Philippians 2:9-11 Paul wrote, speaking of Jesus: “Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Governments of the people of this world are established. For a season they rule and reign but eventually come to pass. Whether they be democratic or dictatorships, they eventually change with the passage of time leaving their mark on history either for good or evil. Theocracy, (to be ruled by God), was always God’s purpose but at the very beginning God gave man responsibility and the first Adam messed up. All choices have consequences, whether good or bad. The second Adam, Jesus Christ, came to set things back on track through God’s redemptive love plan for mankind. God IS love. Consider the greatness of His love plan: His love cannot be measured. It has no beginning or end. Its source is divine and will follow a man to the highest mountain or lowest valley to woo him to Himself to redeem his soul. God yearns to fellowship with His creation in intimacy in our daily walk with Him. He longs to be included in every area of our lives, for us to be out of our depth in His love.
There is a day coming when scripture will be fulfilled and every knee shall bow before Jesus Christ and confess Him as Lord. Some may not choose to follow Him but all will have to acknowledge His position and the governments of this world will bow.
When we consider the Body of Christ and the broad spectrum of all the different beliefs and doctrines, we may wonder how can there ever be a unity in the faith. But unity in the Body of Christ comes out of being one with our Heavenly Father. When I am one with Him, unity with the Body of Believers follows. I do not have to fear what other men believe or differ in doctrine. 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” If I am one with the Father, then I operate in His perfect love and there is no room for fear there. From this position, God’s love in me overcomes the differences and produces the unity of the faith. Being one with the Father is my point of reference that allows others to be different to me without my judging them. There are so many different expressions in the Body of Christ. It is helpful to read Romans 14 every so often to remind us of this and to take heed not to judge our fellow men for their ways, but for each of us to live our lives in accountability to our Heavenly Father.
When I am one with the Father, I will lift up His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the way, the door and the truth. God the Father is number 1. He is the source of all creation. Number 2 is Jesus Christ, His Son. God has given all things to Him….delegated of the Father to the Son, He was the agent of all creation. Number 3 is the Holy Spirit, the Executor of God’s will on earth, in us. There is order in the Godhead, until my life takes on the order of God I will remain in measure. God’s purpose is fullness, right back from the beginning of creation in the Garden of Eden. Man messed it up and fell short of the glory of God’s perfect plan, but Hallelujah!….. God had another plan ready to be executed in the fullness of time – His glorious plan of redemptive love, fulfilled by Calvary through the substitutionary death and resurrection of His beloved Son, Jesus.
God’s purpose for us is fullness, not measure. Paul prayed, Ephesians 3:19 “…to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that YOU MIGHT BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD.” Self effort cannot produce this. All my effort to be what God wants me to be is “wood, hay and stubble.” As I yield to the life of Christ within me, (surrender), His life will be expressed through me – the life of Another will take over, that” God may be all, in all,” 1 Corinthians 15:28 – God’s perfect plan, for His glory.
