SUBDUING ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:20, 21
Paul often wrote of the coming of Christ and the fact that he was looking for the Lord’s glorious return. When Jesus does return, an exciting thing will happen to the bodies of believers. The Scripture describes our present bodies as being “vile.” When Jesus comes back, our bodies will be transformed and “fashioned like unto his glorious body.” What an expression of God’s might, to change the body of every child of God into a glorious body. When that happens, this corruptible will put on incorruption and this mortal will put on immortality.
We need not wonder if this great transformation is beyond His ability, for our text reminds us “he is able.” Not only is He able to change every sinful body in a moment of time, but the passage also tells us that this is just one example of how He is able to “subdue all things unto himself.” To subdue means “to bring into subordination, bring under obedience, or bring into subjection.” Again we marvel at the greatness of our Lord. He is able to “subdue all things unto himself.”
This is a tremendous promise for Christians who long for a new body without the sinful tendencies associated with our present bodies. However, this promise is not just a promise of what God can do in the future, but of what He wants to do in the present. He is in the business of bringing things into subjection or under obedience to Him. One day our “vile body” will be changed, and we will receive a “glorious body” like the resurrected body of Jesus. This is possible because “he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
In the meantime, He is interested in changing many other things about our lives. He wants to change our thinking, our attitudes, our priorities, our character, etc. He is committed to conforming us into His own image. Can He conquer habits and character traits that have been a part of us all our lives? Certainly He can, if He is able to “subdue all things unto himself.” We can believe that God is able to give us the victory through His great power.