The Restoration of All Things

The Restoration of All Things

We can pose this question: What was the reason for the destruction of all things? The answer is: Adam’s disobedience. Gen. 3:17. Jesus is the One who restored everything that was destroyed. It could only be restored through obedience. Just as sin—destruction—entered the world by one man, so this same sin—destruction—had to be overcome by one Man. Rom. 5:12-18; 1 Cor. 15:21-24.

Therefore God had to send His own Son, born of a woman. Gal. 4:4. His education consisted of learning obedience by the things He suffered (Heb. 5:7-9), and His covenant with the Father when He came into the world was: “Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.” Heb. 10:7. The evidence for having restored by His obedience what was destroyed through the Fall was that He arose from the dead. Rom. 1:4; Heb. 13:20.

Jesus’ work wouldn’t have helped anyone if He had not had followers. However, now we have received the promise and the opportunity, as it is written: “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Then we will become Jesus’ co-workers in restoring all things by living and reigning over sin (which permeated everything because of Adam’s fall) through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness.

This is why Paul and the others received the apostleship to work the obedience to the faith among the Gentiles to the glory of His name. Rom. 1:5. If the obedience of faith is restored, all things are restored. And Jesus says, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:10-11.

We perceive that our joy will be full through obedience. It is through obedience that we enter into true liberty from the destruction of all things. All those who keep His commandments have a share with Jesus in the restoration of all things, for “the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Then the “creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Rom. 8:19-21.

Jesus is perfected, entering “into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” who shall also be perfected through obedience. Heb. 9:24. This is Jesus’ bride. Then the times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord “until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”

Many people would like to be profitable and do something great for humanity. They get engaged in welfare work and in political parties, and many of them become great in this world through their work. However, only those who keep Jesus’ commandments and overcome the sin that has permeated all of mankind, really do anything great. They have a share in redeeming all of creation from the bondage of corruption.