SUNDAY'S SACRED SCRIPTURES: ONE WITH CHRIST...

PHILIPPIANS 2: 1-18...
1---Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

2---make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
3---Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
4---do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
5---Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6---who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7---but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 
8---Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9---For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
10---so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11---and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12---So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
13---for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14---Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
15---so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 
16---holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
17---But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
18---You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Here are further exhortations to Christian duties; to like-mindedness and lowly-mindedness, according to the example of the Lord Jesus. Kindness is the law of Christ's kingdom, the lesson of his school, the livery of his family. Several motives to brotherly love are mentioned. If you expect or experience the benefit of God's compassions to yourselves, be compassionate one to another. It is the joy of ministers to see people like-minded. 

Christ came to humble us, let there not be among us a spirit of pride. We must be severe upon our own faults, and quick in observing our own defects, but ready to make favourable allowances for others. We must kindly care for others, but not be busy-bodies in other men's matters. Neither inward nor outward peace can be enjoyed, without lowliness of mind.

The example of our Lord Jesus Christ is set before us. We must resemble him in his life, if we would have the benefit of his death. 

Notice the two natures of Christ; his Divine nature, and human nature. Who being in the form of God, partaking the Divine nature, as the eternal and only-begotten Son of God, Joh 1:1, had not thought it a robbery to be equal with God, and to receive Divine worship from men. His human nature; herein he became like us in all things except sin. Thus low, of his own will, he stooped from the glory he had with the Father before the world was.  

 Christ's two states, of humiliation and exaltation, are noticed. Christ not only took upon him the likeness and fashion, or form of a man, but of one in a low state; not appearing in splendour. His whole life was a life of poverty and suffering. But the lowest step was his dying the death of the cross, the death of a malefactor and a slave; exposed to public hatred and scorn. 

The exaltation was of Christ's human nature, in union with the Divine. At the name of Jesus, not the mere sound of the word, but the authority of Jesus, all should pay solemn homage. It is to the glory of God the Father, to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; for it is his will, that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father, Joh 5:23. Here we see such motives to self-denying love as nothing else can supply. Do we thus love and obey the Son of God?

We must be diligent in the use of all the means which lead to our salvation, persevering therein to the end. With great care, lest, with all our advantages, we should come short. Work out your salvation, for it is God who worketh in you.  

This encourages us to do our utmost, because our labour shall not be in vain: we must still depend on the grace of God. The working of God's grace in us, is to quicken and engage our endeavours. God's good-will to us, is the cause of his good work in us.  

Do your duty without murmurings. Do it, and do not find fault with it. Mind your work, and do not quarrel with it. By peaceableness; give no just occasion of offence.  

The children of God should differ from the sons of men. The more perverse others are, the more careful we should be to keep ourselves blameless and harmless. 

The doctrine and example of consistent believers will enlighten others, and direct their way to Christ and holiness, even as the light-house warns mariners to avoid rocks, and directs their course into the harbour. Let us try thus to shine.  

The gospel is the word of life, it makes known to us eternal life through Jesus Christ. Running, denotes earnestness and vigour, continual pressing forward; labouring, denotes constancy, and close application. It is the will of God that believers should be much in rejoicing; and those who are so happy as to have good ministers, have great reason to rejoice with them.