He Relinquished His Equality
“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Phip.2:6,7). Did Jesus’ incarnation affect His position in the Godhead? According to our text it did. But how? The “how” is revealed in the phrase “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” First, this does not mean that Jesus relinquished His deity. He did not lay aside His divine nature in becoming a man. Jesus’ deity was simply manifested in another form – “the form of a servant.” He did not arrive on earth in “the form of God.” To heavenly beings, Jesus had manifested Himself in a divine form, but when He came to earth He manifested Himself to mankind “in the likeness of men” in “the form of a servant.” His “equality with God” was sacrificially laid aside, that is, Jesus relinquished the use and demonstration of His divine attributes that would have kept Him from living as a human. By not coming to earth in “the form of God” Jesus accepted limitations on His divine prerogatives. As a human Jesus placed Himself in a position of unceasing dependence upon His Heavenly Father, even though He was the very source of life. At any time Jesus could have manifested His “equality with God,” but did not. He did not regard “equality with God” something that He refused to give up at all costs. But why would Jesus give it up? He made His choice to give up His previous position in Heaven (one that was equal with God) to become “a servant” in order to save humanity from the condemnation of sin. This necessitated that He live as a human and face temptations as any other man, without using His divine powers to keep Him from sinning. Jesus did. But it also necessitated that He bear the punishment for mankind’s sins. He did this too. Though He had relinquished His position in heaven for the salvation of men, He was despised, ridiculed, and rejected. Even as He suffered the most wretched ways of dying, people mocked Him. At any time He could have manifested Himself in “the form of God” and destroyed the human race, but He did not? Why? His love for humanity is the answer.