To The Glory of God

Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:5-11).

Most of us have heard this passage. It has a lot of good stuff in it. There are two particular aspects that I want to point out.

First, something that I always seemed to miss in the passage is the totality of the result. Paul doesn't say that all believers will confess that Jesus is Lord. He doesn't say that all who are saved will bow. The result of Christ's death on the cross is that every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord. That would include those who denied Him in life. There will be no exceptions. There is much debate about the efficacy of the cross. Is it limited? Is it universal? That question is in regards to atonement. But the cross will be fully effective in pointing to Christ as Lord ... without exception.

The other point is on the question of good and evil. One side of the argument will argue that God is totally separate from evil, that He can have nothing to do with it, either in planning or use. It seems to me, however, that this passage proves otherwise. We know that the crucifixion was the plan from the foundation of the world. We also know that the crucifixion of an absolutely innocent man -- in fact, the Son of God -- was evil, in fact, the ultimate evil. This passage in Philippians says that the crucifixion is ultimately "to the glory of God the Father". That means that God planned and used the crucifixion -- the ultimate evil -- for His glory -- the ultimate good.

Some people will complain about the idea of God using evil for His good ends. I find it comforting to think that God can use even the worst things for His ultimate good.