In Paul’s epistle to church members at Philippi, there is a poetic passage about Jesus’s willingness to humble Himself in order to serve us. Paul has just told his readers to “esteem each other better than themselves” and to prioritize the welfare of others over their own welfare. Now, he describes how Jesus set the perfect example for us in this regard:
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
Philippians 2:6-11
to the glory of God the Father.
The passage is similar to other poetic descriptions of the Savior, including the Servant Song in Isaiah 53 / Mosiah 14 and the hymn “Jesus, Once of Humble Birth.” It is also consistent with King Benjamin’s description of Jesus as “the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity” (Mosiah 3:5) and Abinadi’s introduction of Him as “God himself” (Mosiah 15:1).
Under the direction of His Father, Jesus not only created this earth but governed it for thousands of years before His birth in a stable in Bethlehem. His appearance as an ordinary human during His mortal ministry stands in stark contrast to His prior glory and is a remarkable testament to His love for us.
No wonder that Paul’s passage ends with a paraphrase of Isaiah’s statement that “every knee shall bow” and “every tongue shall swear” that Jesus Christ is God. (See Isaiah 45:23; see also Romans 14:11.)
After Alma saw an angel and was incapacitated for three days, he cried out to Jesus and was “snatched” from an “everlasting burning” into “the marvelous light of God.” When he regained consciousness, he testified to the people gathered near him that Jesus “remembereth every creature of his creating” and that “he will make himself manifest to all.” Then, Alma declared, “Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him” (Alma 27:28-31).
We will bow before Him not only because of His power but also because of His love. We will be overwhelmed with gratitude not only because He created this world but also because He descended from heaven to be with us. His unmatched example of humility and love has elevated Him to “the place of highest honor.” We love and honor Him because He loved us.
Today, I will be grateful for the Savior’s willingness to descend from heaven and be with us. I will remember that His greatness was only enhanced by His humility.
yes nboth the wicked and the righteous will confess that Jesus is Lord and King! But even though the wicked bow down and proclaim Him King, He still isnt King of their lives! 🙁 And will be judged and burnt up
There are plenty of scriptures in the Book of Mormon and the Bible which testify that some people will be devastated at the Final Judgment. Alma, for example, testified to Zeezrom that some of us will stand before God, “and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgments are just” (Alma 12:15). Prophets consistently try to help people prepare for that day. As Mormon wrote, “I would that all men might be saved. But we read that in the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out” (Helaman 12:25). Even though we don’t know everything about the Final Judgment, we do know that our Heavenly Father loves all of His children, that Jesus prepared the way for us to be saved, and that God will give us every blessing which we are willing to receive. The common denominator, as you point out, is the truth. There will be no ambiguity at that time about what Jesus has done for us.