WM 371: My Former Debate Opponent (Stephen Boyce) Swims the Tiber

 

JTR

The Vision (3.6.26): The Exaltation of Christ

 

Image: Late winter sunrise. North Garden, Virginia. March 2026.

Note: Devotion taken from last Sunday's sermon on Philippians 2:9-11.

In Paul’s Christ Hymn, Philippians 2:5-11, the apostle first describes Christ’s Humiliation (vv. 6-8) and then his Exaltation (vv. 9-11).

Of his Exaltation, Paul offers four statements about Christ, with reference to his resurrection, ascension, session (being seated at the right hand of God, Mark 16:19), and second coming:

1.     God highly exalted him (v. 9a).

2.     God gave him a name (v.9b).

3.     That every knee should bow at the name of Jesus (v. 10).

4.     That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (v. 11).

First: God highly exalted him (v. 9a):

This speaks of the resurrection. The one who was in the form of God and took upon him the form of a servant was gloriously raised from the dead.

Peter said at Pentecost, “This Jesus God hath raised up” (Acts 2:32).

He was exalted in his resurrection, and he was exalted in his ascension.

Second: God gave him a name (v. 9b):

“…and given him a name which is above every name.”

He was given the name “Jesus,” meaning Jehovah saves, through God’s angel before his birth (cf. Matt. 2:21; Luke 1:31).

He was also given many titles, including Christ (Messiah) and Son of God. When Christ asked his disciples, “Whom say ye that I am?” it was Peter who responded, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15-16).

Third: That every knee should bow at the name of Jesus (v. 10):

In vv. 10-11 Paul draws upon a passage from the prophet Isaiah about the LORD and applies it to Christ (see Isaiah 45:22-23).

So, Paul continues: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow….” (v. 10a).

The phrase “the name of Jesus” is intriguing. Some pious Jews even today refer to God simply as “the Name [Hebrew, ha-shem].” Paul is telling us here that Jesus is Jehovah.

It brings to mind Christ in session, as when a king is seated on his throne, and his subjects, friend and foe alike, approach, each bending the knee before Him.

Fourth: That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (v. 11):

Paul continues in v. 11, “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”

To say “Jesus is Lord” is to confess, Jesus is Jehovah, Jesus is the God of the Scriptures (cf. Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor. 12:3).

Paul speaks here of Christ’s exaltation at his second coming. On that final day, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

It will be a “twofold confession” (Zanchi, Commentary on Philippians, 353). The pious will confess faith in Christ. The wicked will confess a dread reality, Christ has returned as Judge with great power and glory.

Christ is exalted now, and He will be exalted at His coming!

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle

WM 370: REACTION: Byzantine Priority Conference: 1600 YEARS and COUNTING?

 

JTR

The Vision (2.27.26): The Mystery of Redemption

 

Image: Winter sunset. North Garden, Virginia. February 2026.

Note: Devotion taken from last Sunday's sermon on Philippians 2:5-8.

“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

Philippians 2:5-11 is known as the Christ Hymn. Paul begins by urging the Philippians: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (v. 5). He wants them to follow the model of Christ in humility.

He describes first the humiliation of Christ (vv. 6-8) and then the exaltation of Christ (vv. 9-11).

With respect to his humiliation (vv.6-8), Paul reveals four mysteries:

First, he addresses the mystery of Christ’s true divinity. He was “in the form [morphe] of God” (v. 6).

Second, he addresses the mystery of Christ’s true humanity. He “took upon him the form [morphe] of a servant [doulos, a slave], and was made in the likeness of men” (v. 7).

Third, he addresses the mystery of Christ’s incarnation: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself” (v. 8a).

Finally, Paul addresses the mystery of redemption. Christ “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (v. 8b).

With God there is but one will. There are three persons in the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), but there are not three wills. As true God, Christ’s divine will was one with that of the Father and the Spirit. As true man, Christ also had a human will, which was always obedient to the divine will. This is why he prayed in the garden, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

That last statement in v. 8, “even the death of the cross,” is a reminder or how terrible a death this was. Crucifixion was a shameful death. It was the death of slaves and criminals. It was excruciatingly painful and humiliating.

It had to be this sort of death in order justly to illustrate the magnitude of what God has done for us in Christ.

The one who was in the form of God took on the form of a servant and as a true man was obedient to death on the cross to save his people from their sins.

Thanks be to God!

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle

WM 369: Iain H. Murray on "INTELLECTUAL RESPECTABILITY" and SCRIPTURE

 

JTR

WM 368: RBS Journal: The Reformation Text and the Septuagint

 

JTR

The Vision (2.20.26): Being "of one mind" in the Lord

 

Image: Fellowship at CRBC Midweek Meeting (2.18.26)

Note: Devotion taken from last Sunday's sermon on Philippians 2:1-5.

“Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2).

Philippians is Paul’s thank you note and his love letter to the saints at Philippi. He does not take on the harsh tone he uses in letters like 1 Corinthians and Galatians, where he is correcting gross errors.

This does not mean, however, that Paul is not using all his gifts of rhetoric and leveraging all his apostolic authority to exhort the church at Philippi and especially to urge them to avoid divisions and schisms by being “likeminded” and having “one mind” in the Lord.

The Italian Reformer Zanchi said this concerning our passage:

“…we are of one mind if we hold fast to the one Christ (and not to many), to the one Head of the church (not to many), to the one Supper of the Lord that He celebrated and instituted (not to many), and finally to that single doctrine that He gave us through the apostles, and if we embrace no others” (Commentary on Philippians, 222-223).

Some have fouled things up by suggesting that clarity of doctrine divides. If we take too clear a stand on doctrine, we’ll drive people away. It is actually just the opposite. Clarity of doctrine unites. This is why we are glad to use a classic confession of faith (the Second London Baptist Confession) that offers specific details and not general notions about what we believe. This allows us to enjoy unity of faith and avoid unnecessary division.

We seek not only unity of faith but also of practice. This is the beauty of the regulative principle of worship. Following the simple Biblical guidelines for worship (singing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; prayer; the public reading of Scripture; preaching; baptism and the Lord’s Supper) unites Christians around the world. As some pastor friends reminded me in a podcast once, even using the same translation of the Bible in the church, based on the traditional text, unites us. “Uniformity” of practice, leads to unity in the body.

May the Lord make us “likeminded” and give us “one mind” as we know and serve Him and His people.

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle