“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:5-8
Paul couples the obligation of a Christian life with a description of Christ, who makes that life possible. We are certainly not lords, nor have we any excuse for refusing to honor Jesus Christ as Lord. Yet the fulfillment of the obligation to live like Christ is supported by all that Christ gives freely … the encouragement, comfort, love, and mind of Christ, along with the participation of the Spirit.
These verses present one of the most significant statements in all of Scripture on the nature of the Incarnation, the fact that God became man. Also, through this wonderful description of Christ, Paul vividly illustrates the principle of humility.
“Have the same mindset” means all godly action begins with the “renewing of the mind.” Right thinking produces right actions. Thinking and being like Christ are requirements not only for an individual but also for the corporate body of believers. Together we need to think and act like one being, like the person of Jesus Christ.
Christ was fully God, but He limited Himself in such a way that He could also be completely human. In Christ, God became man.
“Made Himself nothing” can be translated “He emptied Himself.” Christ did this by taking on the form of a servant, a mere man. In doing this, He did not empty Himself of any part of His essence as God. Instead, He took upon Himself existence as a man. While remaining completely God, He became completely human. In the Incarnation, Christ continued in the very nature of God but added to Himself the nature of a servant.
“Likeness” does not mean that Christ only appeared to be a man. Rather, the term emphasizes identity. In reality, He was a man, possessing all the essential aspects of a human being, although unlike all others He was sinless.
“Appearance” is the third word Paul uses to show the Philippians that Jesus Christ who is fully God from all eternity is also fully man. In the previous verses, Paul describes Jesus as possessing the nature of God and taking on the nature of a servant. Jesus came to the earth with the identity of a man. Here the word appearance points to the external characteristics of Jesus, He had the bearing, actions, and manners of a man.
“He humbled Himself” by willingly taking the role of a servant; no one forced Him to do it. “Obedient” since although He never sinned and did not deserve to die, He chose to die so that the sins of the world could be charged to His account.
“Death on a cross” is a description of the depths of Christ’s humiliation. Christ died by the cruelest form of capital punishment, crucifixion. The Romans reserved the agonizing death of crucifixion for slaves and foreigners, and the Jews viewed death on a cross as a curse from God.
God’s blessings on your day…