JESUS THE PROTOTYPE FOR SONS OF GOD
No Reputation……part 2 of 5.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8
Jesus understood that, to rely upon one’s own strengths and abilities, and to build one’s own image and popularity, is not of His kingdom and does not glorify God.
The prophet, Isaiah, penned:
He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isaiah 53:2-3
It is futile to try to establish ourselves with a good reputation. God makes us who we really are to be. Paul’s attempt to build and protect his own identity and reputation led him to persecute the church of God:
For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. I Corinthians 15:9-10 (The grace of God within us labours.)
It took a Damascus Road experience to humble Paul and free him from the vanity of his own ideas and plans for his life.
While we are on the topic of encountering by experience’ Paul posed two questions which do not seem to be part of the vocabulary in these times.
“And Saul said, Who are You, Lord? , ………Lord, what do You desire me to do?” ….. Acts 9:5-6.
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” I Corinthians 1:26-31
Blessings