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Every Knee

             In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

 

                What does the last paragraph above look like in your imagination? From tracts I saw decades ago, I got the impression some people think it looks like the Spirit shoving people to their knees and forcing “Jesus Christ is Lord” through gritted teeth every three seconds for all eternity. It’s an angry, oppressive, compulsive scene. And maybe some variation on that is what will happen. It reminds me of the account

                As a debater, I tend to see it more like a legal battle in a court of law, in which the rest of the passage and all that Jesus did is brought before the court, and compared against the legal requirements of lordship, and the claims of anyone else who wishes to dispute His is also brought forward. The outcome of those disputes will be so clear and obvious that no one will be able to stand against His claim. When they have no further arguments in favor of their own lordship, they will acknowledge His even if they don’t say the words.

                I’m not any more sure of the latter than I am of the former, but at some point, each person will have to come to terms with Jesus. Whether it’s on His terms (which could also be ours) or their terms, there will be consequences that we will have to face, and no argument will suffice to change it. The easiest solution, it seems to me, is to make up our minds now to bow the knee (or the attitude or heart if the knees don’t work) now, and get in the habit.

                In other words, we need to get into the habit of not considering equality with God something to be grasped.

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