But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
Yes Beloved readers, let us see what that means. During the life of our Lord Jesus He overcome every sin and temptation in this world completely and entirely. Yet, his final deliverance was to be over death itself. Jesus gave up his life in perfect helplessness, (and that is the key for you and I) and placed his life totally into the Father's hand.
As He hung on the tree, He had to have complete trust in the Father to raise Him up fro the dead. It was only through those two deaths, the death to the "self-will that entered into Adam at the fall, and then the complete trust in His Father to overcome the physical death by rising Him up on the third day.
It was through death, and I will repeat that, through death alone, the giving up of the life he had, could obedience lead him into the Glory that he had before the foundation of the world. That is a powerful statement for us to consider.
In the book of Philippians 2:5 we read, "Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility." What same attitude and purpose; the purpose that Jesus humbled himself and stripped himself of all self will and desires and carried HIS OBEDIENCE TO DEATH!
This is the victorious life Jesus has sent to us in the person of the Holy Spirit to live in us if we trust Him. He has come to work that our perfect obedience in us as Jesus did on the earth. Why have those who are called the Christian church not come close to living this kind of life on the Earth?
The reason may be first, we don't understand the heart of Christianity is not "religious talk" or doing "religious activities, or trying to be good enough. The heart of Christianity is to live a life in complete submission to God and in complete obedience to every desire and command of God.
John 14:15 15 If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. Another rendering of this passage is "if you really love me, you will listen to and obey my voice and do all that I ask you to do.."
The proof of the Spirit of Christ in not the measure of how much we do for God, but how much we love above all things to obey him, and desire that is no possible way ever to do one thing that would not be pleasing in his sight. That is the life Jesus lived for us as the second Adam and the life he said that through the Holy Spirit' power he would do it. Philippians 2:12-13
Therefore, my dear ones,
as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the
enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am
absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete)
your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with
serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against
temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and
discredit the name of Christ).
[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually
at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire],
both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
We are called to work out that salvation to obey God, but not in our own strength. Then how do we live a life of obedience on to death? By God who is all the while effectively at work in you. Can you dare believe the Holy Spirit has come to do this in you.
Do you believe he came to give you the complete victory over every sin and that you can carry your obedience to death of your self-life to the complete obedience to love Him and obey every command? You can if you just believe God is the author and finisher of that work in you. If you can but trust Him. Blessed is the man that trust in the Lord, He shall not be put to shame.
Jesus said, "If you really love me, you will obey me and keep my commands." That is the proof of love, nothing more and nothing less. The love of God that He gives us is a love for Him that will always and everywhere completely obey Him. This is a life of a full grown son and daughter of God.
Romans 12:1-2 speaks of what we are to bring to the Lord in order for us to carry our obedience. Listen carefully the demands that God requires from us to completely obey Him.
I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and
beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive
dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as
a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to
God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
Do
not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted
to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by
the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new
attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and
acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
What does the Lord require from us? Build more churches? Reach more people? Do more ministry? Give our bodies to be burned? Give all our money to the poor? No, you can try to do all those things in the flesh and never please God.
He asks us to do one thing, present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Why a living one, because a sacrifice has to be offered to die. Jesus said, "if any man be my disciple, let him deny himself, pick up his cross and follow me."Luke 9:23
Beloved we carry our obedience to death, by understanding and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit to live a selfless life in us. That we too can overcome every temptation, every sin, only through the power and grace of God the Holy Spirit's power has come to give.
What is that death? What is picking up our cross mean to our death, it is this? It is to deny our self completely and allow the Holy Spirit to reign in our hearts to do the Father's will in us and through us. It means ceasing from the life we have lived before Christ came to us as savior and the life we have lived living for our will sometimes and God's will others.
It means reconciling ourselves dead to sin but alive to God! If any man be in Christ He is a new creation isn't He? Old things are to pass away? What old things living another day for ourselves to obey our flesh and sin instead of the Holy Spirit and life? Jesus gave up his life, his self life throughout his life for 33 years to do one thing, The will of the Father.
When Jesus mothers and brothers come to see him, the crowd tells them they are here. Jesus answers that call this way, Matthew 12:48-50,
But He replied to the man who told Him, Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?And stretching out His hand toward [not only the twelve disciples but all] [b]His adherents, He said, Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother!
Beloved we were made for one purpose, to live and do the will of God. We were never made to our "own will." That is why Jesus wrestled to pour out his own blood at Ghetsemane, crying, "not my will, but thy will be done."
This is the meaning of what it means to carry our obedience unto death. Death to our will in every way. Death to ever willingly and unknowingly doing anything that would not be God's will or please him. Sure seems impossible in light of what the church looks like today.
Yet, what is impossible with men is possible with men. We can not do it in human power, but we have received power from on high to "Be" witnesses of Jesus life on Earth as it is heaven.
Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually
at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire],
both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. Selah!
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