fying to reason. There is a law of the spiritual universe frequently stated in the Bible: “Everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11 ASV). Jesus gave voice to that law in the home of a Pharisee and fulfilled it on Calvary and in His glorious ascension from the Mount of Olives. The exaltation here described carries us beyond the glorycloud which received Him out of the disciples’ sight, and beyond this age to one when He shall reign in manifested victory. The two elements in this exaltation are the bestowing of a name, earned now that the man Christ Jesus has merged the life-stream of the human race with that of God (v. 9), and the recognition of that name on the part of every created intelligence whether in heaven or on earth or un der the earth (vv. 10-11). It is satis fying to know that before Him every knee shall bow and that every tongue shall confess to the glory of God the Father that Jesus Christ is Lord. We cannot leave this classic pas sage without calling attention to the simplicity, the t r a n s p a r e n c y , the charm of perfect naturalness, that marks our Lord’s descent from glory. The Water of Life flows without sedi ment of self, crystal-clear. YOUR OW N SALVATION (w. 12-18) 1. A P a s t fo r E a c h ( w . 12-13) The emphasis in verse 12 falls nat urally upon “your own salvation.” Paul appeals to their own sense of respon sibility in this vast process- of re demption, because spiritual maturity and accountability must go hand in hand. Evasion of responsibility is typical of that prolonged adolescence which would have blighted the work at Philippi as it has done in so many churches today. In the verses before us Paul advances three factors to stimulate the Philippians to work out their own salvation. The very logic of the situation is his first appeal. This is brought out by the word trans lated “so then.” The second factor is that there, in 34
Philippians (continued from page 19) in general acceptance today. Our at tention must not be sidetracked by controversy but kept in focus upon the chief point for emphasis, namely: What was Christ’s attitude toward His position in reference to the death- life principle that was to become re vealed in the gospel of grace? (2) His kenosis, or self-emptying w . 6-8). That attitude is described in the phrase, “ (he) counted (it) not . . . a thing to be grasped” (v. 6 ASV). The quaint translation of the King James Version, “thought it not rob bery” is quite expressive if one takes the time to see the picture it presents. The preincarnate Christ did not re gard the advantage of His position as something to be held on to at all costs, greedily grasped as a robber seizes his plunder. Rather, He regarded it as something to be readily relinquished for the higher gain and the greater glory which would become His through obedience to the death-life principle of the cross. It was this attitude which Paul un derscored for the Philippians and for us. This is the “mind of Christ” which we are to have. The self-emptying process unfolded in verses 7 and 8 stems from this point of view. We must leave to the theologians the dis tinction between manifest deity and essential deity involved in the Greek word “to make empty.” The thing to watch is Christ’s descent from glory as, round by round, He makes His way downward into the depths. He who had existed in the form of God now takes the form of a slave, “being made (becoming) in the likeness of men.” And “being found in fashion (all outward appearance) as a man,” He further humbled Himself, “be coming obedient (as one who hears from a subordinate position) . . . un to death (and that, not just any death but), . . . the death of the cross” ''ASV). From the throne of glory to the cross of shame! (3) His exaltation (w . 9-11). — “Wherefore also God highly exalted him” (v. 9). Never has a “wherefore” been more deeply rooted or more satis
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs