OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH

Phil. 2:8

Morning Meditation 3/31/2014

Verse 8 says, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Obedience unto death is the ultimate obedience. Someone has said, “Salvation is a return to the authority of the Throne.” Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, and as man He submitted to the authority of the Father. He said in John 5:30, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” Then again in John 8:28, “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”

Let’s look at our text. The words “being found” translate “heurisko” and means, “after searching, to find a thing sought.” It is an aorist passive participle. The aorist tense and passive voice means that man did discover at a point in time that Jesus was who He claimed to be. He was truly man and truly God. The words “in fashion” translate “schema” and means, “the habitus, as comprising everything in a person which strikes the senses, the figure, bearing, discourse, actions, manner of life etc.” The word “as” means “like, or even as.” The word “man” translates “anthropos” and is the word that is used to identify, “a human being, or mankind.” He did this without having a human father. Joseph was not his father. Mary was His mother and the Holy Spirit performed the miracle of conception (Matt. 1:20). Luke 1:35 says, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Jesus is called “that holy thing” in this verse. He was “in fashion” as a man but was much more. He was and is God manifest in the flesh.

The next words “he humbled” translate “tapeinoo” and means, “to make low, bring low.” It is an aorist active indicative verb. The word “himself” means that He is the one who decided to do this. The aorist tense means that He did it at a point of time.. The point of time in the PLAN OF GOD was eternity past. He decided before the earth or man was created to do this. I don’t understand that. But I believe it because of verses like 1 Peter 1:20: “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” The point of time in prophecy is Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The meaning of that verse is illustrated by the LORD God Himself when He slew an innocent animal and clothed Adam and Eve in the skins of that animal typifying the believer’s being clothed in the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). The point of time in history was Bethlehem’s manger. Here is where the history of God becoming a man took place (2 Cor. 5:19). One may disagree with this philosophically but he cannot deny that this is what the Bible plainly says and teaches. I choose to believe it with everything that is in me.

The words “and became” translate “ginomai” and means, “to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being.” It is an aorist middle participle. The aorist tense means that there was a point of time in which this attitude came to pass. The middle voice means that Jesus acted in Himself to do this. Was Jesus not obedient before the incarnation? No. He was the eternal Son, co-equal with the Father and the need had not arisen until God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit held the ETERNAL LIFE CONFERENCE IN ETERNITY PAST AND decided to save man. It was only then that it became imperative for God to become a man to do for man as man what the crippling effects of sin rendered it impossible for him to do for himself.

The word “obedient” translates “hupekoos” and is from the root word that means, “to listen, to hearken, and is used of one who on the knock at the door comes to listen who it is, (the duty of a porter).” This means that Jesus as a man submitted to the Father, and harkened to the “knock at the door” of man’s need of a sin offering without hesitation. The words “unto death” describe the ultimate act of obedience. Our text says, “and became obedient unto death.” The act of dying is what answering the

KNOCK AT THE DOOR REQUIRED.

The obedience of Christ is a perfect illustration of the obedience that all created things including man should exercise in relation to God. But Jesus is the only one who ever exercised this obedience from birth to death. The martyrs who died during the fierce persecution of the church during the dark ages are a testimony of “obedience unto death” for a truly born again believer. But the believer was disobedient before he was saved and his obedience was inspired by the New Birth and his relationship and love for the Lord. Man is too late to offer the kind of obedience necessary to save himself. He can be obedient after he is saved, and by all means should, but his disobedience before salvation made him a hell deserving sinner in need of salvation. Jesus became obedient unto death, and becomes OUR OBEDIENCE BEFORE THE FATHER, and it is by His obedience, that we stand justified before God.

The obedience of the believer after salvation:

1.Shows one’s submission to the Lord Jesus. Is Jesus your Lord? If He is then you should obey Him in all things. This means you are NOT FREE to do your own thing.

2.Obedience after salvation is faith in action. Faith is the capacity God has given us to respond to His will for our lives.

3.Obedience after salvation is a commitment to the truth of the Scriptures. Jesus gave us a PERFECT BIBLE. If He were to come to you in person today, He would not say ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAT HE HAS SAID IN HIS WORD.

Our love and obedience to the Lord should be a firm commitment to be “obedient unto death.” That certainly does not mean that we will be perfect. We are anything but perfect. But it means that this is our goal and by His grace and power we will not let anyone or anything countermand an order He has given us. Even if it means serious trouble for us. Our Russian brethren, until the recent changes there, went to prison and many of them died for their faith in Christ. Is obedience to this degree required? Absolutely. They would be the first to say, “amen.”

May the Lord enable us to love Him for His obedience unto death in our behalf and follow His example so far as it is possible for us until He calls us home.

In Christ

Bro. White