For Whom And Through Whom Are All Things (Heb. 2:10)

By Andrew Murray 

    When man sinned and fell from God, he lost together the two blessed truths in which his relation to God had stood – His holy allegiance to God, having all things for Him, and his blessed dependence on God, having all things through Him.  Instead of these came the reign of self, with its life for self and through self.

    It was from this life of self Jesus came to redeem us, to bring us back to God, to know and honor Him as the God and Father, for whom are all things and through whom are all things.  In doing this He opened again the only way which could lead to glory.  He did it first by showing us in His life, as Man, how men ought to live for God and through God.  And then by delivering us through His death from the dominion of sin, and winning for us the power of the heavenly life.

    Throughout His whole life there is nothing that Jesus sought to impress more distinctly on His disciples than this, that He was the Father’s messenger and servant; that there was no thought of doing His own will or seeking His own honor; that He only sought and did what would be for the Father’s pleasure and glory.  He gave us the example of a man on earth living absolutely and entirely for God in heaven.  His life on earth was the exhibition here in the flesh, the translation into human language, of the divine claim – “All things for God.”  His allegiance to God was absolute.  He proved to us that man’s destiny and blessedness and everlasting glory are to be found in this:  Living wholly for God.

    Through whom are all things.  Christ was not ashamed continually to say that He could do nothing of Himself, and that only as the Father showed Him or spake to Him, could He work and speak.  He counted this His blessedness and His strength – not to be able to do anything of Himself, but in continual dependence to wait on God and His working in Him.  He knew and taught us that the man who has said in whole-hearted devotion to God, “All things for God,” may confidently say too, “All things through God.”

    The clearer the aim becomes to be all for God, and the deeper the soul sinks into its own emptiness and impotence, under the conviction that with man it is impossible, the sooner does faith rise to see that we can not only say, but that we do dare to say, “All for God!” because we may also say, “All through God!”  God Himself will work it in us. 

    – Taken from Holiest of All by Andrew Murray.