The Glorious End Of The Reign Of Christ

You may remember, that Revelation 11:15 promises that Christ will “reign forever and ever”.

But I’m writing to share with you that his reign will actually come to an end. And I have it on good authority. Let me explain.

You see, you need rule over unruly people. And as long as Christ has to “reign” over anyone, it suggests that there is some trouble brewing somewhere. To suggest that Christ must hold authority and power over the world, or the universe “forever and ever” is to suggest that his work of reconciling the universe (COL 1:20) never happens.

GOOD NEWS: Brother Paul gives us a “revelation” that is greater in scope and importance than what James penned in “The Book Of Revelations”.

If you spend some time with I Corinthians 15:20-28, you’ll see that at some point in the future, RULE, AUTHORITY and POWER are to be abolished. Including Christ’s rule, authority and power. Indeed, Paul says “For He must reign UNTIL…”.

That little word “UNTIL” adds a huge new dimension to our understanding of God’s purpose and plan.

Christ MUST reign UNTIL something happens. And after that something, His reign ends. And It’s glorious.

In this passage (I COR 15:20-28) Paul reveals that when we reach “the end” Christ will abolish all rule, all authority, and all power, including His own rule, authority and power.

And if you consider Paul’s words, you might rightly conclude that rule, authority and power are actually God’s enemies. Even the rule of Christ must be considered an “enemy” of God. How so?

Well, Paul says these three elements (rule, authority, power) are to be abolished, THEN he goes on to say, “The last enemy to be abolished is death”.

Yes, “death” is an enemy of God. And yes, rule, authority and power are equally listed in the passage as “enemies”.

You see, the reason these four things are listed as enemies of God, is that their presence means, God has not finished with His great plan, His great purpose.

But when God reaches the completion, the moment when everything comes together in His purpose, Then Christ will give up his rulership, all are “made alive”, death (the wages of sin) is abolished, and God, then will be, “ALL IN ALL.

It’s so easy to think of James and his “Book of Revelations” as the final word on prophecy about the future events of things. But the truth is, it was not given to James to see beyond the next two eons. However Paul did see beyond the coming eons.

When James closes his book, you still have rulership, power, authority, and you still have death, the wages of sin.

The serious Bible student will struggle that one verse says “Christ will reign forever and ever” and another verse says “He must reign UNTIL He places his enemies under his feet.”

Also note… neither Satan nor wicked men are listed as enemies of God in this passage by Paul. No. The list of “enemies” are rule, authority, power and death (the last enemy).

And this is good news.

Christ died to save sinners. And salvation will not be complete until the wages of sin, death, has been abolished.

When death is abolished, the natural result is that “even as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

If all are made alive, in Christ, death is totally undone. And something new can happen. And that new thing is Christ gives up his reign, and submits Himself to God, that God may be… not all in some… not some in all… but All In All. And this, is the Glorious End Of the Reign Of Christ.