In order to redeem us (and ultimately, His creation), the Lord Jesus Christ willingly took upon Himself the humanity that involved His becoming lower than the angels He created.
"All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made... We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (John 1:3; Hebrews 2:9).
It is one thing that our Lord became like human beings, excepting our sin. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). It is quite another that the Lord Jesus condescended to a lesser degree than the angelic race of beings wherein sin originated. Lucifer rebelled against God, believing himself to be more than is, or can be. "I will be like the Most High" he proclaimed, infecting many other angels with his deception (Isaiah 14:14; Revelation 12:4). Conversely, our Savior humbled Himself, becoming less than He is (without relinquishing His divinity) for the purpose of countering the effects of the devil's rebellion, which include infecting the human race with his nefarious lie. "Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). Thus, sin began in the universe through "the pride of life" embraced by a created being who sought to be higher (I John 2:16). It will end when the already accomplished redemption of the Creator, "made a little lower", is fully manifested.
I know of no more thrilling or sanctifying Biblical consideration. In Christ, we see a sublime goodness beyond all imagining. We discover an infinite God possessed of such character that He humbled Himself. Moreover, such humility remains in the sense that the Apostle Paul refers to the Lord Jesus in the present tense as "the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5). Christ is and always will be human, for our sakes, while retaining His divinity as "God... manifest in the flesh" (I Timothy 3:16). We see also the wicked nature of Satan, the created being formed to absorb and express God's light (the name "Lucifer" means lightbearer), but who sought to become Light itself. Again, the Lord Jesus became lower because Satan sought to become higher, and when the smoke of spiritual battle someday fully clears throughout God's creation, the crucified and risen Christ of humility will cast the doomed devil of pride into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:10). We must know the consequences of both paths in order to embrace the life of lowliness, and flee the destruction of vainglory.
Nothing will drive us to our knees and faces more than consideration that God Himself, in the person of Christ, knelt upon His face and knees (Mark 14:35; John 13:5).
"All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made... We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (John 1:3; Hebrews 2:9).
It is one thing that our Lord became like human beings, excepting our sin. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). It is quite another that the Lord Jesus condescended to a lesser degree than the angelic race of beings wherein sin originated. Lucifer rebelled against God, believing himself to be more than is, or can be. "I will be like the Most High" he proclaimed, infecting many other angels with his deception (Isaiah 14:14; Revelation 12:4). Conversely, our Savior humbled Himself, becoming less than He is (without relinquishing His divinity) for the purpose of countering the effects of the devil's rebellion, which include infecting the human race with his nefarious lie. "Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). Thus, sin began in the universe through "the pride of life" embraced by a created being who sought to be higher (I John 2:16). It will end when the already accomplished redemption of the Creator, "made a little lower", is fully manifested.
I know of no more thrilling or sanctifying Biblical consideration. In Christ, we see a sublime goodness beyond all imagining. We discover an infinite God possessed of such character that He humbled Himself. Moreover, such humility remains in the sense that the Apostle Paul refers to the Lord Jesus in the present tense as "the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5). Christ is and always will be human, for our sakes, while retaining His divinity as "God... manifest in the flesh" (I Timothy 3:16). We see also the wicked nature of Satan, the created being formed to absorb and express God's light (the name "Lucifer" means lightbearer), but who sought to become Light itself. Again, the Lord Jesus became lower because Satan sought to become higher, and when the smoke of spiritual battle someday fully clears throughout God's creation, the crucified and risen Christ of humility will cast the doomed devil of pride into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:10). We must know the consequences of both paths in order to embrace the life of lowliness, and flee the destruction of vainglory.
Nothing will drive us to our knees and faces more than consideration that God Himself, in the person of Christ, knelt upon His face and knees (Mark 14:35; John 13:5).
To save us from our sin, our blessed Lord became a man.
Meek and lowly, in humility,
He lived, suffered and died for you and me….
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
How can such a wonder be,
Our blessed Lord come to us as a Baby?
Born to one day die on the cross of Calvary…
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
What kind of Lord must this be
To step down from His throne of glory,
to give Himself to shame and death for you and for me?
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Hallelujah, hallelujah
"Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself."
(Philippians 2:8)
Weekly Memory Verse
Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness.
(Psalm 65:11)
(Philippians 2:8)
Weekly Memory Verse
Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness.
(Psalm 65:11)
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