"He became what He was not; He continued to be what He was."--Athanasius, the father of orthodoxy
"But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings. When he found himself in the form of a human, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Phil. 2:7-8, CEB).
"I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me" (John 6:38, NIV).
"I have ... [completed] the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4, NIV).
"The Son can do nothing by himself" (John 5:19, NIV).
"My food is to do the will of him who sent me' (John 4:34, NIV).
"... Whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say" (John 12:50, NIV).
"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself" (Phil. 2:5, MSG).
ALL VERSES IN ITALICS FOR MY EMPHASIS!
NB: In God's economy, the way to be filled is to be emptied and we must empty ourselves of all our love for self or empty ourselves of all which contradicts God. Putting God first is the only place to put God. He will not accept second place or play second-fiddle.
Paul talks about the kenosis or emptying, of Himself concerning Christ in Philippians 2. The definition of the doctrine of kenosis is that Christ voluntarily laid aside His glory, restrained His power; accepted hardship and human limitations, and confined Himself in His human nature to the limits of space, time, and knowledge of man's experience. He never gave up any part of His divine nature, but became subordinate to the Father's will, not doing anything He didn't see the Father doing or even saying anything the Father didn't tell Him to say. Note that subordination doesn't mean or imply inferiority, but only a sphere of authority and domain of responsibility. He voluntarily gave up on the independent use of His divine privileges and powers to live as a man in all his weaknesses. He wanted to be able to identify fully with the human predicament and condition, in order to intercede for us on a sympathetic basis, knowing the pain and suffering first hand. Likewise, we can resonate with Him. In plainspoken language, Jesus became the subordinate One to save those who were insubordinate!
He spared Himself no problems common to man! He was truly acquainted with suffering and grief on our behalf in order to be a faithful high priest, savior, and king for us--that we can relate to and can be identified with. Everything about Him was a story of and typical of humiliation because He left His throne in heaven to humble Himself all the way to the cross in obedience to the Father's interposed will. In so doing He represented us and the Father was able to accept His obedience vicariously for us so that we could be justified by an act of imputation. Yes, Christ didn't just die for us but lived the perfect, moral, and spiritual life on our behalf too (that is why He told John the Baptist that they "must fulfill all righteousness").
He came to die, the only man who ever lived, whose mission it was to simply to die and lay down his life. From the very get-go, He was a man on a mission par excellence and set His sights on Calvary. He asks us to carry our cross and follow Him, but our crosses pale in comparison to His and He asks us to do nothing He didn't do, and He spared Himself no level of suffering--at least He was honest enough to warn us and tell us to count the cost of discipleship, for He exempted Himself no pain. In sum, we must acknowledge Him as the living, victorious Lord of Life and Victor over Satan, sin, and death, our enemies--He is Lord of all or not at all!
But Christ's life is more than an example for to follow as the so-called guide to life or humanity, or some good life to mimic: He was born under the Mosaic Law and lived subordinate to it in perfect obedience on our behalf--so that His perfect righteousness could be imputed to our account. He must be seen not simply as a martyr for a good cause (for He laid down His life willingly), but as a victory over death and the only way to conquer it. Indeed, His cruel death was not the end of Him! The Pharisees' worst nightmare came true: He rose from the dead and transformed the lives of the witnesses and disciples who saw Him. Benjamin Franklin wrote in his Autobiography that "we should imitate Jesus and Socrates," but there is no comparison between the two; Jesus is in a moral category by Himself and we don't compare Him, but contrast Him--we don't speak in terms of comparatives or superlatives either. Calling Him the best man who ever lived, or the best teacher, best example, or example of mankind doesn't do Him justice--we don 't say Jesus the Great either because this is an insult to His glory and puts Him on the level of other so-called great men of history. What Alexander the Great did was a mere human achievement, but what Jesus did was divine! Pascal said that what Muhammad did any man can do, but no man can do what Christ did.
Jesus had very humble beginnings, not born as one would think of a conventional king, and died in conditions of what has been termed as "ignominious." Crucifixion was repugnant! Everyone can relate to Christ on some level, not just kings and princes, but the common man in his predicament and forlorn situation. For instance, Muslims cannot conceive of a God or Savior being "defeated" by man and dying on a cross in humiliation. They see the cross as an ignominious death too low for God. But this is God's way of defeating Satan: let the devil think he won and do all the evil he can, and turn it into good or a victory despite his attempts. God indeed does turn evil into good by overruling it by Providence. Like Psalm 76:10 says, God "makes the wrath of man to praise Him."
Jesus never gave up His divine attributes, but only their independent use or for His own advantage. While on earth in His subordination, He obeyed the Father and did His will perfectly: "Although he was a Son, he learned obedience by what he suffered" (Heb. 5:8, NIV). You can see every one of His attributes played out and at work in the gospels, but nowhere did He seek to display them for personal gain or to subvert the Father's will. His subordination was completely voluntary a and His subsequent glorification and exaltation was well-deserved due to His work as our Savior. You might think it's strange to show your love by dying for someone, but this was the only way to save us and Jesus said that to lay down your life for a friend is the sign of no greater love--He gave it all, the ultimate sacrifice!
In application, we ought to have the same mindset as Christ ourselves, who didn't grasp the concept of equality with God, but humbled himself--let this mind be also in us, because in God's economy, the way up is down, emptying comes before filling, and humility before honor; he who humbles himself in God's eyes will be exalted! Having the attitude of John the Baptist, who proclaimed in John 3:30, ESV: "He must increase, but I must decrease." We must empty ourselves or forget about ourselves to serve others, not being full of ourselves in the process! We ought not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought (cf. Rom. 12:3), but to regard others in honor, giving preference to them (cf. Rom. 12:10). Soli Deo Gloria!
"But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings. When he found himself in the form of a human, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Phil. 2:7-8, CEB).
"I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me" (John 6:38, NIV).
"I have ... [completed] the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4, NIV).
"The Son can do nothing by himself" (John 5:19, NIV).
"My food is to do the will of him who sent me' (John 4:34, NIV).
"... Whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say" (John 12:50, NIV).
"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself" (Phil. 2:5, MSG).
ALL VERSES IN ITALICS FOR MY EMPHASIS!
NB: In God's economy, the way to be filled is to be emptied and we must empty ourselves of all our love for self or empty ourselves of all which contradicts God. Putting God first is the only place to put God. He will not accept second place or play second-fiddle.
Paul talks about the kenosis or emptying, of Himself concerning Christ in Philippians 2. The definition of the doctrine of kenosis is that Christ voluntarily laid aside His glory, restrained His power; accepted hardship and human limitations, and confined Himself in His human nature to the limits of space, time, and knowledge of man's experience. He never gave up any part of His divine nature, but became subordinate to the Father's will, not doing anything He didn't see the Father doing or even saying anything the Father didn't tell Him to say. Note that subordination doesn't mean or imply inferiority, but only a sphere of authority and domain of responsibility. He voluntarily gave up on the independent use of His divine privileges and powers to live as a man in all his weaknesses. He wanted to be able to identify fully with the human predicament and condition, in order to intercede for us on a sympathetic basis, knowing the pain and suffering first hand. Likewise, we can resonate with Him. In plainspoken language, Jesus became the subordinate One to save those who were insubordinate!
He spared Himself no problems common to man! He was truly acquainted with suffering and grief on our behalf in order to be a faithful high priest, savior, and king for us--that we can relate to and can be identified with. Everything about Him was a story of and typical of humiliation because He left His throne in heaven to humble Himself all the way to the cross in obedience to the Father's interposed will. In so doing He represented us and the Father was able to accept His obedience vicariously for us so that we could be justified by an act of imputation. Yes, Christ didn't just die for us but lived the perfect, moral, and spiritual life on our behalf too (that is why He told John the Baptist that they "must fulfill all righteousness").
He came to die, the only man who ever lived, whose mission it was to simply to die and lay down his life. From the very get-go, He was a man on a mission par excellence and set His sights on Calvary. He asks us to carry our cross and follow Him, but our crosses pale in comparison to His and He asks us to do nothing He didn't do, and He spared Himself no level of suffering--at least He was honest enough to warn us and tell us to count the cost of discipleship, for He exempted Himself no pain. In sum, we must acknowledge Him as the living, victorious Lord of Life and Victor over Satan, sin, and death, our enemies--He is Lord of all or not at all!
But Christ's life is more than an example for to follow as the so-called guide to life or humanity, or some good life to mimic: He was born under the Mosaic Law and lived subordinate to it in perfect obedience on our behalf--so that His perfect righteousness could be imputed to our account. He must be seen not simply as a martyr for a good cause (for He laid down His life willingly), but as a victory over death and the only way to conquer it. Indeed, His cruel death was not the end of Him! The Pharisees' worst nightmare came true: He rose from the dead and transformed the lives of the witnesses and disciples who saw Him. Benjamin Franklin wrote in his Autobiography that "we should imitate Jesus and Socrates," but there is no comparison between the two; Jesus is in a moral category by Himself and we don't compare Him, but contrast Him--we don't speak in terms of comparatives or superlatives either. Calling Him the best man who ever lived, or the best teacher, best example, or example of mankind doesn't do Him justice--we don 't say Jesus the Great either because this is an insult to His glory and puts Him on the level of other so-called great men of history. What Alexander the Great did was a mere human achievement, but what Jesus did was divine! Pascal said that what Muhammad did any man can do, but no man can do what Christ did.
Jesus had very humble beginnings, not born as one would think of a conventional king, and died in conditions of what has been termed as "ignominious." Crucifixion was repugnant! Everyone can relate to Christ on some level, not just kings and princes, but the common man in his predicament and forlorn situation. For instance, Muslims cannot conceive of a God or Savior being "defeated" by man and dying on a cross in humiliation. They see the cross as an ignominious death too low for God. But this is God's way of defeating Satan: let the devil think he won and do all the evil he can, and turn it into good or a victory despite his attempts. God indeed does turn evil into good by overruling it by Providence. Like Psalm 76:10 says, God "makes the wrath of man to praise Him."
Jesus never gave up His divine attributes, but only their independent use or for His own advantage. While on earth in His subordination, He obeyed the Father and did His will perfectly: "Although he was a Son, he learned obedience by what he suffered" (Heb. 5:8, NIV). You can see every one of His attributes played out and at work in the gospels, but nowhere did He seek to display them for personal gain or to subvert the Father's will. His subordination was completely voluntary a and His subsequent glorification and exaltation was well-deserved due to His work as our Savior. You might think it's strange to show your love by dying for someone, but this was the only way to save us and Jesus said that to lay down your life for a friend is the sign of no greater love--He gave it all, the ultimate sacrifice!
In application, we ought to have the same mindset as Christ ourselves, who didn't grasp the concept of equality with God, but humbled himself--let this mind be also in us, because in God's economy, the way up is down, emptying comes before filling, and humility before honor; he who humbles himself in God's eyes will be exalted! Having the attitude of John the Baptist, who proclaimed in John 3:30, ESV: "He must increase, but I must decrease." We must empty ourselves or forget about ourselves to serve others, not being full of ourselves in the process! We ought not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought (cf. Rom. 12:3), but to regard others in honor, giving preference to them (cf. Rom. 12:10). Soli Deo Gloria!
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