The Attitude of Christ

Philippians 2:5-8

“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 bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

In this passage Paul exhorts us to develop the attitude of Christ while He was here on earth. First, note that he willingly gave up equality with God. Paul shares three things about this attitude. First He “emptied himself” That means he became completely selfless, always acting in the best interest of others, never in His own interest.

Secondly, he took “the form of a bond servant”. He came to earth to carry out His Father’s will and never insisted on His own way. That is mostly dramatically revealed to us in the garden of Gethsemane when He was praying (Luke 22:42) “Father, If thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but thine be done.” He was willing to take upon himself the sin burden of the whole world so that we might have eternal life.

Thirdly, He was physically born and made in the likeness of man. He physically and mentally suffered as we do. He was tempted to sin just as we are. He grew weary and hungry just as we do. Yet, even though He was genuinely human, He did not sin.

Finally, this passage tells us He was obedient to the Father, even to the point of death. The death He suffered was the most cruel and despicable possible. Hanging on a cross was limited to non-Romans and the worst criminals. And the amazing thing is He died “for the joy set before Him” (Heb. 12:2). “He endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus did this for you and for me. Paul is encouraging us to have the same attitude. I don’t know what the future holds for you or for me, but we can be confident that our future is in God’s hands. I pray this truth will stay permanently etched in your mind.