“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:3-8)
How many times in His life on earth could Jesus have used equality with God to His own advantage? He was the Son; He was in the beginning; all things made had been created through Him; He had all power… and yet He gave it up and “made Himself nothing.” He chose not to use His Divinity to His own advantage.
“I will not turn stones to bread to satisfy My hunger. I will not jump off the pinnacle of the Temple to prove who I am. I’ll be content to live without a place to lay My head. I’ll let people scorn Me, lie about Me, and call Me demon-possessed. I’ll accept injustice in order to complete My purpose. And rather than call ten thousand angels to rescue Me from the Cross, I’ll offer My life as a ransom for you.”
Paul reasons that our life in Christ should result in a willingness to give up our advantage and “shine like stars in the universe” as we “hold out the word of life.” (see Philippians 2:16)
“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:1-4)
As we live in Christ… and as Christ lives in us… this is what God is producing in His children.
“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if His love has made any difference in your life, if being in community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care — then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
“Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of Himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of Himself that He had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, He set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, He stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, He lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death — and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.” Philippians 2:1-8 — The Message