Alright, let’s go back to Philippians chapter 2 and we’ve used these verses before. And we don’t think there’s any way we can wear them out. But come back with us to Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 through 8. My, periodically, just in your own devotional time read these verses. Where Paul writes:
Philippians 2:5
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;"
Now another verse comes to mind. We won’t make you go back and find it but its in Romans 12 verse 1, what does he say?
Romans 12:1
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
Well, this is all the same concept see? You know what, we have to be so careful and we just went through it. When we explained salvation by trust in His faith and His faith alone. By just simply believing that Christ died, was buried and rose again. We have to immediately follow that up with, but this is not license. Now that we’ve made ourselves fit for eternity; we don’t have to worry about anything else. Can we go and live any way we want? NO! That is not the way it works. The first thing we try to impress on people, especially older people that are up in their 40’s and 50’s an even 60’s, we say, 'now look, just because I maintain that you are saved the moment you believe - remember that when you’re saved, God’s going to change you. You’re not going to be the same person that you were. If there's no change then I'd say something is wrong and I'd be for finding out what Spirit I'm of, if there's NO marked change in my life.' What do I mean by change....a hunger and thirsting for more of the word or a desire for more understanding of the righteousness of God. The seeking or searching of the scriptures, this is the change spoken of.
And the Scriptures makes it so plain, that as soon as we believe, God makes us a new person with new appetites, new desires, and we’re going to hate the things we once thought we had to have. We may even throw out all the old stuff or teachings as they leave us blank or unfruitful. And that’s what people have to realize. That when we talk about a salvation by trusting in His faith and His faith alone, it’s not a salvation that permits no change in lifestyle. There has to be a change in lifestyle or there’s not a salvation. It’s one or the other. Remember that He's taking of His rightful place within us comes after we've received what? His redemptive work through our having passed through the work of what? The Last Supper and on through death within Him on the cross, death, burial, resurrection and ascension, His ascension takes place in this case in our heart because of a death, the death to the world's influence over us and the death of sin within. As we now begin the road or the way of His working out His salvation from within.
So this is what Paul is admonishing here. Back to Philippians chapter 2, that if we have the mind of Christ, it’s not going to be that satanically driven process. It’s going to be the opposite side of the coin. We’re going to be driven now through the very thought processes of the One Who loved us and gave Himself for us. Alright, now verse 6. So the very first word of verse 6 is Christ Jesus of verse 5:
Philippians 5:6-7a
"Who being in the form of God, (the visible manifestation of God) thought it not robbery (and if you have a margin, I think the best way is ‘something that he could grasp at’) to be equal with God. But (instead for a short time He) made himself of no reputation, and took upon himself the form of a servant,…"
He was born in a manger (a stone slab holed out to hold livestock feed and as a symbol of the grave and the slab He was laid upon), raised in a carpenter’s shop (now this is not what we know as a worker of wood but was rather a worker of stone as well as wood as they used both as a means of making a living back then), went through three years of earthly ministry (to Israel's lost sheep) with no place to lay His head (this speaks of His dependency on the Holy Spirit's leading, as He's to be our leading and dependency also). Don’t let these television preachers convince you that He had wealth untold. Not in His earthly ministry He didn’t. He said, "Foxes have holes, birds have nests but the Son of man hath no place to lay his head." That’s exactly what it was. He had nothing of this world’s goods, and so it is to be with us as well. We're to forsake all others and cleave only unto Him. And so this is the reason, "He made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant." He lived His life in our fashion with this one purpose in mind....to be qualified to be our High Priest able to succor those who would find the keys to the kingdom. As they unlock all the mysteries of God hidden within the scriptures with most of them revealed to Paul and through his teaching.
Now that’s a kind translation. What’s a better word? Slave, or bond-slave! "He took upon himself the form of a bond slave." How many rights did a bond slave have in antiquity? None! As a slave they were treated like dirt, and cast aside at a moments thought. But a bond slave was one who had his ear pierced through with an awl and had freedom of movement much as Joseph and Daniel had. Alright, and so He took upon himself the form of a servant:
Philippians 2:7b
"…and was made in the likeness of men:"
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