submitted Himself to God. This was His attitude: “For You have also done all our works in us.” Isa. 26:12. God is the source of all things, but pride is the cause of disharmony; it is the source of all the need in the world. There will be an end of all need when God is finally all in all. Everything will then be in harmony. This is the mind of Christ. Only with this mind are we Christ’s co-workers. Phil. 2:5-11.