I Willingly Agree
We've come to the end of The First Christian Hymn with the words, "every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death –
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
The Greek word behind "will confess" means to freely confess. So you could use it about a believer confessing their sins to God, for example. Or you could use it to describe a believer worshipping God. In both those instances, the act is free and willing. That is why some translations read "every tongue will acknowledge."
One day every being, seen and unseen, in heaven or in hell, will willingly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Great divine Son of God. It does not mean that they will want to acknowledge it or that they will love Jesus, but they will have to accept the fact that Jesus is indeed the Lord.
To use a poor analogy, a left wing British citizen may not like the fact that Boris Johnson is in power, but they have to admit that he is the PM, since that is the fact of the matter.
One day the facts of the case, such as Jesus sitting on the Throne of Judgement, will make it impossible for any being, any longer, to doubt that Jesus is God's appointed King. So they will confess that Jesus is Lord. And perhaps through gritted teeth, as they bow their knees, they will have to say to the King of kings "You are Lord."
Two more comments are due before we sign off this wonderful First Christian Hymn.
To the Glory of the Father
First, there is a divine order in the Godhead which must always be respected. The exalting of God the Son must not be seen to usurp the role of the Father who is the first Person of the Godhead, so Paul ends his hymn by reminding us that the exalting of the Son will be to the glory of God the Father."
God the Father is pleased when all knees bow to Jesus and when all tongues admit that his Son is Lord. And he is glorified when that happens, for he sent the Son and his Son is very dear to him.
Summing it All Up
Second, let us not lose sight of the purpose of this First Hymn. Paul has summoned up the highest doctrine to encourage Christians to learn how to relate to each other.
How should we relate to one another?
How a Christian husband and Christian wife?
How a Christian father and Christian child?
By not wanting our own way, in sum, but by considering the needs of the other.
And who set the supreme example for this way of behaving?
Jesus Christ, who came way way down from heaven into our world, to reach us, to serve us, to die for us, and to save us.
So, we should be prepared to go to any depths to love another.
Our motive? Divine love in our hearts first of all, and then the knowledge and assurance that one day, having humbled ourselves we will be exalted and hear the Lord's "well done."
And that will be enough!
A SONG FOR THE DAY
Meekness And Majesty Manhood And Deity
In Perfect Harmony The Man Who Is God
Lord Of Eternity Dwells In Humanity
Kneels In Humility And Washes Our Feet
Oh What A Mystery Meekness And Majesty
Bow Down And Worship For This Is Your God
This Is Your God
Father’s Pure Radiance Perfect In Innocence
Yet Learns Obedience To Death On A Cross
Suffering To Give Us Life
Conquering Through Sacrifice
And As They Crucify Prays Father Forgive
Wisdom Unsearchable God The Invisible
Love Indestructible In Frailty Appears
Lord Of Infinity Stooping So Tenderly
Lifts Our Humanity To The Heights Of His Throne
Oh What A Mystery Meekness And Majesty
Bow Down And Worship For This Is Your God
This Is Your God, This Is Your God.
Your God, Your God.
Graham Kendrick
You can hear the author sing it HERE.
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our gracious Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your Name. We thank you that we have been called into your kingdom of grace, and can joyfully acknowledge the rule of your Son, our Saviour.
We thank you that we have no dispute with his eternal reign but we pray for those who resist his rule. We ask that while there is time, they might repent of their sins and turn to you.
We pray that we would learn how to love as your Son loved, by his example.
We ask this in His Name,
Amen
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