“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5-8).

        In order that the mind of Christ may be formed in us, the apostle in this passage presents Christ before us as our perfect Pattern. We have a touching presentation of the lowliness of mind that was expressed in Him in His marvelous journey from Godhead glory to the cross of shame. Let us note that the force of the passage is to present, not simply the downward path He took, but the lowly mind that marked Him in taking the path.

        First, Christ is presented as “being in the form of God.” No man could pretend to describe the form of One “whom no man has seen nor can see” (1 Tim. 6:16); nevertheless we are told what was the mind of Christ while yet in the form of God. His mind was so set upon serving others in love that He thought not of Himself and His reputation, but “made Himself of no reputation,” and laid aside the outward form of God—though never ceasing to be God.

        Second, He exhibits the lowly mind by taking the form of a servant. Not only does He serve, but He assumes the form that is proper to a servant.

        Third, still further does He express the lowly mind by the particular “form of a servant” that He assumed. The angels are servants, but He passed the angels by. He “was made a little lower than the angels” (Heb. 2:9) and took His place in the likeness of men. He passed by the higher form of servant to take the lower. He was made in the likeness of men, a word that surely implies manhood in its full constitution—spirit, soul, and body. However, let it be remembered that His was not manhood in its fallen condition nor even with the capability of sinning (2 Cor. 5:21; John 5:19,30).

        Fourth, still further is the lowly mind expressed in Christ, for when found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself. He did not take occasion by “being found in fashion as a man” to exalt Himself among men according to the natural thought of His brethren who said, “If Thou do these things, show Thyself to the world” (John 7:3,4), but He humbled Himself. He did not claim His rights as a man.

        Fifth, yet further He expressed the lowly mind by becoming “obedient.” He might have become a man and commanded, but He takes the place of obedience. This implies the laying aside of individual will to do the will of another.

        Sixth, then again the lowly mind is seen by the measure of His obedience, for He was “obedient unto death.” This was more than obedience. In obedience He gave up His will; in death He gave up His life.

        Seventh, finally His lowly mind is expressed in the death that He died. There are many forms of death, but of all the deaths that man can die, He died the most ignominious of deaths—“the death of the cross.” This was more than an ordinary death, for while in going to death a man gives up his life, in going to the death of the cross a man gives up, not only his life, but his reputation before men. Thus it was with the Lord. In going to the death of the cross, such was His lowly mind—so truly did He ignore self—that He gave up His reputation before men and “was numbered with the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12).

        Let it be impressed upon our souls once again that the purpose of this wonderful passage is to set forth the pattern that Christ Himself has given for us to follow.

        (From Scripture Truth, 1930.)