Philippians 2:1-30

Exhortation to Be Like Christ

Introduction:

Paul continues to encourage the Philippians conduct themselves as it regards to the Gospel of Christ. We are going to begin with verses 1-4; Unity through Humility.

Definitions:

1. Unity - oneness, harmony, agreement ..............

2. Humility - a state of lowiness, the quality or state of being humble.

Unity Through Humility - vs. 1-4; The first two verses he encourages the Philippians to walk in unity.

vs. 1; In 1:27 Paul had written about living the Christian life in harmony with the message on which it is based. He followed that message with a call to show forth spiritual unity. This unity is possible because of the reality of the four qualities mentioned in 2:1. The “if” clauses, being translations of first-class conditions in Greek, speak of certainties. So in this passage “if” may be translated “since.” Paul wrote here about realities, not questionable things. Paul appealed on the basis of (a) encouragement from being united with Christ . . . (b) comfort from His love . . . (c) fellowship with the Spirit . . . (d) tenderness and compassion.

a). Since there is encouragement in Christ or from being united with Him.

b). Comfort from His love. John 3:16; Rom. 5:8;

c). Fellowship with the Spirit. Joint participation - Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16 ..............

d). Bowels and mercies (tenderness and compassion).

vs. 2. On the basis of what was presented in verse 1, Paul exhorted his readers to show in practical ways the unity which was theirs in Christ. Their expression of that spiritual unity would make his joy complete. Corresponding to the four realities in verse 1 are four specific ways in which their spiritual unity would be realized. They would be like-minded - (being of the same mind - attitude Rom.12:16), have the same love - (agape - unconditional) Rom. 5:5-8; Eph. 5:1-2; 1John 3:13-18, being of one accord, of one mind (be one in spirit (sympsychoi), and be one in purpose).

Finally lets look in Eph. chapter 4:1-6 (read and dicuss)

vs. 3-4. Paul begins to encourage the Philippians to be humble (to show humility). Lets talk about Humility (modesty) the quality or state of being humble.

The ESV English-Hebrew Reverse Interlinear Old Testament

ענוה (4)

The ESV English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament

ὁ (2)

Definite Article, dative  humility| Phil 2:3 |    | Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. |

ταπεινοφροσύνη (5)

Noun, dative  humility| Phil 2:3 |    | Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. |

Noun, genitive  humility (2)| Acts 20:19 |    | serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; |

Expound on verses 3-4.

Nothing was to be done through strife (out of selfish ambition). Without question such behavior is of the flesh and not the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:20, which uses the same word). Vain conceit, meaning “empty glory,” was probably the root cause of their selfish ambition.

The two negatives are followed by a positive exhortation: in humility consider others better than yourselves. But, a word of contrast, introduces these words. Humility before God and man is a virtue every child of God needs to strive for. A spirit of pride in human relations indicates a lack of humility before God. Paul exhorted the Philippians to consider others before themselves (cf. 1 Peter 5:5-6).

Paul explained how humility can be expressed (Phil. 2:4). Instead of concentrating on self, each believer should be concerned for the interests of others in the household of faith (cf. Rom. 12:10). Preoccupation with oneself is sin.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ vs. 5-11;

2:5. Believers are exhorted to have the same attitude—selfless humility— Christ exhibited in His humiliation and condescension. The word here translated attitude is translated “like-minded” in verse 2. We need a new way of thinking Eph. 4:17-23.

1. What are some ways that we can have the mind of Christ? - think like Him - the same attitude.

a). First we need to put into practice the reading and meditating on God's Word.

(1). Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-5; 119:9-11,

(2). Become part of the teaching ministries that's in the church. The Sunday

School, Bible Study, Mission, Women Ministry etc.....................

vs. 6 - The uniqueness of Christianity is the Person, Jesus Christ, and the distinctiveness of Christ is the fact that He is the God-man. In other words, He is a divine-human Being, something unique in time and eternity. It is also a concept very difficult to understand, for we have no basis for comparison with another God-man in history nor do we get any help from our experience. Yet this is not a dogma imposed on us simply to receive without question; it is a conclusion which grows out of the evidence in the Bible. Many facts point to the conclusion that Jesus Christ is God; many others lead to the conclusion that He is truly human; at the same time we see only one Person moving across the pages of the gospels. This union of undiminished deity and perfect humanity forever in one Person is called the doctrine of the hypostatic union (that is, the union of two hypostases or natures), and this is the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.

Deity

deity, the divine quality that distinguishes God from other entities (Rom. 1:20; Col. 2:9); therefore God cannot be likened to any created thing, however precious (Acts 17:29).

1. Who being in the form of God - Form does not mean any shape or external qualities. It talks the nature or essence of God. Lets begin with His preexistence.

a). His Preexistence - did Christ exist before Bethlehem? As it regards to His Deity many people still trying to rationalize it. Was He here before He was born?

Lets see - Micah 5:2; Habakuk 1:12; Is. 9:6; Ex. 3:14-15; John 1:1, 8:58.

2. To be equal with God.

a). His claims - John 5:18, 10:30, 36; Matt. 26:63-64.

b). The New Testament writers claims - John 1:1, 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13.

c). Jesus claimed to do certain things which only God can do. Mark 2:1-12;

John 1:2, 5:25-27, 15:26; Col. 1:16-17.

vs. 7 - Made Himself of no reputation: (The Doctrine of Kenosis) This phrase can be translated “He emptied Himself.” Christ did this by taking on the form of a servant, a mere man. In doing this, He did not empty Himself of any part of His essence as God. Instead, He took upon Himself existence as a man. While remaining completely God, He became completely human. form: Jesus added to His divine essence (v. 6) a servant’s essence, that is, the essential characteristics of a human being seeking to fulfill the will of another. Paul does not say that Christ exchanged the form of God for the form of a servant, involving a loss of deity or the attributes of deity. Rather, in the Incarnation, Christ continued in the very nature of God but added to Himself the nature of a servant. What is included in a proper statement of the true doctrine of the kenosis? The concept involves the veiling of Christ’s preincarnate glory (Jn 17:5), the condescension of taking on Himself the likeness of sinful flesh (Ro 8:3), and the voluntary nonuse of some of His attributes of deity during the time of His earthly life (Mt 24:36). His humanity was not a glorified humanity and was thus subject to temptation, weakness, pain, and sorrow. Choosing not to use His divine attributes is quite different from saying that He gave them up. Nonuse does not mean subtraction.

Bondservant - became a servant. Matt. 20:25-28; Mark 10:45; Rom. 15:8; John 13:1-16

He was made in the likeness of men - Being born in the likeness of men - Christ became a human being. The process that God used to become man is the incarnation - In at least two respects the birth of Jesus was unique. It was the incarnation, the miracle of one who was God from the beginning emptying Himself and becoming a human being. His birth is unique also in that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of a virgin.

Is. 7:14; Matt. 1: 18-25; Luke 1:26-38; Gal. 4:4-5; John 1:14; 1Timothy 3:16.

The New Testament states the following purposes for the incarnation: to reveal God to men (Jn 1:18), to provide an example for living (1 Pe 2:21), to provide a sacrifice for sin (Heb 10:1–10), to destroy the works of the devil (1 Jn 3:8), to enable Him to be a merciful and faithful High Priest (Heb 5:1–2), to fulfill the promise of a son to sit on the throne of David forever (Lk 1:31–33).

vs. 8 - And being found fashion (apperance) as a man; "God became man".

He humbled Himself; "God became a servant" He became obedient unto death, (became our sacrifice - Heb.9:23-26) even the death of the cross. "God died as a man, died for man". There are at least five things we can say about the death of Christ.

(1) The death of Jesus Christ was vicarious (Matt. 20:28). He was God's substitute for sinners. (II Cor. 5:21).

(2) The death of Jesus Christ was natural (John 19:31-37).

(3) The death of Jesus Christ was unnatural (Rom.6:23). He was sinless ( 1Peter 2: 22; 1John 3:5). He knew no sin and was made sin (II Cor. 5:21).

(4) The death of Jesus Christ was no after thought with God (Rev. 13:8).

(5) The death of Jesus Christ was suppernatural (John 10:17-18).