Reconcile All created things – How about Plants and Animals?
(i) Definition: Please note the phrase “all created things” in verse below
“because in Him were created all things in the heavens and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or lordships or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and unto Him.” (Colossians 1:16, BLB)
Please note the phrase “visible (seen)” and “invisible (unseen)” in verse above too.
(ii) To Reconcile All things
Lord Jesus Christ Will have “all created things” (mentioned in Colossians 1:16) to be Reconciled back to God eventually as stated few verses later (in context):
“and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace by the blood of His cross through Him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.” (Colossians 1:20, BLB)
(iii) Will only the ‘elect be reconciled back to Him’?
No. As even the verses in Colossians 1:16 & Colossians 1:20 prove (in context), “all created things” will eventually be “reconciled (subjected) back to Him” though ‘not yet’ as of ‘now’ (Hebrews 2:8 in context of Hebrew 2: 9 – 10).
The Believing (or Elect) who are “saved” & “reconciled” as of “now” or in the “present time” (Colossians 1:21 – 22, Romans 11:5, Ephesians 2:13) is on earth itself as the verses below clearly prove this context [please note the words “now” or “present time” to ‘understand this context correctly; it does NOT imply that “only” believers are going to be reconciled contradicting so many other verses which speak of ‘all or all men too’, e.g. 1 Timothy 2:4, 1 Timothy 4:10, John 12:32, 1 John 2:2]
“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—” (Colossians 1:21 – 22, NASB)
“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” (Romans 11:5, KJV)
“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13, NASB)
(iv) How about animals and plants? How are they Reconciled?
Someone remarked further, ‘how about the cockroach’?
Reply:
Firstly, the verses below prove that “those who are reconciled” (e.g. “us”, ‘believers’) will become ‘a new creation’ (not remain in the same state- either physically or spiritually or both):
“so that if any one [is] in Christ — [he is] a new creature; the old things did pass away, lo, become new have the all things.
And the all things [are] of God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and did give to us the ministration of the reconciliation,” (2 Corinthians 5:17 – 18, YLT)
Please note that though the ‘process of change’ toward a ‘new creation’ has begun for ‘every believer’, we are not immediately transformed especially physically we are still quite the same & will die too first:
“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:2, NASB)
And the ‘reconciliation’ is not only for us (believers) but also for the whole world too as is echoed in the next consecutive verse to the ones quoted before (context):
“how that God was in Christ — a world reconciling to Himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses; and having put in us the word of the reconciliation,” (2 Corinthians 5:19, YLT)
The Gospel is for “all creation” even if the non-rational living thing or non-living objects cannot ‘hear’ the Gospel but it is certain that the Preaching of the Gospel includes a Restoration for them as well as part of the “all created things” (as His Word by the Preaching too Will Fulfill His Will, as His Words never pass away but will accomplish the thing for which it is sent), as ‘it is written’:
“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15, NASB)
“whom it behoveth heaven, indeed, to receive [Lord Jesus] till times of a restitution [Restoration] of all things, of which God spake through the mouth of all His holy prophets from the age.” (Acts 3:21, YLT)
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:35, NASB)
“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” – God (Isaiah 55:11, NASB)
Now, animals & plants are ‘living’ as God created them (as God Spoke these into being):
“Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so.” (Genesis 1:24, NASB)
“Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so.” (Genesis 1:11, NASB)
Is there a difference between ‘plants & animals’ versus ‘human beings’ with respect to being ‘living’?
Yes, to quote:
‘In Genesis 2:7, we are told that the difference is the “breath of life.” Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The Hebrew word describing man’s life is not “chay” but “chay nephesh” Hence we conclude that there is a difference in the kind of life lived by mankind versus the kind of life lived by animals and plants.’ – David Baker via Mike Scott
Since there is a difference between the ‘being alive part’ when compared between ‘human beings’ vs ‘plants & animals’, their ‘Restoration too could be different’. Scripture does not explicitly reveal this part but it is possible that the ‘life’ given to the plant or animal is restored back to God Who Will then use it to make ‘new things’ (as He promised to make All things New, Revelation 21:5) which may be unrevealed for now.
So, the current cockroach will perish (even cease to exist in this form as the former things do go away to be remembered no more even, Isaiah 65:17) especially since all of the ‘animals & plants’ got “cursed” due to the ground which was ‘cursed’ because of Adam’s Sin as verses reveal [thus the animals in the current state, e.g. the cockroaches too are ‘cursed’ and hence ‘die’ & cannot remain in the current state beyond this life]:
“Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:17, NASB)
The Serpent is said to be “more cursed” than “all the other animals” (which implies that ‘all other animals are cursed too’):
“The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life;” (Genesis 3:14, NASB)
The ‘curse’ is contagious since the ‘ground’ was ‘cursed’ (Genesis 3:17) and it follows that the ‘animals & plants who live off the ground in some way inherit this curse directly from the ground’ which in turn spreads the curse to ‘any animal or plant which eats or lives off other animals & plants’ (including man) —> and so, “all these die”.
That’s why God cursed the ground so that all the living thing on earth will die eventually. If He had cursed Adam only, the plants & animals would be clean and only Adam cursed to die from which it would cause a contradiction for survival since Adam can only eat dead things to survive due to sin. So, the curse for the ground is good for Adam as now Man can eat off these dead things (plants or animals) for him to live on temporarily on earth.
Based on this ‘relative common fact’ that ‘all living things die’ & ‘return to the ground’, we are said to be ‘same’ to the ‘beasts too’ (under this context) as verses below describe:
“For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.
All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.” (Ecclesiastes 3:19 – 20, NASB)
How about the ‘breath (or spirit) of the beast’?
“Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?” (Ecclesiastes 3:21, NASB)
So, whether God Chooses to ‘Make All things New’ (Revelation 21:5) via His Restoration for All Created things (Colossians 1:16, Acts 3:21) by using ‘that breath in a different way to make new life’ or by using ‘that breath to change that original/former creature into a new creature’ (as it is for Human Beings, Rational creature as even the analogy prior in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – 18 earlier points too) is ‘not’ revealed explicitly & hence I don’t speculate further.
One thing is certain though: God Will Restore All Creation to something New in ‘Some Way’ according to His Will and His Wisdom setting all creation free from the “corruption” (sin & its effects, permanently) as it is ‘written in verses below too’:
“for to vanity was the creation made subject — not of its will, but because of Him who did subject [it] — in hope,
that also the creation itself shall be set free from the servitude of the corruption to the liberty of the glory of the children of God;” (Romans 8:20 – 21, YLT)
Conclusion
Christ’s Spirit is a Life-Giver and NOT a ‘permanent life destroyer’ toward ‘living things’:
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” – Lord Jesus Christ (John 6:63, NASB)
Yes, even when He “destroys”, He “re-makes new” (General verses quoted below proving this to be generally true in principle too, context):
“Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.” (Psalm 90:3, KJV)
“Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.”
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel.
But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he REMADE it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.” (Jeremiah 18:2 – 4, NASB)
For a detailed discussion regarding this aspect with “verses” please consider the write-up below for edification:
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/remade-fall-rise-grace/
P/S: Some related verses
“and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2, NASB)
“whom it behoveth heaven, indeed, to receive [Lord Jesus] till times of a restitution [Restoration] of all things, of which God spake through the mouth of all His holy prophets from the age.” (Acts 3:21, YLT)
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.” – God (Isaiah 55:17, NASB)
“and I heard a great voice out of the heaven, saying, ‘Lo, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will tabernacle with them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them — their God,
and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and the death shall not be any more, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor shall there be any more pain, because the first things did go away.’
And He who is sitting upon the throne said, ‘Lo, new I make all things; and He saith to me, ‘Write, because these words are true and steadfast;’
and He said to me, ‘It hath been done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End; I, to him who is thirsting, will give of the fountain of the water of the life freely;” (Revelation 21:3 – 6, YLT)
