Ephesians 1:10, commentary and pictures

At the appointed fullness of time God will gather together in one all things in Christ, both what is in heaven and what is on earth. This makes known the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, given in all wisdom and prudence as part of the gospel truth. It belongs with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, by which He chose His people to be holy and without blame before Him in love, adopted them as children by Jesus Christ, and redeemed them through His blood with forgiveness of sins. That uniting is accomplished through Christ's sacrifice, which draws both humanity and angels to Him, exposes Satan's deceptions, vindicates God's justice and mercy before the universe, and secures the loyalty of unfallen worlds so rebellion will never rise again. It sets the attainable standard for His people to grow up into Christ as the living Head in holiness and blameless love, while to substitute human inventions for God's will is done at peril of the soul.

Mystery of God's Will

At the dispensation of the fulness of times God will gather together in one all things in Christ, both what is in heaven and what is on earth, even in him. When the appointed fullness of time comes He will bring everything together in Christ and sum up all things in Him, revealing the scope of His plan in Christ. This gathering belongs to the same purpose by which He redeems people through Christ, makes them His children, and gives them an inheritance, and it assures those striving for the eternal kingdom that at the appointed time He will bring all things together.

The verse makes known the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself in Christ, given in all wisdom and prudence. It is the made-known mystery of His will, part of the gospel truth to be presented under the Spirit's guidance, joined to the redemption and inheritance believers receive in Him and to the inheritance and salvation of those who trust in Christ. That revealed purpose to unite all things in heaven and on earth in Christ in the dispensation of the fulness of times is set forth as one of the privileges of the Christian.

God's will and methods in this purpose are made plain in His Word, yet are far above human ideas and methods and will not blend with worldly plans. The uniting of all things is accomplished through Christ's sacrifice, which draws both humanity and angels to Him. The cross exposes Satan's deceptions, vindicates God's justice and mercy before the universe, and secures the loyalty of unfallen worlds so that rebellion will never rise again.

Redemption and Inheritance Promised

The gathering of all things in heaven and on earth into one in Christ at the dispensation of the fullness of times belongs with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. It belongs with being chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before Him in love, and with the holy and blameless condition that is sought with the whole heart with present help in every time of need. It belongs with predestination to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to good pleasure purposed in Himself, with acceptance in the Beloved, and with redemption through His blood with forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace given in all wisdom and prudence as the made-known mystery of His will. It belongs with the exceeding greatness of His power wrought in Christ in raising Him from the dead and setting Him at His own right hand far above all principality and power and dominion, and it shows that every human being is of consequence with God.

This gathering belongs to the fullness of times and to the same purpose by which God redeems people through Christ, makes them His children, and gives them an inheritance. It is part of the mystery of God's plan and will made known through the gospel, joined to the redemption believers receive in Him. It is joined to the promise of an inheritance and salvation for those who trust in Christ, whose gospel truth is to be presented under the Spirit's guidance. It is joined to growing in faith and trust and confidence and hope and joy, praising Him by recounting mercies and benefits, ceasing murmuring and complaining by realizing the heavenly Father's willingness to give largely all spiritual grace, and letting righteousness prevail.

In Christ believers receive an inheritance appointed according to His purposeful will who works all things after the counsel of His own will, so that those who first trusted in Christ live to the praise of His glory. Those who hear and believe the gospel are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of that inheritance until the redemption of God's purchased possession, all to the praise of His glory. The verse assures those striving for the eternal kingdom that at the appointed fullness of time God will bring all things together in Christ, both in heaven and on earth.

Unity in Christian Life

God's purpose to gather together in one all things in Christ, both in heaven and on earth, in the dispensation of the fulness of times is one of the privileges of the Christian. It belongs with the attainable standard set before the church. That standard is to seek and receive the fruits of righteousness and to grow up into Christ as the living Head. It is the holy and blameless condition before Him in love, to be sought with the whole heart by men placed in His churches and institutions, who thus receive His present help in every time of need. This calls for daily preparation of character such as God can approve.

For God's people who have great light, this means growing in faith and trust and confidence and hope and joy in the Lord. It means praising Him more by recounting His mercies and benefits, and ceasing to murmur and complain by realizing the heavenly Father's willingness to give largely of all spiritual grace. In this way righteousness is to prevail everywhere. To work against this purpose by substituting human inventions and plans for God's will is done at peril of the soul and bars entrance to the heavenly courts. Those who bind themselves up with the world will be judged with the world and found disloyal to God.

The gathering in Christ belongs to the Lord's order for His work. That order requires united, proportionate labor in Christ. It keeps full zeal and energy for saving souls ready to perish. Yet it does not consume all time and means in one line of work while neglecting God's vineyard as a whole.