Co-equal and co-eternal

QUESTION:

Co-equal and co-eternal

The doctrine of the Trinity states that Christ is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. That seems to directly contradict the teaching of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 and I suggest we turn to it because it quotes God telling us what is true and what is false. In the middle of 1 Corinthians 15 looking at verse 23 it describes the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth after which the dead shall be raised, and then it talks about the reign of Christ upon the earth and during this reign he shall destroy all his enemies and the last enemy to be destroyed is death we read in verse 26 and then verses 27 and 28 which seem to contradict the Trinity. Verse 27 “For God has out all things in subjection under his feet (under Christ’s feet) and when it says all things are put into subjection under him (under Christ) it is plain that He is excepted who put all things under him. When all things are subject to him then the Son himself will also be subject unto him who put all things under him that God may be everything in everything”. So God is subjecting all things to Christ and in the future it tells us here at the end of the reign of Christ on earth, the Son himself will be subject to his Father, therefore he cannot be co-equal and co-eternal.

MR. EVERITT:

I think the point must always be held that in coming into manhood Christ came into circumstances which were placing him in a position, I emphasize the word ‘position’, of lowliness in relation to God. Because God is greater than man. But it has been well said that he never ceased to be what he was because of what he became. When Christ became flesh, he came into those circumstances. Now it also is true that he remains a man and it is as man that he reins and when you come to the end, that is, you were referring to verse 28, it says “and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then the Son also himself shall be subject unto him that out all things under him that God may be all in all”. That doesn’t in the least affect the fact that in his own person he is God and is included in that word “God shall be all in all”. So Christ was co-equal and co-eternal with God.