In this series, it has become clear that the gospel of reconciliation has been entrusted to Paul. He proclaims that in Christ, God reconciles not a part, but the world to Himself: the entire universe. Reconciliation always presupposes change: enmity gives way to peace, alienation to connection and unity. Those who were once opposed to God are brought back to Him.
change
It is noteworthy that Paul is the only writer in the New Testament who explicitly speaks of reconciliation. The words he uses—katallagē, katallassō, and apokatallassō—are built around the verb allassō, which means “to change.” The same word appears, for example, in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, where it speaks of change at the resurrection. This makes it clear that, for Paul, reconciliation always presupposes a genuine conversion. It is not about ignoring hostility, but about ending it. Reconciliation is therefore not a false peace, but restoration.
Forced or convinced?
Against this background, we also read Paul’s words in Philippians 2, where he says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is often understood as forced submission: enemies bending against their will and making a confession without inner change. But does such an interpretation do justice to the text and Paul’s own teaching?
Let us read the passage ourselves:
Philippians 2
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess from the heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Anyone reading these words in conjunction with Paul’s message of reconciliation will find it difficult to maintain that this is an imposed, empty confession. On the contrary: everything in this context points to a confession born of conviction and faith.
1. The Mind of Christ
Paul begins this passage not with power, but with mind. He calls on the Philippians to have the mind of Christ Jesus. Christ did not demand His rights, did not use His position to exalt Himself, but voluntarily chose the path of humiliation. He emptied Himself, took the form of a slave, and walked the path of obedience even to death.
This mind is diametrically opposed to the image of a ruler who submits under duress. Christ’s way is one of surrender, not oppression. Those who bow their knees and acknowledge Him as Lord do so not because they are forced, but because they are convinced.
2. In the Name of Jesus
The bowing occurs “in the name of Jesus.” This refers back to the previous point: God has given Him the name above every name (1:9). That name is the name of YAHWEH Himself. The name Jesus means: YAHWEH saves.
Every knee bows in the name of the Savior. This fact alone makes it clear that this is not a matter of forced capitulation, but of recognition of who He is and what He does.
3. Confessing wholeheartedly
The verb Paul uses for confession is exomologeō. This word expresses what comes from within to the outside. It concerns a confession that springs from within, from the heart.
Elsewhere in Scripture, too, this word always has a positive, voluntary meaning. What fills the heart comes out through the mouth. That every tongue will confess wholeheartedly excludes any thought of a forced statement.
4. Jesus Christ is Lord
Whoever confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord acknowledges His lordship and ownership. Paul teaches elsewhere that Christ is Lord of all (Rom. 10:12). Philippians 2 reveals that every creature will come to this recognition—not by force, but through insight and conviction.
5. By the Spirit
Moreover, Scripture teaches that no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. If every tongue utters this confession, it can only be the result of God’s work. It is a confession of faith, not a forced submission.
6. Salvation Tied to His Name
Paul writes that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. If every tongue confesses and calls on that name, salvation inevitably follows. For God is the Savior of all people (1 Tim. 4:10).
7. To the Glory of God the Father
Finally, Paul emphasizes that this confession takes place to the glory of God the Father. Honor and glory are not produced by force, but by voluntary acknowledgment. God’s purpose is accomplished when His creation wholeheartedly acknowledges Him—when everything is returned to Him.
Thus, too, Paul’s words in Philippians 2 are not separate from his gospel of reconciliation, but rather confirm it. What begins as enmity ends in recognition; what was estranged is reconciled—to the Lord.