The Confessing Tongue

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11 KJV)

There are few passages of scripture stronger in their proclamation of Universal Reconciliation than this one. Who can possibly argue with every knee bowing before the Son of God and every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord of all? Yet, my 40 years in the error of my presupposition, was spent believing that these were compelled to bow and somehow coerced into a reluctant confession of Christ’s Lordship.

A boot on the neck of the vanquished until they yield is not a glorious victory. Given that all things were created by Him and for Him and that His is the cohesive power that holds the universe together, it is self-evident that Christ has the preeminence now!  (Colossians 1:16-17) At His Word everything came into being – at His Word absolutely everything can instantly be incinerated.

Where the truly magnificent victory rests is in the vast number of all of those who ever lived, so many that they cannot be counted, coming to know the truth, bending the knee, confessing joyfully that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior. Oh, so much better than the forced confession that fits the theology of the annihilationist and those who see God torturing His own, is the genuine change of heart the knowledge of the truth brings to the billions reconciled in the end.

How can we know that the confession given is a joyful one? We would see it instantly if we could read the New Testament in its original language.

The Greek, exomologeo, translated “confess” in the passage above means, to confess or to profess, acknowledge openly and joyfully, to one’s honor: to celebrate, give praise to, to profess that one will do something, to promise, agree, engage. (The New American Standard New Testament Greek Lexicon)

This is God’s entire purpose: to see all His creation in love and true adoration, repent and be reconciled through the blood of the cross that He spilled to purchase this very thing.

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure,…yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”  (Isaiah 46:9-10, 11b KJV)

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 KJV)

God said that He purposed it, that He would do it. He will bring it to pass. What has He purposed to do?

I have sworn [an oath] by Myself, The word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear [allegiance]. (Isaiah 45:23 AMP)

This is Universal Reconciliation, and it is genuinely Apostolic.