This morning I have been thinking about the issue of humility. I am not a humble person, so I was particularly taken aback this time when I read in Philippians 2, "Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who..."
This verse and those that follow would not be a real problem for me except for this, I believe that Jesus Christ is GOD in human form. That Jesus Christ is GOD is a foundational and critical doctrine of Christianity. Admittedly it is hard to view GOD as a humble being, but it is impossible not to see Jesus Christ as a humble man, unless you just view Him as an absolute lunatic. If indeed Jesus is GOD in human form then we are confronted with a reality about GOD, and His nature, we may struggle to embrace. If Jesus is not GOD then we are worshipping a mere man who in three short years of public ministry changed the world as no other person ever has. If Jesus is GOD in human form, if when seeing Jesus in scripture we are confronted by GOD Himself, well that changes everything. "Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who..." Go on, get your Bible and read the rest for yourself.
Greetings GWL
ReplyDelete"Admittedly it is hard to view GOD as a humble being, but it is impossible not to see Jesus Christ as a humble man"
That's the point!
Paul is in no way suggesting to have the attitude of GOD Almighty humbling himself to become a man!
Paul believes no such thing, much less, exhorting the Philippian church to do so!!
Rather Phil 2. is about the man Christ Jesus
[1 Tim 2.5]
who humbled himself in total obedience to the will of the ONE GOD, the Father;
even to the death of the cross.
In consequence of this, the ONE GOD highly exalted His human Son and made him Lord
[Acts 2.36]
to His (the Father's) glory
For more info, please see:
Adam Christology, Pre-existence & The Philippian Hymn
In defence of Paul
Also,
I recommend this video:
The Human Jesus
Take a couple of hours to watch it; and prayerfully it will aid you in your quest for truth.
Yours In Messiah
Adam Pastor
Adam, Thanks for your comments. I must admit I am struggling to understand exactly what you are saying. Is it your point that Jesus did not exist eternally with the Father, as the WORD, the logos of God? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" John 1:1-3 AND
ReplyDeleteif so who was the spiritial ROCK Paul was referring to in 1 Corinthians 10:4? Perhaps we are actually in agreement... I see no where in Scripture that Jesus pre-existed as the Messiah, but did indeed took on the form of man to do for men what no other man (fallen as all mankind is) could ever do. He comes in essense the hero of God's redemptive story that has been, is and will be worked out in human history, until that day when he restore all things and subdues all things, then hands all things back to the GOD, Who is to be forever praised, AMEN. As the Word of God made flesh He came as the "every word that proceedes out of the mouth of GOD, and as every redeeming promise God ever made. In other words... GOD became flesh in order to perfectly fulfill every perfect promise He every spoke.