of something as well as the out ward form that expresses the in ward character. Hence, when Paul says that Christ took upon Him the form of a servant, he means that the Lord became Man, both inwardly and outwardly. Everything that can be said about a man, ex cept for his sinfulness, can be said about the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not just have man's feelings, intellect or outlook on life, but He also looked like a man. He was born a Jewish baby and grew up looking like other people of that race from a physical standpoint. Paul also writes that Jesus was "found in fashion as a man" (Phil- ippians 2:8). The thought is of complete conformity to human ex perience. He endured all that we endure in this world. This includes the pressures, longings, circum stances and influences. Jesus knew all of this and consequently there is nothing about being a man that was not also a part of His personal experience. Christ "humbled" Himself. No one can begin to grasp the full im pact of what this really means in the fullest sense. His humility can be comforting to every believer. The Lord knows your problems. He can help you in the midst of them. He will provide salvation not only for the life to come but also for this life, as you triumph over the things that constantly try to force you into the image of this old world. He was tempted like as we are, yet He was without any sin (Hebrews 4:15). What a privi lege to come to Him at anytime and in any place to find the neces sary strength to meet our every need!
EXAMPLE IN TEMPTATION In the paraphrased edition of the New Testament we hear Paul speaking of Christ in that He "laid aside His mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like a man. And He humbled Himself even further go ing so far as to actually die a crim inal's death on the cross" (Philip- pians 2:7, 8). The Saviour became a man like each one of us ought to be. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us that He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet He was without sin. In the wilderness, as recounted in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, the first temptation was physical. The devil urged Him to command the stones be turned into bread. Jesus turned him aside by declaring, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out from the mouth of God." Tempta tion must always be rejected on Biblical principles. It is true that God gives us material things, some times even abundantly, for which we should be thankful. Yet, there is always a temptation to put things in the place of the Lord. We have been called to do spiritual work, no matter where we may live. Nev er allow material or physical things to keep you from God's best for your life. The second temptation Christ received was of a spiritual nature. The devil took Him to Jerusalem's temple pinnacle where he chided, "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, 'He shall give His angels charge con cerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou shalt dash thy foot against a stone." Satan wanted Jesus to presume upon God, plac- Page 33
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