Why Ultimate Reconciliation?

Many times when my Christian brothers or sisters learn that I believe in Ultimate Reconciliation, they are shaken and very concerned for me. They wonder how I could believe something so heretical. They fear, even for my salvation.

I could, and have at times, shown that this understanding was common in the early church, and that it is believed by an increasing number of people today, but that could be said of many truths as well as false teachings.

Let us rather consider God's Word, the Bible.

First let us consider the name given to this understanding, or teaching; Ultimate Reconciliation. We can start with reconciliation which comes from the verb to reconcile. What does that mean? In Paul's letter to the Corinthians, in dealing with marriage problems, he says:

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.
(1 Corinthians 7:10-11)

So to be reconciled means to bring back to right, peaceful relationship. Other English words could be used for the same idea, such as restoration which means to bring back to good, or original condition. Let us look at Peter's words:

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets from long ago.
(Acts 3:19-21)

The restoration of all things. This was what God spoke, through His prophets from long ago.

This time of restoration is coming.

Consider how many times the New Testament speaks of all things:

You have put all things in subjection under his feet.

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
(Hebrews 2:8-10)

When the writer of Hebrews says For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. That means everything! Everything will be, (actually already is, even though we do not yet see it.) Everything has been put in subjection under Him. There is nothing left that is not subject to Him.

Well, if you really want to get technical... Paul anticipates you already. Technically there is one exception:

For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says all things are put under Him, it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
(1 Corinthians 15:27-28)

God is the only exception. Of course, that is evident.

But what does it mean for all things to be subject to Him?

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
(Colossians 1:15-20)

What it means for all things to be made subject to Him, is that He will reconcile all things to Himself. There is no exception (other than God, Who puts all things in subjection under Him.) Is there any word, better than Ultimate, to describe that?

Ultimate Reconciliation simply means to reconcile all things to Himself. (Colossians 1:20)

When we speak of Ultimate Reconciliation, this is exactly what we are talking about!