CHRIST IN ETERNITY PAST
Christ Has the Preeminence in God’s Plan
SCRIPTURES ON GOD’S PLAN:
And to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things; to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Eph. 3.9-11)
Which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say, in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will.(Eph. 1.8-11)
Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will [or, pleasure—AV] they were, and were created.(Rev. 4.11)
Yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him. (1 Cor. 8.6)
For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen. (Rom. 11.36)
Even before the creation of the world, God has a plan. This plan is made in Christ, and that plan is to sum up in Christ all things which are in the heavens and on the earth. God plans all of this out of the good pleasure of His will. God is Number One. So that all things are of Him and through Him.
SCRIPTURES ON GOD’S PLAN IN GIVING ALL THINGS TO CHRIST:
He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. (Eph. 4.10)
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.(John 3.35)
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God.(John 13.3)
All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you.(John 16.15)
Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee.(John 17.7)
[God] hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. (Heb. 1.2)
In eternity past God has predetermined to establish a house over which the second person in the Godhead, the Son, shall rule. He has given all things to the Son as His inheritance. All things are of the Son, through the Son, and to the Son. The Father plans, the Son inherits whatever the Father has planned, and the Holy Spirit accomplishes all that the Father has planned. The Father is the Planner, the Son is the Heir, and the Holy Spirit is the Executor. The love of the Father towards the Son commences in eternity past. He is the Beloved of the Father. Even in eternity the Father has loved the Son. When the Son comes to the world the Father still declares, "This is my beloved Son" (Matt. 3.17). The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands. As the Son faces death He knows that the Father has given all things into His hands (John 13.3). His resurrection and ascension are for the sake of filling all things (Eph. 4.10).
