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Paul now shifts his focus.  He shifts his tone after ending the first chapter to his letter.  He ends that chapter by reminding the church in Philippi to not become alarmed by their opponents, be strong, be courageous, do not be afraid and stand firm on the gospel of Jesus Christ--But what is the gospel of Jesus Christ? What does Jesus Christ call us to do?

 

  1. Love each other, think of yourselves as lowly, in need of a savior and serve one another.

 

 

“Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

--Philippians 2:1-4

 

“Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintain the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”  Paul, who is under house arrest, is encouraging this church.  He is telling them “This would make me even more joyful, for you to be reminded of your love for one another and for Christ.”  Paul is making some strong statements here: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves…”

 

Humility:  ταπεινοφροσύνη tapeinophrosýnē, tap-i-nof-ros-oo'-nay, humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty: —humbleness of mind, humility (of mind, loneliness (of mind). "Having a humble opinion of oneself; a deep sense of one's (moral) littleness; modesty, humility, lowliness of mind.” 

 

When Paul writes the word “humility” he is speaking to a though process.  Think less of yourself, more of others in your church family, of others in your family.  This definition isn’t saying to never stand up for proper morality rather it is saying don’t think of yourself as morally perfect.  To be humble means you have a deep sense of your imperfections, your moral littleness.  John reiterates this in his first letter to the church,

 

“…but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

--1 John 1:7-9

 

If you are truly humble that means you are aware of your shortcomings, you understand that you are capable of sin, of rebellion and that you need a savior.  Humility is not holding your convictions over another person, humility is standing up for biblical morality but befriending and engaging with those who are not living a biblical lifestyle, those who are not saved by Christ.

 

 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.  For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and [a]by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you…Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

--Matthew 7:1-2,4-6

 

Paul is setting up a huge point in Philippians 2:  You in the church, you are sinful, you are loved by God but you are not special, you need to lowly mindset of yourself.  There is only one truly special, truly good man who lived a perfect life, died a horrific death and came back to life so that you can become morally good, and justified by your faith in that man:  Jesus Christ.

 

 

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”

--Philippians 2:5

 

“The apostle knew that, to create concord, you need first to beget lowliness of mind. Men do not quarrel when their ambitions have come to an end.” 

--Charles Spurgeon

 

  1. God Himself has served you by humbling Himself and dying on a cross to cover the penalty of your sin.

 

Jesus Christ is Truly Man.

 

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

--Philippians 2:5-8

 

Jesus is Truly God and Truly Man.  This is an essential doctrine of Christianity—to have faith in Jesus, to be saved by Him; to confess His truth you must believe in this doctrine.  It is called the “Hypostatic Union” and it teaches the reality of Jesus Christ being both God and Man at the same time, all the time.  There is a union between the human and the divine within the body, the blood of Jesus.  We call this God incarnate (God in the Flesh). 

 

Many leaders within the church have taken this text out of context, especially in some hyper charismatic circles, to create a false doctrine that is man centered instead of Jesus centered.  Paul is elevating Christ here; He is reminding this church that Jesus Christ served them by dying on cross for them, God (who can’t be killed) literally died, He limited Himself in death therefore act like Christ, be like Him, serve each other as He has served you.

 

In the New Testament times, there were a few false teachings of Jesus Christ found in the false religion of Gnosticism.  Gnosticism is the belief the soul and body are two separate things—they are not connected.  The soul is holy and good, and the flesh is evil—your soul is imprisoned by your flesh.  Docetists believed that Jesus was only God, his human form was an illusion, it wasn’t real.

 

Separationist gnostics believed that Jesus wasn’t divine or man at the same time rather he shifted between these two substances (most would say Jesus wasn’t divine until His baptism all the way to His death).   The two natures of Christ were in two separate beings meaning that Jesus was just a human that at times at the divine indwelling of God to perform miracles.  They say he was in a holy relationship with God which is why He was able to do all of the amazing works He did. 

 

 

“Jesus Christ said of Himself, ‘The Son can do nothing” (John 5:19) ... He had no supernatural capabilities whatsoever! While He is 100 percent God, He chose to live with the same limitations that man would face once he was redeemed ... Jesus became the model for all who would embrace the invitation to invade the impossible in His name. He performed miracles, wonders, and signs as a man in right relationship to God ... not as God. If He performed miracles because He was God, then they would be unattainable for us. But if He did them as man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle.”

--Bill Johnson when “Heaven Invades Earth” Loc. 368 Kindle Version

 

 

“Christ is not Jesus' last name. The word Christ means ‘Anointed One’ or ‘Messiah’.  It is a title that points to an experience ... The WORD anointing means “to smear.” The Holy Spirit is the oil of God that was smeared all over Jesus at His water baptism (see Luke 3:21-22). The name Jesus Christ implies that Jesus is the One smeared with the Holy Spirit…Jesus lived His earthly life with human limitations. He laid His divinity aside (see Phil. 2:5-7) as He sought to fulfill the assignment given to Him by the Father: to live life as a man without sin, and then die in the place of mankind for sin ... The sacrifice that could atone for sin had to be a lamb (powerless), and had to be spotless (without sin)… The anointing is what linked Jesus, the man, to the divine, enabling Him to destroy the works of the devil.”

--Bill Johnson “When Heaven Invades Earth” Loc. 1270-1284, Ch. 7, Kindle Edition

 

Bill Johnson is not teaching proper Christian doctrine, rather it is a gnostic doctrine.  It limit’s Christ power in order to elevate man’s power—You can do miracles just like Christ did if you have a right relationship with Christ—if you can’t perform these miracles then something is wrong.  It is a works based theology and it is called “little gods doctrine.”

 

Jesus did not view Himself equal to God because He was humble.  He called on God, He prayed to God, not because He needed the Father rather because He set a perfect example for us to follow because we need the father.

 

“Therefore, Jesus answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.  For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.  For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.”

--John 5:19-23

 

Jesus was humble.  He prayed to His father.  He called on the word of God when tempted in the desert, He acted in a way to not glorify Himself but rather to glorify His Father in heaven.  Jesus’ main mission on earth was to bring people to God’s glory, to save humanity from their sin, and full the great promise of salvation for God’s people.   

 

Jesus didn’t empty out his divinity rather Jesus humbled Himself in death; God died so that we can live.

 

 

“Jesus *said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’  So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.’”

--John 11:40-42

 

“This translates the ancient Greek word morphe. It ‘always signifies a form which truly and fully expresses the being which underlies it… the words mean ‘the being on an equality with God.’”

--D. James Kennedy

 

  1. Live a life of worship to Jesus Christ, God Himself. Serve Him by Serving Each Other.

 

Jesus Christ is God (The One True God).

God is pleased when His children obey Him, when they listen to Him. 

“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

--Philippians 2:9-11

God highly exalted Christ as God (this is trinitarian doctrine) and was pleased with Him.  Paul is reminding this church that Jesus is God.  Jesus has all authority.  He is above everything in this world. 

“’Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.  Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.  ‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’”

--Revelation 22:12-15

 

“We are not often called to great sacrifice, but daily acts of service to the people with whom God has placed us.”

--Elizabeth Elliot