Facing death for our faith doesn’t scare us a bit. We're ready to go. Now if they would torture us over a period of 5 or 6 years, like a lot of people have been, then that gives us second thoughts, and we wouldn’t look forward to that at all. But, you see, our Lord did. He knew the suffering that was coming. He knew exactly what was going to happen to Him. He knew how those Roman soldiers were going to abuse Him, and beat Him as He carried the cross down toward Golgotha. He knew the pain that would happen when they drove the nails. He knew what it was going to be like to hang on that tree/cross, and He never shrank from it! And all because He was going to be willing to pay the price of total redemption for all of mankind (from Adam to the very last soul born of woman). And we’ll be looking at that more later, where we see in Hebrews chapter 2, "that He tasted death for every man." But now coming out of verse 8, as He:
Philippians 2:8b-10a "…became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (now verse 9 - what a change) Wherefore (because of all He did to accomplish that work of the cross, Wherefore) God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, …"
Now we know we have to be careful that we do not put others down, and we never like to give that impression that we’re smug or arrogant or anything like that, but we have use a word over and over, “exclusive salvation."
And this is what this verse says, "There is no other way." There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. Well see a Joseph Smith won’t cut it, or any of these others who claim to be a later prophet, or what ever. There is only One name, and only one way whereby we must be saved, and see, this says it so plainly.
Philippians 2:10a "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,…"
We’ll never forget hearing an evangelist many, many years ago who put it this way, and we imagine others have said it the same way. "Every human being has that choice of bowing the knee and recognizing Christ as Savior in this life, or he’ll do it at the Great White Judgment Throne in preparation for his doom." Isn’t that true? That’s exactly what it is. We can bow the knee and recognize Christ as our Savior now and go on with joy evermore, or we can reject it and pass off this life. But one day, we’ll come before Him at the Great White Throne, and every lost person of the ages is going to bow the knee and recognize finally that He was Who He said He was, but it’s going to be too late for them, because He won’t be the Savior at the Great White Throne, but rather He’s going to be the Judge!
Philippians 2:11 "And that every tongue (whether in this life or the one to come) should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (now we think that the translators changed this it should read LORD, because He's LORD of Spirits and of spirits, man) to the glory of God the Father."
Well these are all references that give rise to His coming exaltation. Now let’s come back to the Book of Ephesians chapter 1, and this is all still showing how that He was made lower than the angels for a little while, but the day is coming when He is going to be exalted. He is going to be the King over this earthly Kingdom. Let’s begin with verse 7. Remember that Paul is constantly using the prepositional phrase in Ephesians that speaks of our position "In Christ." This only takes place when we've surrendered our will into His Will and have passed through the veil (death, burial) and resurrection with Christ by faith and obedience to His revealed word and Will, by personal inspiration of revelation. This usually being after we've completed our first estate under our tutor the Holy Spirit who has been given us as our comforter, trainer and teacher or guide. When He's revealed our bankruptcy of pride and self sufficiency and the exceeding sinfulness of that sin. That He works humility and a contrite heart within us which brings us to the place of wanting death because we can't reach our goal of righteousness and holiness but by any other way. It is just here that God meats us at our hour of greatest need and despair all because we've learned the secret of Christ Jesus' humility and total dependency on the Holy Spirit. We're readied for the second blessing which is received by willful surrender to His Will, that being through death.
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