Philippians 2:5

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

What "mind", Greek PHRONEO, "thought process" should be in the Christian? The Bible makes this literal statement:

"Let this mind or thought process keep on being (phroneo {pronounced fron-eh’-o}, Present Passive Imperative) in you ..."

What does this mean? What "thought process" are we as Christians commanded to keep in us? As I watch Christians chase after one fad then another - first the prayer of Jabez, then 'Experiencing God', then yet another fad - I fear that perhaps many of us have fallen far short of what the Scripture commands. Technology and the freedom that it offers has offered us sensory treats that no other age has been offered. You can turn on television and in the course of thirty minutes or an hour live a life apart from the reality you are in. Our children focus on the Internet, chat rooms, and computerized games with an intensity that frightens me. I often believed that you could operate on my youngest child while he was playing a game, and that he would ignore the cut of the knife - so intense was his concentration on that bit of software.

We live in an amazing, technologically advanced world. I can pick up the telephone and call someone on the other side of the world in seconds - a thing unheard of years ago. I can step on an aircraft and fly from one coast of our country to another in hours. I can travel to Jackson Tennessee in a matter of 30 minutes or less on the Interstate Highway system, a trip that took our forefathers days. And, Beloved, I consider that trip to be routine, mundane, just ordinary. What will tomorrow be like? Will we, like I saw on the television show "Star Trek", be able to beam ourselves to a faraway place in seconds? Perhaps.

Yet even with technology's changes one thing remains true and constant. We must never lose sight of this truth.

We are mortal beings with a beginning and an end, and The Immortal Creator has shown us how we must live if we will achieve happiness in this life. The command? "Keep on having this thought process"! What thought process? The same one that our Lord God Jesus Christ has. Jesus Christ, Eternal God, Who said:

Isaiah 46:9-11 (KJV) "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, {10} Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: {11} Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it."

And Who said to John the Revelator:

Revelation 21:6-7 (KJV) "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. {7} He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

And again:

Revelation 22:12-16 (KJV) "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. {13} I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. {14} Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. {15} For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. {16} I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."

Eternal God, our Creator, Jesus Christ has ordered that we follow a certain way of life, a certain thought process. If we do as He has commanded then we as individuals and as the Church He paid for with His own blood shall be blessed. If we do not we may inflate our numbers, we may see a larger attendance, we may leave this place every week entertained, but in the long run we will not be equipped to do the work of Christ that we are called to do. What did Christ our Savior do?

Before we can answer that question, we need to understand WHO Christ is. Our text says:

Philippians 2:6

Who, being<8a> in the form<8b> of God, thought it not robbery <9> to be equal with God:

Our Savior Jesus has always been (<8a>the Greek huparcho {pronounced hoop-ar’-kho}, Present Active Participle, always being, continually being, implies continuous being or substance) in the form, MORPHE, (<8b>morphe {pronounced mor-fay’}, shape, nature, form) of God. Jesus Christ did not come into being, nor is He a created god as the the Jehovah's Witnesses state. The Greek word MORPHE denotes something whose outward manifestation exactly matches the essence of another thing, so much so that the two cannot be distinguished from one another. Jesus Christ was, is, and will always be God.

The Bible testifies that Jesus Christ is Eternal God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity:

Jesus Christ is God the Creator and the Head of the Church:

Colossians 1:15-18  "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: [16]  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: [17]  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. [18]  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."

All things that exist were created by Jesus Christ. Jesus created all things, whether seen or unseen, whether man or angel. Colossians testifies that Jesus Christ IS God, God in the flesh, God the Son:

1 John 5:20  "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

John tells us that Jesus is the True God, the Author of temporal life, and the Author of Eternal Life. The Scripture says:

John 1:1 (KJV) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Though cults and Modalists and heretics of every stripe try to twist it, you cannot read the Scripture without knowing that Jesus Christ IS GOD. Though born of Mary, the Virgin, Christ in His Being has always been Almighty God:

Isaiah 9:6-7 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. [7]  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the End:

Revelation 1:8  "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

Revelation 22:13-16 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. [14]  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. [15]  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. [16]  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."

For this reason Christ Jesus our Philippians texts tells us that Jesus did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped (<9>harpagmos {pronounced har-pag-mos’}, = a thing to be grasped at or seized). Why should God seek Godhood? Why should you seek anything that you already possess, and Jesus possesses all the qualities of God.

So what did Jesus Christ, our Savior, our rule of life, our example, our God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, do? Did He stay in the Heavens on His throne? No, says the Scripture! He ...

Philippians 2:7

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made<11b> in the likeness<11c> of men:

Though Jesus Christ was God in the flesh while He wandered this earth, He relied on the same assets that we ourselves have access to. Our Lord kenoo {pronounced ken-o’-o}, laid aside His Divine Birthright, the glory that He had every right to have as God. Jesus stepped away from the splendor of Heaven, left that exalted place, and came to earth to show us how we should live.

Look at the first statement in this verse:

But made himself of no reputation <kenoo {pronounced keno’-o}, Aorist Active Indicative>

Jesus did not come to this earth and go around telling everyone, "Look, I'm God!". If I were God (and I'm not), or even if I were a great King, or famous, I'd probably go around telling you all "Look at me - I'm a King!" That would be wrong, but it would be so human, wouldn't it? But Jesus went around doing good and, believe it or not, did it without publishing the fact that He was and is eternal God. To the leper that Jesus healed, using His Almighty power, He said:

Matthew 8:3-4 (KJV) "And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. {4} And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." (Also Luke 5:14)

After Jesus commended Peter for understanding that He is the Christ, the Savior, the Messiah, the Bible says:

Matthew 16:20 (KJV) "Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ." (Also Mark 8:30; Luke 9:21)

When Jesus was transfigured and His glory revealed, when Elijah and Moses came to Him, Jesus told His disciples:

Matthew 17:9 (KJV) "And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." (Also Mark 9:9)

When Jesus healed the deaf and dumb man at Decapolis, He told them:

Mark 7:34-36 (KJV) "And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. {35} And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. {36} And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;"

When Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, an action that only God can do, He told those who witnessed this:

Luke 8:56 (KJV) "And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done."

Even when Jesus was hauled before the High Priest on an unjust charge, He refrained from declaring His rightful glory:

Matthew 26:62-64 (KJV) "And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? {63} But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. {64} Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

Jesus Christ made Himself of no reputation. He did not go around advertising Who He was. He became as us, lowering Himself from the Throneroom of glory where all the angels of Heaven bowed in His presence, and became like us, a Servant of God.

took upon <lambano {pronounced lam-ban’-o}, Aorist Active Participle, received to Himself > him the form <morphe {pronounced mor-fay’}, external appearance> of a servant

There is the story of King Henry the Fifth, who, on the night of his greatest battle, cloaked himself in commoner's clothing and went out among his people. Henry the Fifth did this so he could discern the spirit of his army, whether they were willing to fight for England and his cause, or whether they had already been defeated in their hearts. Jesus Christ, like Henry the Fifth, cloaked Himself in the trappings of humanity, but He did not do that to see what we were thinking. As Eternal God Jesus knows our thoughts, just as He knew the thoughts of the Scribes:

Matthew 9:4 (KJV) "And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"

And just as Jesus knew the thoughts of the Pharisees:

Matthew 12:25 (KJV) "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:"

And just as Jesus knew the thoughts of His persecutors:

Luke 5:22 (KJV) "But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?"

Luke 6:8 (KJV) "But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth."

Luke 11:17 (KJV) "But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth."

And just as Jesus knew the thoughts of His disciples:

Luke 24:38 (KJV) "And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?"

Jesus as Eternal God knew the thoughts of those who followed Him, of all who were around Him. He did not lower Himself to our estate so He could gain knowledge of us. No, He lowered Himself for two reasons. First, He lowered Himself to our estate and walked as man walks because:

1. It pleased the Son to please the Father. The Holy Trinity of God works together in unity and power. The Son lowered Himself to humanity because the Father's Eternal Plan decreed that He do so. Understand this. Christ had every right to walk this earth revealed as God. Yet God's Plan determined that the Son surrender Himself to the Cross for us. Had Jesus cried out to the Father:

Matthew 26:52-56 (KJV) "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. {53} Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? {54} But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? {55} In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. {56} But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled."

Twelve legions of angels would have charged earth. Can you imagine 12,000; that's twelve thousand super beings, whose wings are dipped in the blood of His enemies, charging the earth? It was the Father's Will that the Son lower Himself and die for us. Jesus surrendered His rights to the Father for our own good:

John 8:28-29 (KJV) "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. {29} And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."

Jesus did as He did to honor the Father:

John 8:49 (KJV) "Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me."

2. Jesus Christ lowered Himself because it was for our greater good.

John 10:14-18 (KJV) "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. {15} As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. {16} And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. {17} Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. {18} No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

Jesus Christ had to be the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Had He maintained His rights, refusing to lower Himself for us, our lot in life would be eternal damnation.

Hebrews 4:14-15 (KJV) "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. {15} For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

It was necessary that Christ Jesus be like us in our essence, but that He not have our old sin nature. You see, sin entered humanity when Adam failed to obey God in the Garden of Eden.

Romans 5:12-14 (KJV) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: {13} (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. {14} Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come."

Man introduced sin into humanity, and Man would have to pay the penalty for sin. Yet sinful man cannot pay the price. No prisoner can step up and take the punishment that another prisoner is due. The prisoner must pay his debt first, then and only then can he pay the penalty for another prisoner. Jesus was never locked in the prison of sin as fallen man is. He is, as it were, a Lamb without spot or blemish:

1 Peter 1:18-19 (KJV) "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; {19} But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

This Perfect Lamb, this Jesus our Savior, was Perfect and Sinless Man when He entered active ministry on this earth. He walked as Man, He talked as Man, He lived among men as a Man, yet possessed none of the riches that humanity possesses.

Luke 9:58  "And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."

It is important to remember that Jesus could have taken the earth and made it a Kingdom unto Himself, with servants of mankind meeting His every need. He could have done this, because He was, is, and will always be very God. This was not His mission. He did not come to earth in the form of man to be catered to, to be pampered, to be blessed. No, Jesus came to earth cloaked in humanity to humble Himself and pay for our sins.

Mark 10:45  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Jesus' role was to live as a sinless Man, then suffer and die for our sins. When I think of what Jesus did for me, my heart sings that old hymn:

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him all of ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Philippians 2:8

And being found <heurisko {pronounced hyoo-ris’-ko}, Aorist Passive Participle> in fashion <schema {pronounced skhay’-mah}> as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus is discovered or found out to be ( heurisko {pronounced hyoo-ris’KO}), a human man, insofar as external appearance is concerned. If you were to see Jesus from afar; if you had seen Him as He walked the roads of Galilee you would have said, "Who is that Man?" Outwardly seen (<12b> schema {pronounced skhay’-mah}), Jesus was no more than mere man. Yet this outward appearance isn't the "whole picture". Our Lord Jesus humbled Himself, stepped down from His eternal Throne in Heaven, and - in obedience to God the Father's plan - suffered and died for humanity. The death that Christ endured on the Cross was not only horrific in pain, but it was so disgraceful that the same type of death was not permitted for Roman citizens of that time. Crucifixion was a cruel form of punishment developed by the Phoenicians and Persians, and taken up by Rome - a punishment reserved only for slaves and foreigners. The Jew considered anyone punished by such a death to be cursed of God:

Deuteronomy 21:22-23 "And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: [23]  His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance."

Galatians 3:13  "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

God the Father used the Tree, the Cross, a human form of capital punishment in the day when Jesus walked among men, as an altar on which Christ would be sacrificed for we who are sinners. For whom did Christ die? Christ died for all men, though salvation can only come for the person who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior. As the Scripture says:

John 3:16-19 (KJV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. {17} For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. {18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. {19} And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

The Unitarian/ Universalist doctrine that "all men are automatically saved because of what Christ did for us on the Cross" is pure error. You must believe on Him, accept what He has done for you on the Cross, and in believing thou shalt be saved. The so called "Doctrine of Inclusivism" has no place in a Christian Church.

Doctrine of The Atonement

Philippians 2:9

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted<13> him, and given him a name which is above every name:

God the Father has super exalted (huperupsoo {pronounced hoop-er-oop-so’-o}Aorist Active Indicative) God the Son. By humbling Himself to God's Plan, The Godhead placed Christ in preeminence over all things. The name of Jesus carries authority because Jesus Christ finished the work of salvation. The name of Jesus has power against the forces of hell:

Mark 9:38-40 (KJV) "And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. {39} But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. {40} For he that is not against us is on our part."

The name of Jesus has power over all manner of sickness and disease:

Acts 3:6-7 (KJV) "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. {7} And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."

The preacher speaks the Gospel of God and exhorts the church to peace and unity in the name of Jesus:

Acts 9:27 (KJV) "But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."

1 Corinthians 1:10 (KJV) "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

The Individual Christian lives his or her life on this earth walking in the name of Jesus (What Would Jesus Do?):

Colossians 3:17 (KJV) "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

The local church worships God the Father and operates in the name of Jesus:

Ephesians 5:20-21 (KJV) "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; {21} Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."

1 John 3:23 (KJV) "And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment."

If discipline must be exercised in the local church, that discipline must be done in the name of Jesus:

1 Corinthians 5:4-5 (KJV) "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, {5} To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

2 Thessalonians 3:6 (KJV) "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."

Believing on the name of Jesus gives the Christian a wonderful life - both in this world and an eternal life of peace in the world to come:

John 20:31 (KJV) "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV) "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

As the beloved hymn "The Solid Rock" says:

My hope is built on nothing less,
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

Question: How can I apply this Christological passage to my own life? Is there a sovereign directive from God here?