Stephen Jones — Christology
b2 — The Restoration of All Things
Jesus as Judge and Restorer (Royal/Judicial Office)
Jones opens the book with a reinterpretation of Jesus’ judicial office: judgment is not destruction but restoration.
“Jesus is indeed coming to judge the world, for all judgment has been committed to Him (John 5:27). But judgment is not synonymous with condemnation. The Greek word for judgment is also the word for discernment.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 1
“The purpose of the law is to correct the sinner and restore the lawful order. And so, the divine judgments that are coming upon the earth are meant to restore all things, not to destroy all things.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 1
Jones uses Acts 3:21 as his foundational text:
“Acts 3:20 and 21 says… ‘whom the heavens must receive until the times of the restitution [“restoration”—NASB] of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.‘” — cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 1
Interpretation: For Jones, Christ’s return is primarily the completion of the restoration plan, not punitive execution. This is the royal office in its restorative, not punitive, sense.
God Reconciling the World in Christ (2 Cor. 5)
Jones cites 2 Cor. 5:18-20 as the core passage for Christ’s reconciling work:
“18 And all things are of God, who has reconciled US to himself by Jesus Christ and has given to US the ministry of reconciliation; 19 to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling THE WORLD unto Himself, not imputing THEIR trespasses unto THEM.” — 2 Cor. 5:18-19, cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 1
Jones emphasizes the non-imputation of trespasses to the world:
“We are to tell the world that God is ‘not imputing their trespasses unto them.‘” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 1
Interpretation: Jones sees Christ’s atonement as objectively and universally accomplished. The believer is an ambassador communicating what has already been done, not offering an exclusive opportunity.
Universal Lordship — “Every Knee Shall Bow” (Phil. 2:10-11)
Jones treats Phil. 2:10-11 as the expression of an irrevocable divine oath:
“Phil. 2:10, 11… ‘that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.‘” — cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 4
Jones connects this to Isaiah 45:23-25 as a formal divine vow:
“Here God swears that every knee will bow and every tongue swear allegiance to Him.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 4
On the confession as work of the Holy Spirit:
“In 1 Cor. 12:3 Paul says, ‘no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.’ So let no one say that their confession was apart from the moving of the Holy Spirit.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 4
On 1 Tim. 4:10 — Christ as Savior of all:
“He did NOT say that God is the Savior of all men—whoops! I mean all believers… In the same way, He is the Savior of all men, especially believers. There is a special salvation for believers, but He will save all men.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 4
Interpretation: Jones’ christology of universal lordship rests on a divine oath (Isa. 45), not on human free-will decisions. Even the final confession is accomplished by the Spirit, making resistance ultimately impossible.
Second Adam — Christ Reverses Adam’s Act (1 Cor. 15:22)
Jones develops 1 Cor. 15:22 as the foundation of universal salvation:
“22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each in his own order [tagma, ‘squadron’].” — 1 Cor. 15:22-23, cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 5
Jones explains the symmetry:
“Even as Adam’s sin brought death to ALL men and subjected the entire creation to vanity (Rom. 8:20), so also Christ’s righteousness brought life to ALL men and set the entire creation free.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 5
On involuntary imputation and its implications:
“Creation was subjected to vanity not willingly, that is, apart from its own will or choice or decision… Just as Adam’s sin resulted in every man’s death, so also Christ’s righteous act resulted in every man being given life in the end.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 5
Jones distinguishes fact from timing:
“Jesus established the FACT of universal reconciliation, but the TIMING is determined by our will and actions.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 5
On the scope of Christ’s propitiation:
“1 John 2:2 says, ‘and He Himself is the propitiation [covering] for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.‘” — cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 5
On Adam’s estate being sold (Matt. 18:25):
“When Adam was ‘sold’ into bondage, his children were sold also, along with his entire estate (‘creation’). Thus, Jesus came to redeem that which He had owned but which later had been sold according to the divine law.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 5
Interpretation: Jones’ Second Adam doctrine is consistently symmetrical: if Adam’s imputation was universal in scope, so is Christ’s righteousness. The timing differs per individual, but the fact of redemption is universal. [TENSION with b1: b1 emphasized the juridical rationale; b2 emphasizes the cosmic symmetry of the two heads.]
Incarnation as Legal Foundation of the Kinsman-Redeemer Right (Ch.7)
Jones develops the doctrine of the incarnation from the concept of redemption right:
“You can purchase anything, but you can redeem only that which you once owned.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 7
On the incarnation as prerequisite for the legal right:
“Our primary concern here is the fact that He came as a flesh-and-blood ‘Son of Man,’ in order to ensure His redemption right as a near kinsman to Adam. The law says that He had the legal right to redeem all mankind back to Adam, along with the entire estate that Adam lost.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 7
Jones cites Heb. 2:14-16:
“14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil… Verse 16 says further that He came more specifically as a descendant of Abraham.” — Heb. 2:14-16, cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 7
On the right against the slave-master:
“If a kinsman comes with a sufficient amount of money to pay the remaining portion of the debt note, the slave-master has no choice in the matter. The kinsman’s redemption right takes precedence over the slave-master’s desire to keep the slave in his possession.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 7
On Christ’s means and right:
“Jesus therefore had the MEANS to redeem all of creation, and as a near Kinsman, he also had the lawful RIGHT of redemption.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 7
On the Jubilee as the ultimate guarantee:
“Lev. 25:54 says, ‘Even if he is not redeemed by those means, he shall still go out in the year of Jubilee, both he and his sons with him.‘” — cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 7
Interpretation: Jones’ incarnation doctrine in b2 builds on b1 but adds: death has no legal choice when the near kinsman redeems. The Jubilee law (not the will of the slave-master) is the ultimate christological guarantee.
Dominion Mandate and Christ as Cosmic Restorer (Ch.8)
Jones connects Adam’s Dominion Mandate with Christ’s universal authority:
“The Dominion Mandate—the right to rule the earth that was passed down from Adam to succeeding generations. This Dominion Mandate ended with Jesus Christ, under whose feet were put all things.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 8
On Isa. 54:5 as a broad christological claim:
“Isaiah 54:5 says that the Redeemer of Israel is ‘the God of the whole earth.‘” — cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 8
On Col. 1:16-20 as the foundational christological passage:
“16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions—all things have been created by Him and for Him… 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” — Col. 1:16-20, cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 8
Jones’ conclusion on the restoration plan:
“It was all created FOR HIM, and because He redeemed all that was lost in Adam, all things will indeed be given to Him in the end. That is the astounding plan of God for the earth.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 8
On Rev. 5:13 as eschatological confirmation:
“13 And every thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.‘” — Rev. 5:13, cited in Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch. 8
Interpretation: Jones connects creation (Col. 1:16), redemption (v.20) and eschatological restoration (Rev. 5:13) as a single christological trajectory. Christ as Last Adam is not merely Redeemer of souls, but Restorer of the complete Dominion Mandate over all creation.