03.03 God's Oath - To Save All

3 - God Will Have All Men Be Saved; Section 3 GOD’S OATH - TO SAVE ALL! The purpose of God to save all men is as unalterable as His nature of love and His character of holiness. Not only has God stated that He will save all men, not only has God promised that He will save all men, but God has SWORN BY AN OATH that He will save all men! This truth stands forth in clarity in the glorious words declared openly by God Himself. In fact, when God could find no greater, He swore an oath by Himself, vowing that every promise He had made unto the children of men would be accomplished. What He had spoken He was well able to perform. God is faithful, who also will do it!

What does God’s Oath entail? We are warned never to swear, or make a vow; either by heaven or by earth. For it is better never to make a vow, than to make one, and then not be able to keep it. Great penalty can be incurred upon our carelessly made vows and pledges. We see this in the reckless vow made by Jephthah. In Judges 11:30-40 we read that he "vowed a vow unto the Lord" which caused him and his daughter great pain, sorrow, and loss.

God’s Oath, sworn by Himself, is an expression of God’s utter devotion to His Word, spoken in a solemn vow to His whole creation. Let us consider only one of these unconditional promises revealed and confirmed by God’s own Oath. "Look unto Me, and BE SAVED, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I HAVE SWORN BY MYSELF, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that UNTO ME EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW, EVERY TONGUE SHALL SWEAR" (Isaiah 45:22-23). "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" (Php 2:9-11). "I have sworn by Myself." The word "sworn" is from the Hebrew SHABA meaning "to SEVEN oneself, i.e. swear, by repeating a declaration seven times." The number seven is used in the Bible to indicate completeness and perfection and is used as the basis for swearing to point to the sureness and sacredness of that which was sworn. And just what has God sworn that He shall accomplish? "Unto Me EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW, EVERY TONGUE SHALL SWEAR."

Many people who do not believe the truth of the salvation of all men do believe the words quoted above. But they take them entirely out of context and wretchedly distort what God has said. They feel that this bowing of the knee and confessing unto God by every man is a sort of COMPULSORY ADULATION rendered by beings who can’t help themselves, a sort of "Heil Hitler!" extracted under pressure from conquered subjects. Such persons believe that God will grind His enemies into subjection, FORCING a confession of His Lordship through their clenched teeth, just before sending the sinners and unbelievers away to eternal doom. Just what good this would do, I do not know.

I would draw your attention to this Oath of God as reiterated and expanded by Paul in Php 2:10-11. "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." These are not conquered subjects compelled and coerced into bowing and confessing allegiance to a hated but almighty God. The character of the speech, the structural form of the language used here reveals something far greater than a forced confession! Arthur S. Way so beautifully renders these verses - "Because He stooped so low, God uplifted Him very high, and has freely given Him The Name - The Name that is above every name, decreeing, In the Name of Jesus shall every knee bend IN PRAYER, alike of dwellers in heaven, on earth, in the underworld, and every tongue shall utter this confession, Jesus the Messiah is Lord! So rendering glory to God the Father." The Amplified Bible reads, "That at the name of Jesus every knee must bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue FRANKLY AND OPENLY CONFESS AND ACKNOWLEDGE that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." The word translated "bow" is KAMPTO, found in the Bible only in Paul’s writings, and means TO BOW IN WORSHIP. The meaning is clarified when we understand the Spirit that moved Paul when he said, "For this cause I BOW my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:14). No compulsory adulation there! What love and worship and adoration moved Paul to BOW low before the One whose love had completely won his heart in unmovable allegiance. He was captivated by this altogether lovely One. Humbled by the knowledge that he was the "chiefest of sinners," and awed by the love and mercy of the Lord, he bowed his knees - worship and adoration freely and spontaneously flowing from every part of his being. For the present time, such bowing, such worship, is found only in the "firstfruits" - those whom God has apprehended and drawn to Himself in this age. But we read of a coming day, witnessed in spirit by the beloved apostle John - "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth ... heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever" (Revelation 5:13). As one has written, "All, we are told, will bow the knee. This is always a sign of fealty and worship. Surrender to a conqueror is not indicated by bowing the knees, but by raising the hands high above the head. In one of the darkest days of Israel’s defection God reserved seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal (Romans 11:4). It is clear from this that this is no mere perfunctory performance, but that it involves a hearty homage. If He spared those who did not bow the knee to Baal, how much more will He save those who bow the knee to the Saviour of His selection?" This gives the key to God’s Oath in Isaiah 45:23; "Unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." When this great Oath is fulfilled it will be found that it was only by virtue of a SAVIOUR that every knee has bowed and every tongue confessed to God. They all bow at the name of Jesus! "Jesus" signifies "Jehovah is salvation." Ah - it is in the name of God THE SAVIOUR that they bow! - not in the name of God as judge, general, or dictator. To bow in this Name can indicate but one thing, the acceptance of Him as their Saviour. And notice now, precious friend of mine, upon the basis of God’s Oath to cause every knee to bow and every tongue to swear allegiance He commands, "Look unto Me, and BE SAVED, all the ends of the earth ... I have sworn ... every knee shall bow ... every tongue shall swear" (Isaiah 45:22-23). This is not a declarative sentence. It is an IMPERATIVE SENTENCE and carries all the weight of a command by the sovereign Lord of the universe! God COMMANDS all to BE SAVED and then proceeds to SWEAR that He will do it, and every knee shall bow in worship before Him, offering up the fruit of their lips, even praise to His name. Those who suppose that it is through clenched teeth that the conquered masses will acclaim Him as Lord completely miss the message of the above passage. But how wonderful that God’s Oath is an Oath UNTO SALVATION FOR ALL MEN!

"Unto Me every tongue shall swear (allegiance)" (Isaiah 45:23). "And every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Php 2:11). Consider now the wonderful statement made by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:3, "Wherefore, I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man CAN SAY JESUS IS LORD, but by the Holy Ghost." This surely makes it plain that this is not a forced confession, but one coming through the lips of men under the influence of the Holy Spirit. It becomes a willing acknowledgment and acclamation. This word "confess," from the Greek EXOMOLEGEO, means "to speak out the same thing." To give the same confession from our heart, as truth known by the Holy Spirit. "The Spirit of Truth ... shall not speak of Himself ... He shall glorify Me ..." (John 16:13-14). And filled with His Spirit, all creation shall utter only that which glorifies God. Their confession is to the Holy Spirit’s confession! The word translated "confess" is also used to mean "praise" or "acclaim." The same Greek word is used to express Jesus’ gladness as recorded in Matthew 11:25 and Luke 10:21. He said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth ..." Now according to Paul, every being IN HEAVEN, and IN EARTH, and IN THE UNDERWORLD is to bow the knee in the same worshipful humility that characterized Paul himself, and every tongue is to thank or praise or acclaim Christ as Lord in the glad spirit that characterized our Lord Himself. The loving attitude of the whole universe is to be complete and perfect. Thus all the ends of the earth shall offer their THANKSGIVING TO HIM for His great love and salvation and inflow of life. What a THANKSGIVING DAY that will be! Every knee on this globe, and in the heavens, and in the underworld shall confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ. What a TESTIMONY MEETING! There has never been one like it! Hitler will bow and say, "Jesus, You are my Lord! " Caesar and Alexander will bow and joyfully proclaim, "Jesus, You are Lord!" Idi Amin will lovingly testify, "I thank God for saving me - Jesus Christ is now my Lord!"