God saw good for all fullness to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile again to himself all other things.—Col. 1:19, 20.

Thursday, December 30

God

saw good for all fullness to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile again to himself all other things.—Col. 1:19, 20.

“The things in the heavens” that are reconciled to Jehovah by means of Christ’s shed blood are the anointed Christians, called to reign with Christ in the heavens. Christians who are “partakers of the heavenly calling” are declared “righteous for life.” (Heb. 3:1; Rom. 5:1, 18) Jehovah then begets them as spiritual sons. (Rom. 8:15-17; Rev. 5:9, 10) “The things upon the earth” are Christ’s other sheep, who have the hope of living forever on earth. To these also Jehovah’s chosen Servant brings a righteous standing before Jehovah. Because they have faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice and thus “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” Jehovah declares them righteous, not as spiritual sons, but as his friends.—Rev. 7:9, 10, 14; Jas. 2:23.