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EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS AT THE JUDGMENT THRONE

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 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.

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