EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS AT
THE JUDGMENT THRONE
Updated - 5/19/10
We
read two important passages concerning man’s relationship to God:
Romans
14:10-12:
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why
dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of
himself to God.
Philippians
2:9-11:
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things
under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We
will examine these two passages together because they have common language and
very closely relate.
The first question to examine is to whom does the
“all” in Romans 14:10 refer?
In
Romans 14:10, God, through the Apostle Paul, is speaking to those in the Roman
church. Of what is God accusing them?
God
is accusing the people in the church of judging their fellow man. We read about
that in Romans 14:10.
Regarding
judging our fellow man, God says in Matthew 7:1-2:
1
¶ Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
In
Matthew 7:1-2, and in other passages, God teaches that if judging others is our
nature, then we are like the unsaved and are probably not saved.
Judging
others is the activity of the unsaved, not the activity of the true believer.
In
Romans 14:10, God is admonishing the church people for judging others in the
congregation. Judging others is an activity that is very common for unsaved
man. In that verse, God, through the Apostle Paul, is saying that we “all”
shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
The
“all” to whom he is talking includes those that are judging their fellow man.
That is the activity of the unsaved. God is including the unsaved in the church
among the “all” of Romans 14:10.
Therefore,
as we read in Romans 14:10 about God admonishing the people of the Roman church
for judging others, we know that God is talking to the unbelievers in that
church as well as the true believers. The unbelievers are the ones who are
judging others.
The
unsaved are the ones that are doing most of the judging of others. They are
certainly part of the “all” of Romans 14:10.
We
know from the Parable of the Wheat and Tares in Matthew 13, and from Revelation
2 & 3, and from other passages, that every New Testament church had many
unbelievers or tares.
In
Romans 14:10 God is admonishing the people of the Roman church, including the
unbelievers or tares, that they are not to judge their fellow man.
When
we read language like “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou
set at nought thy brother?” we can know for certain that God is speaking to
the unbelievers in that church as well as to the believers.
Therefore,
when we read the next part of the verse, “for we shall all stand before the
judgment seat of Christ.”, that we know that the “all” to whom God
refers includes the unbelievers.
We
can be certain the “all” to whom God refers in Romans 14:10 includes the
unsaved. They are the primary ones who are judging their fellow man.
As
we continue to the next verse, we notice in Romans 14:11 that God says “For
it is written”. This means that God is referring back to somewhere else in
the Bible and is quoting from there. We find that Romans 14:11 is a quote of
Isaiah 45:23.
Some argue that the quotation of Isaiah 45:23 shows
that the “all” in Romans 14:11 is only speaking about the true believers and
does not include the unbelievers.
We
will now examine this argument.
Let’s
look at Isaiah 45:22-25 to see the context. We read there:
22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends
of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out
of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every
knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD
have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come;
and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be
justified, and shall glory.
We
see that Romans 14:11 quotes Isaiah 45:23.
It
has been argued that the “every” of Isaiah 45:23 is only speaking about
the true believers, and does not include the unbelievers.
This
argument is based upon verse 22 that talks about salvation, and the first part
of verse 24 and all of verse 25 talk about salvation.
However,
we have to look at Isaiah 45:22-25 more closely.
Verse
22 is actually a command to all mankind.
All
mankind is to look to God for salvation. Finally, only the true believers will
be brought to God. However, the command of verse 22 goes to all of mankind.
This
command to look to God for salvation is like what we read in Mark 1:15. We read
there:
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of
God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
The
command of Mark 1:15 goes to all mankind. Finally, only the true believers will
be drawn and will be given repentance by God.
Likewise,
Isaiah 45:22 is directed to all mankind. They are to look to God for salvation.
Therefore, Isaiah 45:22 is not a verse
limited to only believers nor it is a verse limited to only the elect. It is a
verse that speaks to all of mankind.
It
is also argued that since the first part of verse 24 is talking about
salvation, then that means that the “every” in Isaiah 45:23 is only
talking about true believers.
However,
we have to look at all of verse 24. The second part of verse 24 says “and
all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.” This is talking about
the unsaved.
Therefore,
when we look at the “every” in Isaiah 43:23 we cannot tell if it
includes just the true believers which would be the first half of verse 24 or
if it includes all of mankind, which would be speaking of all of verse 24.
As
a result, we cannot tell from Isaiah 45:23 if the “every” in that verse is only
the true believers or if it is all mankind. God does not give enough
information in that passage for us to determine this.
Therefore,
we know that Isaiah 45:23 is not a proof text that the “all” or “every” of Romans
14:11 is limited to only the true believers.
Let’s
look again at Romans 14:10-12. We read there:
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why
dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of
himself to God.
We
notice that in the beginning of verse 11 God begins with the word “for”.
This word ties what was said in verse 11 to that in verse 10.
God
stated a truth in verse 10. Then, in verse 11, God is expanding that truth by
the word “for”.
In
verse 10 God says that all, which means all mankind, must stand before the
Judgment Seat. Then, in verse 11, God explains more of what it means to “stand
before the judgment seat of Christ”.
Verse
11 teaches that to “stand before the judgment seat of Christ” means that
the “knee shall bow” to God and the “tongue shall confess to God”.
Verse
11 is tied back to verse 10 as an explanation by the word “for”.
Some argue that 1 Corinthians 15:22 shows that we
cannot tie verses like Romans 14:10 and 11 together.
We
read in 1 Corinthians 15:22:
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive.
In
this verse we read the word “all” two times. The first “all”
refers to all mankind. All mankind died when Adam died. The second “all”
refers to all of the elect. Only the elect shall be made alive.
In
one verse, we see the word “all” two times and they represent two
different “all’s”. Based upon this, it is said that we cannot tie the
“all’s” or “every” together in passages like Romans 14:10-12.
However,
we always have to look at the context of a verse before drawing a conclusion.
In
1 Corinthians 15:22, God defines the two different “all’s” which He discusses.
The
first “all” is the all “in Adam”. The second “all” is the
all “in Christ”.
Yes,
we can have two different “all’s” in one verse if God defines the all’s
differently.
In
1 Corinthians 15:22 God has defined that He is talking about an all “in Adam”
and another all “in Christ”. However, Romans 14:10-12 is written differently.
Every passage must be examined in it’s own context.
Let’s
examine Romans 14:10-12 again. We read there:
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why
dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of
himself to God.
By
the use of the word “for” in the beginning of verse 11, God is saying
that verse 11 explains more about what is said in verse 10.
We
found that the “all” in verse 10 refers to all mankind. The unsaved also
are guilty of judging their fellow man.
So,
we know that the “all” of verse 10 is all mankind including the unsaved.
Then,
in verse 11, God ties back into verse 10 with the word “for”. The word “for”
means that in verse 11 God is expanding what He talked about in verse 10.
Therefore,
the “every” in verse 11 is tied directly to the “all” in verse
10. God has tied them together with the word “for” and God is showing us
that He is talking about one group of people, “all” mankind or “every”
person.
It
is one context. 1 Corinthians 15:22 defines two “all’s”. But, Romans 14:10-12
is one context; one group of people that God is describing.
Verse
12 continues to talk about “all” mankind or “every” person.
God
ties verse 12 into the context of verses 10 & 11 by beginning with “So
then”.
Verse
12 declares that “every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
We
ask the question: To whom does the “every one” refer?
All
mankind is accountable to God. Without any doubt, the “every one” in verse 12
refers to all mankind, both saved and unsaved.
The
unsaved must give or pay the account on their own. The Lord Jesus gave or paid
the account for the true believers. The “every one” of verse 12 must be
all mankind, the saved and the unsaved.
Below
are two verses that use the same Greek word translated “account” and are
talking about giving an account to God:
Matthew 18:23
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which
would take account <3056> of his servants.
As
we continue on in Matthew 18 we find that an unsaved servant must give an
account for his sinful action. So, Matthew 18:23 is teaching that the unsaved
must also given an account for their actions.
1 Peter 4:4-5:
4 ¶ Wherein they think it strange that ye run
not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5 Who
shall give account <3056> to him that is ready
to judge the quick and the dead.
1
Peter 4:4-5 talk about an unsaved person that must give or pay an account to
God.
The
Bible teaches that all mankind, including the unsaved are accountable to God.
Therefore the “every one” in Romans 14:12 refers to all mankind including the
unsaved.
We
have seen that the “all” and “every” in Romans 14:10 and 12 refer
to all mankind, including the unsaved. In addition, God uses connecting words
to tie verses 10, 11 and 12 together. Therefore, we know that the “every”
of verse 11, like that of verses 10 and 12, includes the unsaved as well. It is
one context. God is talking about one group of people.
Thus
far, we have shown that the “all” & “every” in verses 10 to 12 are tied
together by the words “for” and “so” and are not limited to just true
believers, but include the unsaved as well. Also Isaiah 45:23 does not limit Romans
14:10-12 to only believers.
Now,
we want to examine more carefully what this passage teaches about the nature of
standing before the judgment seat and when that occurs.
Let’s
look at Romans 14:10-11 again. We read there:
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why
dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
In
verse 10, God says that we all shall stand before the judgment seat.
Next,
God connects verse 11 to verse 10 by the word “for”.
In
verse 11, God explains what it means to “stand before the judgment seat of
Christ”.
In
verse 11 God teaches that to “stand before the judgment seat of Christ”
means that “every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to
God”.
This
is a key point.
In
verse 11, God defines what it means to “stand before the judgment seat of
Christ”. God says that it includes that “every knee shall bow to me, and every
tongue shall confess to God”.
This
causes us to ask another question:
Is
it now true in this world for the unsaved that “every knee bows to
me, and every tongue confesses to God”?
The
answer is a clear “no”. In this world, the unsaved do not confess to God
nor bow the knee to God.
Therefore,
Romans 14:11 is not yet fulfilled for the unsaved. It must be fulfilled for the
unsaved at Judgment Day.
However,
another argument is raised.
It is said that the word “confess” refers only to
believers
To
answer this statement, we have to look at the Greek word translated “confess”
in Romans 14:11. This Greek word is a little different than the word “confess”
that we find in familiar verses like Matthew 10:32, Romans 10:9 and 1 John 1:9.
The
Greek word translated “confess” in Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:11 is
also found in Luke 22:6.
We
read in Luke 22:3-6:
3 Then
entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
4 And
he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might
betray him unto them.
5 And
they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.
6 And
he promised <1843>, and sought opportunity to betray him
unto them in the absence of the multitude.
The
Greek word translated “confess” in Romans 14:11 and in Philippians 2:11
is also found in Luke 22:6 and is translated as “promised”.
In
Luke 22:3-6, Judas agrees with the Jewish leaders to betray the Lord Jesus. He
goes to the chief priests and they are glad and “covenanted” or agreed to give him money in return for betraying
the Lord Jesus.
In
return, Judas “promised” or “confessed”
to the agreement.
God
has carefully guided the writing of the Bible so that this Greek word
translated “confess” in Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:11 is used by an
unbeliever, Judas. Therefore, we know that the presence of this Greek word does
not mean that the “confessors” must be believers.
Another
argument is raised:
It is said that mankind is always, throughout time,
standing before the Judgment seat of Christ.
It
is true that throughout time, all mankind is standing before God as the judge.
God rules over all mankind. God is the judge.
However,
the Bible teaches that the standing or appearing before the Judgment Seat of
Christ, as indicated in Romans 14:10-12 and 2 Corinthians 5:10, is something
special that occurs at a specific time and is not on-going.
The
Greek word, “bema”, translated “judgment
seat” in Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10, is only used in the Bible to
describe an event that occurs at a specific time. It is not used to describe an
on-going event or judgment process. The accused was not standing continuously
before the “judgment seat”. The accused appeared there for a distinct
time to receive the punishment for past actions.
This
Greek word translated “judgment seat” is not used to describe someone standing
continuously before a judge, but rather to describe someone standing at a
specific time.
Here
are some verses which have this Greek word “bema”:
Acts 18:12
And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection
with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat <968>,
Acts 25:6
And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto
Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat <968> commanded Paul to be
brought.
Acts 25:10
Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat <968>, where I ought to be
judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
Acts 25:17
Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I
sat on the judgment seat <968>, and commanded the
man to be brought forth.
In
each of the above verses, and in every verse that has this same Greek word, the
person standing before the judgment seat stood there at a specific time and not
on a continuous basis.
Also,
we see that Jesus stood at the Judgment seat:
Matthew 27:19
When he was set down on the judgment seat <968>, his wife sent unto
him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered
many things this day in a dream because of him.
John 19:13
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat
down in the judgment seat <968> in a place that is
called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
Jesus
stood there one time on behalf of the true believers and received the sentence
of punishment. Jesus was not standing continuously before the Judgment seat.
Mankind
is standing continuously before God as the judge. However, God uses this Greek
word “bema” or “judgment seat” to describe a specific time in which a sentence
could be given. Therefore, this Greek word is not used to refer to someone
standing continuously before the judge.
God
provides another key proof that Romans 14:10-12 is not talking about a
continuous event in this world.
Let’s
look at Romans 14:10 again. We read there:
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou
set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of
Christ.
Notice
that God says “for we shall all stand”. God is using the future
tense.
Some
people will argue about the tense of verses in the Psalms and in other passages
of the Bible and say that they are not clearly defined. Therefore, they say
that we can ignore the future tense in Romans 14:10-12.
However,
in the Psalms and in some other passages, God is talking about things that
Christ will do or already has done. So, at times the tenses are a little
confusing in the Psalms. Also, the Hebrew language, which is the language of
the Old Testament, only has two tenses, which are defined a little differently
than our three English tenses.
On
the other hand, the Greek language has a very well developed past, present and
future tenses, just like we have in English. In the Greek language, the verb “stand”
is clearly in the future tense. Romans 14:10-12 is describing a future
event and not something that was happening at the time it was written.
Therefore,
we can know that Romans 14:10 is not saying that mankind is presently standing
before the judgment seat of Christ. Rather, it is teaching that in the future,
mankind shall stand before the Judgment.
This
agrees with the truth that we found above that God uses this Greek word
translated “judgment seat” to speak about a one-time event and not about
a continuous, on-going event.
If
mankind was continuously standing before the “judgment seat” of Christ,
then Romans 14:10 would have to be written in the present tense like:
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou
set at nought thy brother? for we all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
But,
God did not write it that way. God wrote Romans 14:10 using the future tense.
That indicates that in the future, man shall stand before the Judgment
seat of Christ.
God uses the future tense in all 3 verses of Romans
14:10-12. God says that:
1.
We shall stand before the judgment seat
2.
Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess
3.
We shall give an account to God.
We
must read the Bible carefully. We can’t ignore tenses or other information God
puts into a verse.
Some
may argue that we can ignore the future tense in Romans 14:10-12. But, God put
a future tense verb in all 3 verses. If mankind is presently standing before
the judgment seat of Christ, then the verse would have to say “for we all
stand”. It would not be proper to say “for we shall all stand”.
The fact that the standing before the judgment seat
of Christ is a future event agrees with Revelation 20:11-15.
Let’s
examine Revelation 20:11-15 with the help of Revelation 21:1-2. First, let’s
look at Revelation 21:1-2. We read there:
1
¶ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first
earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city,
new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband.
Revelation
21:1-2 helps us to understand the language of Revelation 20:11-12.
In
Revelation 21:1 God tells us that there is a “new heaven and a new earth”.
God
also tells us that “the first heaven and the first earth were passed away”.
This means that the first heaven and first earth have been destroyed.
2
Peter 3:10-13 teach us that God will destroy the present heavens and earth and
then make a new heavens and earth.
Also,
in Revelation 21:2 we see that the body of believers, the holy city, is coming
down from heaven.
So,
in Revelation 21:1 the language of “the first heaven and the first earth
were passed away” means that the first heaven and first earth have already
been destroyed.
God
uses parallel language in Revelation 20:11-12 as He uses in Revelation 21:1-2.
Let’s
now examine Revelation 20:11-15 with the help of Revelation 21:1-2. We read in
Revelation 20:11-15:
11
¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand
before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the
book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were
written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in
it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were
judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of
fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
In
verse 11 we see God sitting on a great white throne. God is the one that sits
on the throne.
Then,
God says “from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was
found no place for them.” This is similar language to the second part of
Revelation 21:1, which says “the first heaven and the first earth were
passed away”.
This
language in Revelation 20:11 is teaching that in this Gospel picture the earth
and heaven have already been destroyed, just like they have already
been destroyed in the Gospel picture in Revelation 21:1.
Then,
starting in Revelation 20:12, God describes the unsaved, the dead, standing
before God and they were judged and cast into the lake of fire. That is after
the first earth and first heaven have already been destroyed.
This
is parallel to Revelation 21:2 in which the body of believers, the holy city,
is coming down from heaven. That occurs after the first heaven and first earth
passed away as described in Revelation 21:1.
With
the help of Revelation 21:1-2, Revelation 20:11-12 teaches that the unsaved
appear before the judgment throne or judgment seat of Christ after this world
has already passed away. This agrees with the future tense verb “shall” in
Romans 14:10-12.
Let’s
consider another important point.
To stand before the “judgment seat” does not necessarily
mean that the unsaved have to experience some kind of trial and be found
guilty.
In
the past when we have read about appearing or standing before the Judgment Seat
of Christ we have thought of a formal trial of some kind and that the unsaved
would be found guilty and then be cast into the lake of fire.
However,
the word “judge” does not have to mean a formal trial of some kind. The word
“judge” in the most general sense is used to describe the application of the
law of God. From Romans 14:10-12, the judgment seat or judgment throne could
simply be the place where unsaved man finally has to consciously “confess” or
recognize that God rules over him and bow down to God. That at least means that
the unsaved finally have to consciously recognize that God rules over them.
We
also find the Greek word translated “judgment seat” in Romans 14:10 and
2 Corinthians 5:10 in these verses:
Acts 12:21
And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne <968>, and made an oration
unto them.
In
Acts 12:20-22 we read about how King Herod sat on a throne and was receiving
praise from the people. In verse 21 God uses the Greek word “bema” or “judgment
seat” to refer to the fact that Herod was sitting on a throne and ruling
over the people.
There
is nothing in Acts 12:20-22 that speaks of a trial with a verdict being given.
This passage only refers to the fact that King Herod was ruling over the
people. God refers to this event as King Herod sitting upon the “judgment
seat”.
Therefore,
Acts 12:21 shows that God can use the Greek word “bema” which is translated
“judgment seat” to speak of a king that rules without referring to a formal
trial.
Let’s
look at another verse with this Greek word translated “judgment seat”:
Acts 7:5
And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set
<968> his foot on <968>: yet he promised
that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as
yet he had no child.
Acts 7:5 is a very unusual verse to find the
Greek word “bema” or “judgment seat”. However, this verse helps
us to understand what God can mean by standing or appearing before the “Judgment
Seat” of Christ.
In Acts 7:5 God is talking about Abraham and
His promise to Abraham that he and his seed (the true believers) would inherit
the new heavens and the new earth.
God is explaining that Abraham received “none
inheritance” in the land of Canaan. God is teaching that the promise to
Abraham was not for the land of Canaan over near the Mediterranean Sea. Rather,
the promise to Abraham and the true believers is for the new heavens and new
earth.
God explains this in Acts 7:5 by saying “no,
not so much as to set his foot on:”. In the Greek language, this
phrase has the word “bema” or “judgment seat”.
God is saying that Abraham did not have any “judgment
seat” in the land of Canaan, implying that he would be given a “judgment
seat” in the new heavens and new earth. In the new heavens and new earth,
the emphasis is not that the believers will be judges in a court room passing
sentence. Rather, the believers will be sitting on thrones with Christ and will
be ruling.
Acts 7:5 uses the Greek word “bema”,
which is translated “judgment seat”, in a similar way as does Acts
12:21. In both verses, God uses “judgment seat” not in the sense of a formal
court trial, but rather to indicate ruling.
Therefore, the presence of the word “judgment
seat” in Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 does not mean that there must be a
trial in which the unsaved are found guilty. Rather, it can mean that God will
be ruling on the throne over the unsaved as they finally have to consciously
confess that God does rule over them.
When we examine Romans 14 verses 10 and 11 carefully,
we see that God has put language in these verses that tie them together.
We
read there:
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why
dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Verse
10 describes the judgment seat. God says “we shall all stand before the
judgment seat of Christ.”
Then,
in verse 11, God ties back to verse 10 by the phrase “For it is written”.
God is saying that verse 11 explains what verse 10 means by to “stand before
the judgment seat of Christ.”
Verse
11 says that to “stand before the judgment seat of Christ” means that “every
knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God”.
Below
are some verses with this same phrase “For it is written” using the same
two Greek words that we find in Romans 14:11:
Matthew 4:10 Then saith
Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for <1063> it is written <1125>, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shalt thou serve.
Matthew 26:31 Then saith
Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for <1063> it is written <1125>, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep
of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Acts 23:5 Then said Paul, I
wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for <1063> it is written <1125>, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler
of thy people.
Romans 12:19 Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for <1063> it is written <1125>, Vengeance is mine; I will repay,
saith the Lord.
Galatians 3:10 For as many
as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for <1063> it is written <1125>, Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them.
In
each of the above examples, and in all verses with this same phrase “for it
is written”, the part after the “for it is written” provides further
explanation or definition for the first part that is being discussed. The two
parts are tied together.
In
the same way the statement “every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue
shall confess to God” gives definition for what it means that “we shall
all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”
Therefore,
if we read Romans 14:10-11 carefully, we learn that to “stand before the
judgment seat of Christ” means that our “knee shall bow to me, and tongue shall
confess to God”.
This
requires the unsaved to awake to consciousness at Judgment Day for this to be
fulfilled. One cannot “confess” to God unless he is conscious.
We
ask another question:
In
this world, do the unsaved “confess to God”?
The
answer is a clear no.
The
unsaved are doing what they want to do and they are not “confessing to God”
that He rules over them. They are not thanking God for His goodness to them.
They are not praising God for His wonderful attributes. They are not really
interested in the laws that God has established for mankind. In this world, the
unsaved are not “confessing to God”.
However,
in Romans 14:10-11, God links the “confessing to God” with the “to
stand before the judgment seat”.
That
is why Romans 14:10-12 is written in the future tense. Today the unsaved are
not “confessing to God” nor are they “standing before the judgment
seat”.
But,
at Judgment Day, the unsaved will awake to consciousness and finally have to
“confess to God” and have to “stand before the judgment seat”.
One
might argue that bones or dust can “confess” to God.
However,
when we examine all of the verses with this Greek word translated “confess”,
we find that they all require consciousness.
All
of the verses with this Greek word are listed below:
Matthew 3:6
And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing <1843> their sins.
Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank <1843> thee, O Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and
prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Mark 1:5
And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of
Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing <1843> their sins.
Luke 10:21
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank <1843> thee, O Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in
thy sight.
Luke 22:6
And he promised <1843>, and sought
opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.
Acts 19:18
And many that believed came, and confessed <1843>, and shewed their
deeds.
Romans 15:9
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is
written, For this cause I will confess <1843> to thee among the
Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
James 5:16
Confess <1843> your faults one to another,
and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much.
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed
in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but
I will confess <1843> his name before my Father, and before
his angels.
Each
of the above verses require that the person “confessing” must be
conscious.
Therefore,
the unsaved must awake to consciousness at Judgment Day to fulfill Romans
14:10-12.
Let’s
consider another argument.
It is said that
since the unsaved will not repent at Judgment Day that this means that they
will not bow the knee nor confess to God and therefore, it is concluded that
Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10-11 are not speaking about the unsaved.
We
will examine this argument carefully.
The
Bible teaches that at Judgment Day the unsaved will not repent. We see this
teaching in these verses:
Revelation
9:20-21:
20
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented
not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols
of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see,
nor hear, nor walk:
21
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of
their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Revelation
16:9 And men were scorched with great
heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and
they repented not to give him glory.
Revelation
16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven
because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
The
above verses help to establish the fact that the unsaved at Judgment Day will
not repent.
Based
upon this fact, it is argued that the statement, “every knee shall bow to
me, and every tongue shall confess to God” does not apply to the unsaved.
It is said that to bow the knee and confess with the tongue is a sign of repentance.
We must examine the Bible to determine
if the statement “every knee shall bow
to me, and every tongue shall confess to God” signifies repentance.
To
answer this question, First, we must establish what is the Biblical definition
of repentance?
To
learn the Biblical definition of the words “repent” or “repentance” we must
examine how God uses these words in the Bible. Here are some verses where God
defines these words:
We
read in Acts 26:20:
But shewed
first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of
Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to
God, and do works meet for repentance.
In
Acts 26:20 we see the word repent or repentance two times, which provides extra
emphasis on this word in this verse. God identifies repentance when the people
“turn to God” and that includes that
the people “do works meet for repentance”.
These would be works in obedience to the Bible.
So,
in Acts 26:20, God is defining repentance as turning to God and obeying the
Bible, the commandments of God.
We
read in Ezekiel 18:30:
Therefore I
will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the
Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so
iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Here,
God ties the command “Repent” with
the action “turn yourselves from
all your transgressions”. Again, repentance has to do with turning from
sin, and therefore, turning to obey the Bible.
We
read in Jeremiah 8:6:
I hearkened
and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his
wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the
horse rusheth into the battle.
In
Jeremiah 8:6 God talks about man repenting from “his wickedness”. This would mean for man to turn from his sin and
obey the Bible. Again, Jeremiah 8:6 defines repentance as turning from sin and towards
obeying the Bible.
We
read in Matthew 21:28-29:
28 ¶ But what think ye? A certain
man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my
vineyard.
29
He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
Here
we read the command to go and work in the vineyard. The son said he would not.
He disobeyed the father. Later, “he
repented, and went”. God is defining repentance as turning from sin and
obeying.
We
read in Acts 8:22:
Repent
therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine
heart may be forgiven thee.
Acts
8:22 was a command given by Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to
Simon. This verse also confirms that repentance has to do with turning from sin
and to obeying the Bible.
We
read in Matthew 12:41:
The men of
Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it:
because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than
Jonas is here.
Matthew
12:41 tells that the people of Nineveh repented. We read in Jonah 3:5-10 about
their repentance:
5 ¶ So the people of Nineveh believed
God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them
even to the least of them.
6
For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne,
and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat
in ashes.
7
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh
by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast,
herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
8
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto
God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that
is in their hands.
9
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his
fierce anger, that we perish not?
10
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God
repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it
not.
We
read in verse 8 the command, “let them
turn every one from his evil way”. We see God’s assessment in verse 10, “they turned from their evil way”. Jonah
3:5-10 gives the definition of repentance that God talks about in Matthew
12:41.
These
are some passages that give the Biblical definition of repentance. More
passages could be offered.
We see that God defines “repentance” as
turning from sin to obey the Bible.
Finally,
unsaved man will not repent and turn to God with his whole heart unless God draws
him. The following verses show that God finally must give man repentance:
Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to
be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and
forgiveness of sins.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their
peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted
repentance unto life.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness
and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth
thee to repentance?
2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth;
So,
in summary, we have learned the Biblical definition of repentance.
The Bible defines repentance as turning
from sin to obey the Bible.
Next,
we must examine what the Bible means by bowing the knee and confessing with the
tongue.
We must answer the important question:
Does bowing the knee or confessing with the tongue indicate a turning from sin,
which is repentance?
We
will look at the Biblical definition of “bowing” or “bowing down” and
“confessing” separately. First, let us consider how the Bible uses the idea of
“bowing” or “bowing down”.
The
Bible does use the idea of “bowing” in the sense of defeat. The enemy bows down
before the victor. This is true of the unsaved at Judgment Day. They will bow
down in defeat.
In
addition, the Bible uses the idea of “bowing” in other ways also. Let us look
at some verses that teach how God uses this principle in the Bible.
We
read two verses in Genesis 23 in which Abraham bowed himself before the
children of Heth:
Genesis 23:7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to
the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
Genesis 23:12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the
people of the land.
In
Genesis 23 Sarah died and Abraham needed to buy some land to bury her. He
wanted to buy the land from the children of Heth. In verses 7 and 12, Abraham
“bowed” before the children of Heth. This was done out of respect or reverence
for those people.
Abraham
was not repenting and turning to serve the children of Heth or their gods.
Abraham was simply bowing out of respect and reverence.
Genesis 23 verses 7 and 12 show that at
times the Bible uses the idea of “bowing” not to indicate repentance or a
turning to serve the someone. Rather, bowing can be a sign of respect and
reverence.
We
read 3 verses in Genesis 33 in which the family of Jacob “bowed” before Esau:
Genesis 33:3 And he passed over before them, and bowed
himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Genesis 33:6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and
their children, and they bowed themselves.
Genesis 33:7 And Leah also with her children came near,
and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed
themselves.
In
each of the 3 above verses, members of Jacob’s family “bowed” before Esau. They
were bowing to show respect and reverence for Esau. They were not repenting or
turning to serve Esau or his gods.
Genesis 33 verses 3, 6 & 7 show that
God does use the idea of “bowing” not to teach repentance or turning to obey
someone, but rather as a sign of respect and reverence.
We
read in Numbers 22:31:
Then the LORD
opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the
way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat
on his face.
Numbers
22:31 talks about when God called Balaam and put wonderful prophecies in his
mouth for the true Israel of God.
The
Bible teaches that Balaam never became saved and God does not have good things
to say about Balaam. We read 2 verses in the New Testament in which God gives
His assessment of Balaam:
2 Peter 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are
gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the
wages of unrighteousness;
Jude 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way
of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in
the gainsaying of Core.
Balaam
was not a saved man, neither is there any evidence in the Bible that he wanted
to serve God with a true heart. For example we read in Numbers 24:1:
And when
Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other
times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
Balaam
“set his face toward the wilderness”
to avoid speaking the wonderful blessings to Israel that God was putting in his
mouth. When we look at Balaam carefully, we find that he had no desire to serve
God or obey Him with a true heart.
However,
we find in Numbers 22:31 that Balaam did bow before God. Balaam did not have a
true heart of repentance or turning to obey God. Rather, Balaam was forced to
recognize God and give Him some respect and reverence.
Below
are 3 more verses in which one person bows before another:
1 Samuel 24:8 David also arose afterward, and went out of
the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked
behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
2 Samuel 14:33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and
when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his
face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.
1 Kings 1:53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought him
down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon
said unto him, Go to thine house.
In 1 Samuel 24:8 David bowed before King Saul.
David was not repenting or turning to obey Saul or his gods. David was simply
showing respect and reverence to the king. In 2 Samuel 14:33 Absalom bowed
before his father king David. Absalom certainly was not repenting or turning to
serve David or God. After this, Absalom establishes his following to overthrow
his father’s kingdom. In 1 Kings 1:53, Adonijah, the brother of King Solomon
bows down before King Solomon. Adonijah was not turning in repentance to God or
to King Solomon. In the next chapter we read about how Adonijah continues with
his plan to try to take the kingdom from King Solomon by marrying one of his
father’s widows.
Above we see 3 more verses in which God
uses the idea of “bowing” not to indicate any kind of repentance or turning to
obey God, but rather simply as a sign of respect or reverence.
In
Isaiah 2:9-21, God describes the “bowing down” of the unsaved at Judgment Day.
We read there:
9
And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself:
therefore forgive them not.
10 ¶ Enter into the rock, and hide thee
in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.
11
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men
shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
12
For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that
is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he
shall be brought low:
13
And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up,
and upon all the oaks of Bashan,
14
And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are
lifted up,
15
And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,
16
And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
17
And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men
shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
18
And the idols he shall utterly abolish.
19
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the
earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth
to shake terribly the earth.
20
In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold,
which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the
bats;
21
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged
rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth
to shake terribly the earth.
We
read about the unsaved bowing down before God at Judgment Day in verses 9, 11
and 17.
Isaiah
2:9-21 is talking about Judgment Day when the unsaved will bow down before God.
The language of this passages is similar to some language we read in Revelation
6:12-17 about Judgment Day. We have a study that examines these and other
related passages:
ON JUDGMENT DAY, THE
UNSAVED WILL DESIRE ANNIHILATION BUT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OBTAIN IT
For
our current study, the important point is that in Isaiah 2:9-21, we see 3
verses in which God is talking about the unsaved “bowing down” at Judgment Day.
However, there is no language of repentance or turning to God in obedience in
this passage.
We have seen a number of verses in which
God talks about someone “bowing” before another in which the context does not
indicate any repentance or turning to obey that person. Rather, the bowing down
can indicate defeat, submission, reverence or respect.
Therefore, when we read that every knee
shall bow, God does not have to be talking about repentance. Rather, God uses
this figure to refer to defeat, submission, reverence or respect.
The
second thing that we read about in Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11 and Philippians
2:10-11 is about “confessing” or “swearing”. We read in those passages:
Romans
14:10-12:
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why
dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of
himself to God.
Philippians
2:9-11:
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things
under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Isaiah
45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word
is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That
unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
It
is argued that the words “confess” or “swear” signify repentance or turning to
God in obedience. To see if this assertion is true, we must examine how the
Bible uses these two words.
We
have already looked at the Greek word translated “confess” in Romans
14:11 and Philippians 2:11. This same Greek word is also found in Luke 22:6.
We
read in Luke 22:3-6:
3 Then
entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
4 And
he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might
betray him unto them.
5 And
they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.
6 And
he promised <1843>, and sought opportunity to betray him
unto them in the absence of the multitude.
The
Greek word translated “confess” in Romans 14:11 and in Philippians 2:11
is also found in Luke 22:6 and is translated as “promised”.
In
Luke 22:3-6, Judas agrees with the Jewish leaders to betray the Lord Jesus. He
goes to the chief priests and they are glad and “covenanted” or agreed to give him money in return for betraying
the Lord Jesus.
In
return, Judas “promised” or “confessed”
to the agreement.
So,
this particular Greek word translated “confessed” in Romans 14:11 and
Philippians 2:11 can be used to speak of an unbeliever. An unbeliever like
Judas was not giving any kind of repentance or turning to God in obedience. In
fact, his final act of suicide was further sin on his part. There was no repentance
coming from Judas.
In
Luke 23:6, when Judas “promised” or “confessed” the agreement to the chief
priests, there was no repentance or turning to God or turning to the gods of
the chief priests. Judas was simply acknowledging an agreement. He was not
turning in repentance to serve either God or the chief priests.
In
Isaiah 45:23, God uses the word “swear”.
Let’s consider some verses with the same Hebrew word. The question is if this
Hebrew word translated “swear”
signifies repentance or turning to God in obedience.
We
see this same Hebrew word in a number of verses in which the one swearing is
swearing falsely, not with a true heart:
Leviticus 6:1-5:
1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying,
2
If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his
neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a
thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;
3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth
concerning it, and sweareth <07650> falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning
therein:
4
Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall
restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath
deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing
which he found,
5 Or all that about which he hath sworn <07650> falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and
shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it
appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.
Psalms
24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure
heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn <07650> deceitfully.
Jeremiah
5:2 And though they say, The LORD
liveth; surely they swear <07650> falsely.
Zechariah
5:4 I will bring it forth, saith the
LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the
house of him that sweareth <07650> falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of
his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
Malachi
3:5 And I will come near to you to
judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the
adulterers, and against false swearers <07650>, and against those that oppress the hireling in his
wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from
his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
Each
of the above verses describes someone that swears but not in truth. The person
is swearing falsely. He is taking an oath, but he is not speaking in truth. In
fact, the context of the above verses is lying. The man is “swearing falsely”
in the sense that he is lying. He is not telling the truth.
He
is swearing falsely. This is not repentance. As shown earlier in this study, repentance
is to turn to God in obedience and this includes coming with a true heart. The
verses above use this same Hebrew word “swear”
to speak of someone taking an oath, but not in truth.
Regarding
the unsaved at Judgment Day “swearing” to God, we could think about it this
way. At Judgment Day, the unsaved will have to “swear” or acknowledge or
recognize that God exists and rules over them. In their heart they are lying
because they do not believe that God should rule over them. Their “swearing”
will still be false in the sense that they remain in rebellion against God. There
will be no repentance in their heart.
We have looked at the 3 words, “bow”,
“confess” and “swear” that are found in Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:10-12 and
Philippians 2:9-11 and found that they do not necessarily signify repentance or
a turning to God in obedience.
Therefore, the fact that the unsaved do
not repent at Judgment Day in no way indicates that Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:10-12
and Philippians 2:9-11 are not speaking about the unsaved also.
Let’s
continue our study by looking at Philippians 2:9-11.
We will now examine Philippians 2:9-11. It is talking
the about same subject.
We
read there:
9 Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in
earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.
Notice
the similar language about bowing the knee and confessing to the Lord Jesus
that we find in Philippians 2:10-11 and Romans 14:11.
In
Philippians 2:11, God uses the same Greek word translated “confess” that
He used in Romans 14:11 and is used in Luke 22:6 when Judas, an unbeliever, “promised”
or confessed his agreement with the Jewish leaders.
In
Philippians 2:5-8 God emphasizes how the Lord Jesus humbled Himself greatly to
take on a human nature and be the suffering servant and suffer the shameful
death of the cross.
Then,
in verse 9 God says that because Christ humbled Himself, God has “highly exalted him” and God has given Christ “a name which is above every name”.
Is
there any doubt that the “every name” includes all mankind, both the saved and
the unsaved?
There
is no doubt that the “every name” in Philippians 2:9 is all mankind,
both the saved and the unsaved.
The
Lord Jesus is above all mankind and above all of God’s creation. Christ is
above all. That includes not only the saved, but also the unsaved.
Then,
in verses 10 and 11, God is giving the result or the proof of the fact that the
name of Christ is above every name.
God
begins verse 10 with the word “That”.
This Greek word actually alters the Greek grammar and spelling in verses 10 and
11 to show that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between verses 10-11 and
verse 9. We see this in our English Bible because the word “should” has been added to the verbs “bow”
and “confess”.
This
word “should” is found in the Greek
text in verses 10 and 11. It indicates that the statements of verses 10 and 11
are the result of verse 9. That is the impact of the word “that” in the
beginning of verse 10.
In
other words, God has tied verses 10 and 11 to verse 9 through the word “that”
so that the latter two verses are the proof or result of verse 9. God is saying
that because Christ’s name is above all mankind, then all mankind must bow and
confess to Him.
We
see this same Greek word translated “that” in the following verses:
Matthew 1:22 Now all this
was done, that <2443> it might be fulfilled which was spoken of
the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Matthew 18:14 Even so it is
not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that <2443> one of these little ones should perish.
Matthew 26:56 But all this
was done, that <2443> the scriptures of the prophets might be
fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
John 6:39 And this is the
Father’s will which hath sent me, that <2443> of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up again at the last day.
John 6:40 And this is the
will of him that sent me, that <2443> every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have
everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
These
verses show how this Greek word translated “that” is used in the Bible.
It ties two sentences together in a cause-and-effect relationship. For example
in Matthew 1:22 those things were done in order to fulfill Old Testament
prophecy.
The
same holds true in Philippians 2:9-11. In verse 9 God is saying that Christ’s
name is above all names, and that includes the names of the unsaved.
Then,
verses 10 & 11 say that as a result, that all mankind, including the
unsaved, must bow and confess to Christ that He is lord.
God
is saying because Christ is above all mankind, including the unsaved, then all
mankind, including the unsaved, must bow and confess to Christ. Confessing is a
conscious acknowledgment.
God
says that every knee bows and every tongue confesses “to
the glory of God the Father”
The
salvation program brings glory to God. However, the judgment program also
brings glory to God. We read about unsaved Achan in Joshua 7.
We
read in Joshua 7:19:
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee,
glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now
what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
After
this Achan was stoned. Achan came under the judgment of God and was stoned. God
talks about that giving “glory” to God also.
That
agrees with Philippians 2:11 which says that the bowing of the knee and
confessing of Christ gives “glory” to God. Achan made confession.
The Biblical evidence is that only a small percentage
of people will become saved.
If
we change the “every” in verses 10 & 11 to be only the true
believers, then we are effectively making Philippians 2:9-11 say:
9 Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of
Jesus a small percentage of knees should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that a
small percentage of tongues should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We
are changing these verses to say that because Christ is above every name that a
small percentage should bow and confess to Christ. That is not what God is
saying in Philippians 2:9-11.
By
using the word “that” in the beginning of verse 10, God is using verses
10 and 11 as a proof or evidence that Christ’s name is above
every name.
The
fact that Christ is above everyone, including the unsaved, is proven or
demonstrated by verses 10 and 11 in which God is saying that every knee shall
bow and every tongue shall confess.
That
is why God used this particular Greek word translated “that” in the
beginning of verse 10. God is tying verses 10 and 11 as the proof or result of
the fact stated in verse 9.
The
proof or result of the fact that Christ’s name is above every name (all
mankind) is that every knee and every tongue (all mankind) will confess to God.
The
Greek translated word “confess” always requires consciousness. Therefore, the
unsaved whose bodies are sleeping in the dust must awake to consciousness to
fulfill Romans 14:10-12 and Philippians 2:9-11.
A
careful examination of Romans 14:10-12 and Philippians 2:9-11 shows that all of
the unsaved must bow the knee and confess to Christ. Therefore, the unsaved
must awake to consciousness at Judgment Day to fulfill these passages.
Below
is a summary of important truths taught in these passages.
1.
The “all” of Romans 14:10 includes the unsaved because it is talking
about man judging his fellow man, an activity common among the unsaved.
2.
Isaiah 45:23 does not help us determine to whom the “every” in Romans
14:11 refers. From Isaiah 45:23 alone we cannot tell if that “every”
includes the unsaved or not.
3.
The “all” and “every” of Romans 14:10-12 is one. There is one
context in those verses. Whereas in 1 Corinthians 15:22 God defines two all’s,
one “in Adam” and the other “in Christ”. We must always carefully
consider the context of a passage.
4.
The “every” of Romans 14:12 must be all mankind because all mankind is
accountable to God. God has bracketed Romans 14:10-12 with “all” and “every”
that refer to the unsaved as well as the saved. These 3 verses are one context.
5.
The Greek word translated “confess” in Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:11
is also found in Luke 22:6 when Judas “promised”. Therefore this word
can refer to an unsaved person.
6.
With the phrase “for it is written” in Romans 14:11, God defines that to “stand
before the judgment seat of Christ” means that “every knee shall bow to me, and
every tongue shall confess to God”. Therefore the unsaved must awake to
consciousness to “confess” to God.
7.
The Bible uses the Greek word “judgment seat” not to speak about a continuous
standing before a judge, but rather about a standing at a specific time in
which a sentence could be given. This word does not require that a trial be
held.
8.
God wrote Romans 14:10-12 in the future tense, saying that we all shall
stand before the judgment seat. This teaches that the standing before the
judgment seat is not now, but in the future.
9.
The future standing before the judgment seat agrees with the sequence of events
described in Revelation 20:11-12 and 21:1-2.
10.
Philippians 2:9-11 teaches that a proof or demonstration of the fact that
Christ is over everyone, including the unsaved, is that everyone, including the
unsaved, will bow and confess to Christ. Confession requires a conscious
awaking of the unsaved.
A
careful examination of Romans 14:10-12 and Philippians 2:9-11 has shown
multiple proofs that the unsaved that are presently sleeping in the dust must
awake to consciousness to “confess” that Christ rules over them.