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"Who is gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God, angels, and authorities
(exousia), and powers (dunamis) being made subject unto Him."
Rom. 8: 38, 39 includes them among the possible agencies that might be thought
antagonistic to the believer:--
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities;
neither things present nor things to come (cf. Eph. 1: 21); nor powers, nor height, nor
depth, nor any other creation shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord."
With these passages brought before the reader we would here for the time leave them.
They demand careful and prayerful attention. It certainly appears that those angelic
dominions are ranged under two heads, some antagonistic to the Lord and His people,
and some ranged under the Lord as Head both now and in the fulness of the seasons
(Eph. 1: 10):--
"That in the dispensation of the fulness of the seasons He might gather together under
one Head the all things (ta panta) in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things
on the earth in Him."
Ta panta by its recurrence and contexts seems to be a term having in most cases a
specific meaning. Those who dismiss the subject by saying of Col. 1: 16, 17, 18 and 20, it
reads "all things" and that is enough for me, are not rendering the homage to verbally
inspired Scripture that they imagine. It does not say all things, but THE all things, and
the insertion of the article at once defines and narrows the expression. The all things that
are to be reconciled are described, they are in the main creatures of which we know
practically nothing. Believers are now reconciled, but they are not included in the all
things of the verse under notice. All things universally will be placed in subjection
beneath the Lord, either beneath His feet or under Him as Head; the narrower expression
ta panta is the term used by God when speaking of the reconciliation of all things. Let us
keep close to the words of the Word, and may grace be given to both reader and writer to
prove all things and to hold fast that which is good.
I Corinthians 15: 23-26
Many of our readers have had their attention directed to the words of the above
passage, and hearts have been engaged with the wondrous theme of the glories of
redeeming love. It is not our intention to attempt to criticize the doctrine which
I Cor. 15: 23, 24 is believed by some of our brethren to yield. We would rejoice if that
doctrine could be established scripturally. We fear, however, that injury will be done to
the cause of truth by attempting to draw out of this passage arguments which are entirely
beyond its scope and purpose, and in which feelings, inferences and foregone conclusions
contribute no small share.