The Moral Influence Theory

It wouldn’t be hard for someone like the lead singer of a big popular band to make a big deal of himself. To insist on star treatment and only talk to the fans who paid extra for the meet and greet tickets. Now you and I are not celebrities. Unless one of you has a Hanah Montana situation secretely going on. Yet we can still be tempted to pride. Usually in the case of ordinary people like me, pride is a more subtle thing.

Pride often manifests itself simply in an obsession with ourselves. With getting what we want. With making everything about ourselves. Choosing your own interest and good over the good of others. Basically the thing which comes most naturally to all of us, which is thinking of ourselves first. Believe me as a Dad of three kids that being self-focused is very natural to us. Yet this is not the way that God wants us to be. One of the ways that God teaches us to overcome our pride and put others first is by dying on the cross for our sins. We read this amazing explanation of the inspiration of the cross in Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 2:1–16 CSB

If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.

So in other words Paul is saying that Jesus is the reason that we should be humble. In the context of urging the Philippian Christians to be united and to be king to one another, he commends to them the example of Jesus. Who out of anyone in all of history has more right to pride than Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God and God Himself? Yet instead of sitting up in heaven and enjoying the perks of Godhood He came down and became a man. So the incarnation itself, Jesus being born as a human being and living on the earth with us, is already an amazing example of humility from Jesus.

Bu the cross is on a whole other level. Not only did He come and live as a human being, and a blue collar worker at that, but He also went to the cross and died for us. He was so obedient and subservient to the Father that He was willing to die a horrible gruesome death to do His Will. This is the ultimate act of humility. Why? Because how could you give a greater example of putting someone else before yourself. Jesus put our spiritual well-being above His desire to not suffer and die. And in case you wonder if Jesus might not have wanted to die on the cross go reread His prayers in the Garden of Gethsemene.

It’s not hard to see the application of this point because Paul gives it to us pretty directly. He looks at Jesus on the cross and sees all the reason He needs to tell the Philippians to be humble. To put the needs of others before ourselves just like Jesus did on that cross. To look to the interests of others instead of our own. Then we will shine like lights in the world because of the way that we avoid grumbling and arguments and live plamless and pure. So then as far as Paul is concerned, Jesus’ death among other things serves as an amazing example to follow in humility.

The Cross Inspires Self-Denial

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Motivation

Explanation

Luke 9:23–26 CSB

Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.

Application

The Cross Inspires Unconditional Love

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Motivation

Explanation

John 15:12–17 CSB

“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. “This is what I command you: Love one another.

Application

Conclusion

Recap

Application

Sending

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