JESUS CHRIST, the BEGINNING and the END

"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely" (Rev 21:6). "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev 22:13).

Devotion 2 of 20

THE EXALTED CHRIST

God has exalted the name of Jesus above every name. As it is written, the power "which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come" (Eph 1:20-21).

God has exalted Christ because of the reconciliation He accomplished by means of His death. In His death He "destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil" (Heb 2:14), and plundered principalities and powers, triumphing over them in His cross (Col 2:15). He effectively "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb 9:26). "Wherefore God also hath 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" (Phil 2:9). Eventually, every created personality will bow before Him, publicly acknowledging Him to be precisely what the Father has declared.

Jesus has "gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" (1 Pet 3:22). While "authorities and powers" have been made subject to Christ, their subjection is not a mere formality. There is a grand purpose being served by their subjugation. Some of the involvements of that purpose are as follows.

1. TO GIVE REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS. "Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31).
2. TO GIVE GIFTS TO MEN FOR EDIFICATION. "Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men . . . And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph 4:8).
3. TO BRING MANY SONS TO GLORY. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings" (Heb 2:910).
4. TO APPEAR IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD FOR US. "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Heb 9:24).

In all of these and more, an exalted Savior was required. In the process, all of His enemies will finally be publicly subdued, being made His footstool (Heb 1:13; 10:13). the primary work of the reigning Savior, however, is not the subjugation of His enemies. That could easily have been accomplished without Him consenting to come into the world, becoming obedient to death, even the death of the cross (Phil 2:5-8). The primary reason for Christ's exaltation is that he might, as the "Captain of our salvation," bring many sons to glory.

Because of His exaltation, Jesus is the Touchstone by which everything is measured. There is nothing eternally valid that is not directly related to Him. There is no legitimate authority that does not proceed from Christ Jesus the Lord. And even the despotic powers of darkness, including the devil himself, cannot lift a finger without His permission.

The Father has invested everything pertaining to the reclamation of humanity in His Son. That includes every personality, every authority and power, and anything else in heaven, the earth, or under the earth (Phil 2:10). There is only one exception to His all-encompassing authority. It is the Father Himself. As it is written, "For He has put all things under His feet. But when He says 'all things are put under Him,' it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted" (1 Cor 15:27).

What is the relevance of Christ's exaltation? Simply this: there is nothing we need for life or godliness that cannot be freely received from Him. There is no requirement for obtaining the prize that cannot be obtained from Him. Every power that is against us is in subjection to Him. The vast multitude of holy angels under His authority, and are dispatched at His word to minister to those who are the heirs of salvation.

Child of God, you can make it! You can make it all the way to the goal. You can obtain the prize, standing at last before the Lord blameless and with great joy (Jude 24-25).

PRAYER Point: Father, thank You for an exalted Savior, who has all authority to bring me to be forever in Your presence.

-- Tomorrow: RELIGIOUS PRETENSION --