Who we think Jesus is, determines our view of heaven, earth, eternity, and our lives. Last week, (review the thought for the day from March 26) we discovered that He always existed and the He is not just God's Son but is exactly like Him, identical in every way. Today we go a little deeper into this verse.
Philippians 2:6,7
"who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men."
When Paul wrote the word we interpret "form" in both cases, it means an exact, identical in every way. In the first instance, he is referring to Jesus as identical to God, because He is God. In the second, so we can grasp that He understands us and can empathize with all of our struggles, He came in every way as a human being. He laid down all of the glory to live on earth for you and me but not just as a human but servant or slave, contrasting the glory and radiance He had in heaven with putting on humanity.
As Paul continues to write about who Jesus is, he tells us He came in the "likeness of men." Paul is emphasizing Jesus' complete humanity. He is the God who understands our nature, strengths, weaknesses, temptations, pains, likes and dislikes. Paul's wording is telling us, Jesus surrendered a place in glory to live totally in human form so that He could understand everything that you and I could ever face. If not, Satan's temptations, the attacks by the religious leaders, the sorrow at Lazurus tomb and so much more, would have only been surface and not real. The writer of Hebrews emphasizes this for us in 4:15...
"This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin."
This was not written to scoff at our humanity but so that we might understand that Jesus knows everything that we can and will go through. He will not judge us but instead, stand beside us and lift us out of it to overcome, if we will allow Him.
He lived in heaven, in glory for eternity! He stepped out of it for a season to show us that He understands, hunger, pain, rejection, and all of the things we walk through. He did do this not to judge us but instead to stand in the gap, lift us up, show us the way of escape, and bring us to perfect freedom and love every time.
As Paul continues to write about who Jesus is, he tells us He came in the "likeness of men." Paul is emphasizing Jesus' complete humanity. He is the God who understands our nature, strengths, weaknesses, temptations, pains, likes and dislikes. Paul's wording is telling us, Jesus surrendered a place in glory to live totally in human form so that He could understand everything that you and I could ever face. If not, Satan's temptations, the attacks by the religious leaders, the sorrow at Lazurus tomb and so much more, would have only been surface and not real. The writer of Hebrews emphasizes this for us in 4:15...
"This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin."
This was not written to scoff at our humanity but so that we might understand that Jesus knows everything that we can and will go through. He will not judge us but instead, stand beside us and lift us out of it to overcome, if we will allow Him.
He lived in heaven, in glory for eternity! He stepped out of it for a season to show us that He understands, hunger, pain, rejection, and all of the things we walk through. He did do this not to judge us but instead to stand in the gap, lift us up, show us the way of escape, and bring us to perfect freedom and love every time.
1 comment:
Thank You Jesus ❤️
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