“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality
with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he
appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a
criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8
New Living Translation
If we are being asked to have the same
attitude as Christ, we must have an understanding regarding what type of
attitude Christ had. Almighty God came to earth in the form of mortal man and
was named Jesus*. Jesus didn’t shed his deity, but rather willingly
submitted to the Father’s will by allowing himself to be restricted by the
confines of time and space, just as mortal man was. Man thinks they have rights
and seek to exercise those rights whenever they think they are being impinged
upon. As a believer in Christ we submit our own will in favor of God’s will,
thus laying down our rights.
Christ’s attitude was one of humble
servitude. He didn’t consider himself superior, even though in reality he was
the creator of all things. Rather, he lived among us, setting an example for us
as to how we are to live. We are to live a life of submission to God, just as
Christ did. Although it is not likely that we will be asked to give up our
lives for the sake of our beliefs, Christ picked up that mantle, being willing
to die in our place.
Crucifixion was the form of capital
punishment the Romans used on notorious criminals. While Jesus didn’t fit that
description, it is what the Father asked of him to eradicate sin from the lives
of all those who would believe. He deserves our servitude. He’s earned our
submission. We will never have to suffer death as a result of our sin. Christ
took care of that for us. All hail the power of Jesus name! Until next time,
walk with the King and be a blessing!
Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.
* “And
she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people
from their sins." – Matthew 1:21 NLT
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