God's Plan - Unity Of All Things
"Out of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things" (Romans 11:36)
"...in accordance with the riches of God’s GRACE he made known to us the mystery of his will... to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ…according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." (Ephesians 1:7-11).
The Bible says that everything is out of God and is proceeding just as He wills and "according to the plan". Jesus is the Son of God and "…the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15). Through His Son, the living Word, God made everything.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being...And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-3,14)
Since all things are "out of Him", it was God who allowed Adam and Eve to bring sin and death to all mankind by their disobedience. This was done to demonstrate His "mercy".
"For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all." (Romans 11:32)
But “in accordance with the riches of God’s GRACE” God had a plan "to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ".
Since God is operating everything “according to the plan” we should trust and believe Him in all things (easier said than done I know). And we are told …
"...supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men…this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
God knew from the beginning that mankind would become sinners and that He would send Jesus "as a ransom for all" in order to save them all. We know God planned it that way because “Out of Him…are all things”.
"...in accordance with the riches of God’s GRACE he made known to us the mystery of his will... to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ…according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." (Ephesians 1:7-11).
The Bible says that everything is out of God and is proceeding just as He wills and "according to the plan". Jesus is the Son of God and "…the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15). Through His Son, the living Word, God made everything.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being...And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-3,14)
Since all things are "out of Him", it was God who allowed Adam and Eve to bring sin and death to all mankind by their disobedience. This was done to demonstrate His "mercy".
"For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all." (Romans 11:32)
But “in accordance with the riches of God’s GRACE” God had a plan "to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ".
Since God is operating everything “according to the plan” we should trust and believe Him in all things (easier said than done I know). And we are told …
"...supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men…this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
God knew from the beginning that mankind would become sinners and that He would send Jesus "as a ransom for all" in order to save them all. We know God planned it that way because “Out of Him…are all things”.
He will succeed and that is why we are instructed to pray for "ALL men", not just the ones we think deserving. Everyone is a part of God's plan to "bring unity to all things" - and all will be saved by God, reconciled to God and pronounced righteous in Christ "in accordance with the riches of God's GRACE".