Philippians 2:1-11
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Humility is very difficult to master. In Philippians 2:1-11, Paul uses Christ's example of humility to show us what it ought to look like in our lives. Paul says that Jesus, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." Jesus was most certainly not prideful about being in the "form of God"; however, he took the role of a servant. He accepted the role that God placed him in, and he humbly took it. We are meant to be like Jesus. Christ is the perfect example of humility by becoming flesh and taking on the cross.
This passage reminds me a lot of when Adam and Eve sinned. The serpent told them that they would be like God, and, because of that pride, they ate the fruit. They let pride master them and I am sure that we do too. We so desperately want others to think highly of us when all that matters is what God thinks of us. We can spend so much time being self-righteous that we neglect our responsibilities to our God. When we are prideful, even to ourselves, it takes away from the glory that is to be given to our Lord and Savior. It takes away from the One who really deserves it, and that is Jesus.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Humility is very difficult to master. In Philippians 2:1-11, Paul uses Christ's example of humility to show us what it ought to look like in our lives. Paul says that Jesus, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." Jesus was most certainly not prideful about being in the "form of God"; however, he took the role of a servant. He accepted the role that God placed him in, and he humbly took it. We are meant to be like Jesus. Christ is the perfect example of humility by becoming flesh and taking on the cross.
This passage reminds me a lot of when Adam and Eve sinned. The serpent told them that they would be like God, and, because of that pride, they ate the fruit. They let pride master them and I am sure that we do too. We so desperately want others to think highly of us when all that matters is what God thinks of us. We can spend so much time being self-righteous that we neglect our responsibilities to our God. When we are prideful, even to ourselves, it takes away from the glory that is to be given to our Lord and Savior. It takes away from the One who really deserves it, and that is Jesus.
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