Beyond the Pew: You’re a Player in God’s Cosmic Takeover (Ephesians 1:10)

Beyond the Pew: You’re a Player in God’s Cosmic Takeover (Ephesians 1:10) –

“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” – Ephesians 1:10 (KJV)

This single verse, nestled within Paul’s soaring praise in Ephesians, unfurls a vision so grand it can leave us breathless. As Christians, particularly Evangelicals, we tend toward a form of spiritual myopia due to the intense personal nature of our faith according to Evangelical values. This has its purpose, but we do well to bear in mind, however, that God is NOT an Evangelical. Yes, He is intensely involved in the minutiae of our lives, but He is also a God of the cosmos, of realms both secular and spiritual, and arenas of Creation that we don’t even have an understanding of fully such as the intermediate realm between heaven and earth where angels and demons contend and vie over the influence of the earth spiritually, personally and even geopolitically and in natural events such as weather, earthquakes, etc.

So this verse speaks not just of our individual salvation, but of God’s ultimate design for the entire cosmos – a sweeping plan to bring everything, both seen and unseen, into a unified harmony under the headship of Jesus Christ, of which we are INTIMATELY a part from God’s perspective and according to His plan. John, in the book of Revelation, alludes to this concerning your role and the part you are called to play in this broad scheme of redemption:

[Rev 1:6 KJV] 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Think for a moment about the vastness of God’s creation. The stars scattered like diamonds across an endless night, the intricate dance of life on our planet, the unseen realms inhabited by spiritual beings. Our minds struggle to grasp such immensity. Yet, in His wisdom and love, God has a purpose that encompasses it all that we, that YOU are intrinsically a part of. As an example, think about Abraham in the distant past. He was a childless, nomadic tribesmen when God engaged with him, and in bringing about Abraham and Sarah’s desire for a child the entire world pivoted on this axis that seemingly would have no significance beyond this childless couple, but in fact has riveted the attention of the world and shaped world affairs for centuries. I have news for you – your life is no less significant!

Now, what is this “cosmos”? The word often translated as “world” in scripture is where we get the word “cosmos” and describes an “aggregate of systems contributing to an interconnected whole.” On a geopolitical scale, think about the familiar missiological view of the “Seven Mountains of Influence” that has been talked about in the Church for some years. The business world, the military-industrial complex, media and entertainment, medicine, the Church world, etc. You have a place of influence, firstly through prayer and nation-level intercession, and through the calling and work God has called you to do. For instance, Father’s Heart Ministry, a fully Christian ministry rooted in Charismatic and even Pentecostal traditions, wasn’t born in the Church world it was born in the Marketplace (just like Paul’s ministry was born and really began to soar when he turned his attention from the religious realm of his day and his culture to the Gentiles and the marketplace that was the center of their social system. You have a part to play. Your life counts for something beyond sitting in the pew!)

What is this grand plan that we are a part of? Eph. 1:10 succinctly, if not somewhat obscurely, expresses it as God’s plan to bring “all things” together in Christ in the fullness of time. The fullness of times isn’t a singularly sweeping event at the end of time, because there are many scriptures that speak of the “fullness” of God’s plan coming together for different people groups, at which time a comprehensive shift would take place as God engaged with ancient cultures, bringing together a faithful remnant and transitioning them into the next “administration” (read, dispensation). An example would be those who engaged with Jesus in his natural lifetime and then transitioned to the Church age. There were very few, only hundreds, including the 11 disciples.

So this “world” or “all things” Paul refers to isn’t a haphazard collection of disparate parts, but a magnificent tapestry He is weaving together, with Christ as the central thread that binds everything into a beautiful and complete design. It has happened, it is happening, and will happen until the consummation “end of all things” at some point in future history. It has implications for the earth, the nations of the earth, and right down to your city, your family, and you individually.

Paul uses the term “dispensation” (οἰκονομια), which speaks of God’s orderly management, like a wise steward carefully arranging all within a household. He has a plan, a divine administration,  an implemented mandate established in God’s wisdom before the dawn of time and unfolding in “the fulness of times” (τοῦπληρωˊ ματοςτῶνκαιρῶν). This isn’t just a random point in history, but a divinely appointed season, a culmination of all that has come before, when God’s purpose will reach its intended climax.

And what is that purpose? “To gather together in one all things in Christ” (ἀνακεφαλαιω σασθαιταπα νταἐντῷXριστῷ).

The phrase “gather together” carries the weight of bringing disparate elements into a cohesive whole, like a shepherd gathering his flock. If you could only accept and understand this not only on the cosmic scale but even in your personal life, you would be more effective in praying, for instance, for your loved ones who are outside of Christ. What is God doing? He is gathering all, including them, together in Christ. Pray into that effectively, and you will see their conversions on an accelerated scale.

Some scholars see in this word the idea of “re-heading,” of bringing everything under the singular authority and leadership of Christ. Jesus is the head, but there are many heads, principalities, both natural and spiritual, that don’t capitulate to His rule. God is working to change all that. Inexorably. Undeniably. It will happen. All knees will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. It is a prayer force in the earth now, and it will continue to exert its influence until the ultimate culmination of God’s designs for this human season of administration in Creation.

Imagine a scattered family, finally reunited under the loving guidance of its head – that is a glimpse of what God intends for His creation.

This isn’t just about a future event; it has profound implications for us today. As believers, we are already being drawn into this unity in Christ. Through His sacrifice, the dividing walls that once separated us – Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female – the walls are being broken down (Galatians 3:28). The Church, as the body of Christ, is meant to be a living demonstration of this unifying work, a microcosm of the cosmic harmony that is to come.

Consider the divisions in our own lives, in our communities, and in our world. Do we reflect the unifying love of Christ? Are we actively working to bridge divides, reconcile relationships, and see others as fellow members of this grand, Christ-centered plan?

This verse calls us to look beyond our immediate concerns and recognize the breathtaking scope of God’s redemptive work. We are not just individuals striving for personal salvation; we are part of a cosmic drama in which God is bringing all things into perfect alignment through His Son.

Let this truth sink deep into your heart today: you are part of something far bigger than yourself. Your life, your faith, your actions are threads in this magnificent tapestry God is weaving in Christ.

May we live in a way that reflects this glorious purpose, striving for unity, extending love, and pointing to the day when all things will indeed be gathered together in Him, our Lord and Savior.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of Your majestic plan to unite all things in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Forgive us for our narrow vision and help us to see our lives as part of this grand cosmic purpose. Grant us the grace to live in unity with our fellow believers and to be agents of reconciliation in a broken world, reflecting the harmony that will one day encompass all of creation under Christ’s headship. Amen.