Christ and Cosmic Redemption

When we speak of cosmic redemption we go far beyond the matter of human sin. It extends to all realms and all things which have been affected by sin and are in need of redemption. The passage in Colossians 1 is a magnificent definition or explanation of this word: "all things... in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers...", "And you…" (verses 16, 21). It touches the farthest range, the most comprehensive range of things, where Christ has a relationship as the Divine Son with the Divine purpose, the realisation of which purpose necessitated, in the course of things, redemption. We are told that the very heavens need purging, and the things in the heavens, because of what has happened. That takes redemption far away from the narrow limits of the human race and human sin, and carries the matter right out to the utmost bounds of the universe. It touches the whole creation. It touches not only the things; it touches the system, the order. For the word means not only a realm of things, but an ordered realm of things, a system. And the system of things in the universe has been upset and not only is it necessary to redeem things, it is necessary to redeem the system.