Just Like Jesus

Your first assignment is to read Philippians 2:5-8. Go ahead; I'll wait...

How does this reflect your attitude in daily life? Do you, as a Christian, model your life after the Master to this extent? I really enjoy how the NKJV puts this passage, because it says that being in equal standing with God is not a twisted mindset. The Scripture quite frequently tells us that we are "joint-heirs" with Jesus. That means we are on equal footing with the King of Kings. However, tell that to most Christians these days, and they will cringe and tell you that your are taking the Bible "out of context" for supposed selfish gain. While it is true that there are people in the world that have done this, it does not take away from what the Scriptures say: you are in equal standing with Jesus before God - get used to it.

However, we are given the example of how to treat and view this position: with humility. Read this same passage in the NASB. The attitude that we are to mimic is to understand that our standing in Christ is not meant solely for our sordid gain. Jesus did not use His position of power expressly on Himself. He willingly gave up His deity to help you. He was willing to do anything, to die - in the worst way. Please notice that it never says we are required to die. The focus of this passage is on the attitude that Jesus had, that you and I are to imitate. Be willing to do anything the Lord may ask of you, even if it requires lowering your "station."

Also, I would like to point out that Jesus "was made in the likeness of men." You know what that means? It means He lived a perfect life - as a man. "Yeah, but that was Jesus" is no longer an excuse we can use when examining His life in comparison to ours. While He does not expect us to live perfect like He did, He expects you to come very close. As you grow in maturity, you should become less and less susceptible to sin. So, stop declaring how sinful and lowly you are all of the time. Understand that you have been made the righteousness of God because of Jesus (1Corinthians 5:21). You are disciples of the Master, which means you are to emulate Him more and more. With the help of the Holy Spirit, through constant communion with the Father, Jesus lived a sinless life - as a full-blooded human-being. He expects you to strive for the same thing. While none of us will reach Christ-like perfection this side of Heaven, we can get much closer than we think.