Though we hate to admit it, we have a tendency to think of
ourselves as being more important than we really are. A while back I read a slogan for a certain
type of insurance that read, “For the most important person in the
world…you.” We are constantly being
exposed to these types of messages and think of ourselves in this way.
Now the Bible is clear that we are special in so far as we
are created in God’s image, but Scripture is also clear that we are not nearly
as great and as important as we think we are.
We need to have a correct view of ourselves and in Philippians 2, Paul
puts things in perspective for us. He
says in vv. 5-6,
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.
Paul explains in this passage that Christ has the highest status imaginable—He is God. In v. 6, the NASB translates it “although He existed.” Paul is speaking of the time before Christ came to earth, which tells us that Christ is eternal—he has always existed. Paul goes on to say, “in the form of God” meaning Christ is equal in person with God the Father. So what Paul is saying here is, “Before coming to earth and before taking on flesh Christ existed as the eternal Son of God equal in person with God the Father.”
But though that’s the case—though He was equal in nature, essence and form with God, Paul tells us that Christ refused to selfishly cling to His equality with God and aren’t you glad He didn’t? Aren’t you glad He didn’t say, “I have the same nature and essence as the Father, I am equal to Him and refuse to become a part of My creation because I am creator God?”
Instead, Paul tells us that He did not cling to these things, but instead humbled himself. Now this doesn’t mean he gave up his authority or his title or his essence as God. It just means that he did not cling to all the advantages that come with being God. Now what’s ironic about this is that Christ who is in the very nature, form and essence of God who could have clung tightly to the advantages of being God—HE chose to humble Himself, while we, who are not even close to being what HE is refuse.
Paul wants his readers to realize that if Christ, who is
infinitely greater than any thought of us did not consider his status as
something to cling to then neither should we.
If He humbled Himself for us, how much more so should we for others?
