2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
2:6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
This passage discusses the two natures of Jesus Christ. His Divine nature, and his human nature.
Divine nature:
"Who, being in very nature God". This points out that Jesus is God. John 1:1 says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1:2, "He was with God in the beginning." 1:3, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
From the above verses, if we believe the scriptures, we need to agree that:
1) Jesus is God
2) Jesus was with God the Father before the creation of the heavens and earth
3) Jesus is the Creator, and
4) God, in the form of Jesus the Son, came to earth
Human nature:
Above verses 2:7 & 8 say, "but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross.
In verse 7 the greek word for "made himself nothing" is kenoo. Kenoo means to make empty. So what Jesus did was, when he came to earth in the form of a man he emptied himself of his Diety. The reason he did this was as Hebrews 2:18 says, "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. So he knows how it feels to be tempted on this earth. Also, as a man, he suffered all of the weaknesses, dissapointments, rejections and every other thing that we might suffer as inhabitants of this world.
Jesus suffered weakness, see Matthew 4:1-4.
Jesus suffered dissapointments, see John 11:35.
Jesus suffered rejections. He suffered prenatal rejection, see Matthew 1:18-19, rejection from his own family as he was growing up, see Luke 2:48-50, rejection of his own family as he was ministering, see Mark 3:31-35, and was rejected by many he loved as he was suffered and died for us, see Matthew 26:47-50 and verses 69-75.
Concluding, Jesus:
1) Is God and yet while on earth he emptied himself of his diety
2) Was tempted as we are
3) Suffered rejection, weakness and dissapointments just like us
4) Did all these things so he could help us.
So in light of all that Jesus did for us, including suffering and dying, will you accept Christ as your personal savior at this time? Jesus said, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
The only thing you have to do is admit to Jesus that you are a sinner, as I am, but through his suffering and death you are saved from the condemnation of everlasting death, which is separation from God. Then find a church that believes and teaches that Jesus is God.
God Bless you.
