Have you ever wondered what it means when it is said that
God put all things under Jesus' feet? Let's take a look at Psalms 8:5-6 ESV:
"Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned
him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your
hands; you have put all things under his feet."
Jesus is often referred to as the true or last Adam because
he became what the first Adam could not be - God embodied as a man. This meant
that God could now relate to humanity as a true help mate. Jesus was not just
an untouchable divine being with lofty ideals and platitudes, but a man who
could suffer with us and know our pain and suffering, as well as our joys and
successes. “Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”;
the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is
first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the
earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so
also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are
those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we
shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” I Corinthians 15:45-49 ESV.
Jesus demonstrated "agape" love, service, and
sacrifice, showing us how to be truly human. As both God and man, Jesus holds
immense power while at the same time demonstrating mercy and grace, with God
placing all things under His feet. As believers, we share this heavenly
authority of Christ, as co-heirs with Jesus. Our purpose transcends mere church
attendance and choir singing. We are invited to rule and reign with Christ, and
as we obey Him, we are transformed into His image by the Holy Spirit’s power, realizing
our potential and by embracing our divine inheritance as co-heirs with Jesus. “For
all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive
the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit
of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears
witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then
heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in
order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:14-17 ESV
God gave Jesus as the head of all things to the church,
which is Christ's body, and this is the manifestation of amazing love. We often
praise unconditional love, but Jesus' love goes far beyond that. His love was
completely selfless, and He gave no thought to sacrificing His life to the
point of death so that we may have life in Him. "For while we were
still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will
scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would
dare even to die, but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8 ESV
As we, the saints, walk in the reality of the fullness of
Christ, His presence is made visible through us. We become the living
embodiment of the sweetness of Christ, displaying the very essence or fragrance
of God upon our frames. The beauty of the fullness of Him is revealed in us as
we continually grow and experience more of Him. Our hearts are captivated by
the lover of our soul, and it becomes our one desire to know Him and to share His
love with others. “For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who
are being saved and among those who are perishing— to the latter an odor from
death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is
adequate for these things? For we are not like so many others, hucksters who
peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as
persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God.” 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 NET
The truth is, the fullness of Christ fills all things. This
means that His presence is not confined to a specific person, place, or thing,
but rather permeates everything. As His Bride, the Church is filled with His
fullness, Christ inhabits the world through us. Through our participation in
the world, we release Christ into it, and it is a natural spiritual
progression. So, the next time you are feeling unsure of your role in the world
or even your role in Christ, remember that your presence in the world is enough to
release Christ into it as long as He abides in you. “For I consider that our present
sufferings cannot even be compared to the coming glory that will be revealed to
us. For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For
the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of God who
subjected it—in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the
bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that
the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. Not only this, but we
ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we
eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we we are
saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But
if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.” Romans
8:18-25 NET
Stephen Barnett
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