6. Imitating Christ’s Humility and Exaltation: Ethical Exhortations in Philippians

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Introduction

In Philippians, Paul presents Jesus as the humble yet exalted Messiah and calls believers to imitate this model. This article explores how Christ’s incarnation, obedience, and exaltation form the ethical foundation for Christian community life and witness.

1. The Christ Hymn: Humility in Incarnation

  • Philippians 2:5-8 describes Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself… being born in the likeness of men.”
  • This self-emptying (kenosis) reveals the Messiah’s humility and servant nature, providing the ethical paradigm for believers.

2. Obedience to Death and the Ethical Call

  • Jesus’ obedience “to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8) epitomizes ultimate submission to God’s will and sacrificial love.
  • Believers are exhorted to adopt this mindset (Phil 2:5), living in humility, unity, and selflessness.

3. Divine Exaltation and Universal Lordship

  • God “highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Phil 2:9), affirming Jesus’ messianic lordship.
  • Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil 2:10-11), underscoring the ethical imperative to honour Christ’s authority.

4. Ethical Living in Community

  • Paul urges believers to be “of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Phil 2:2).
  • Valuing others above oneself and working for the common good reflect Christ’s humility and exaltation lived out in the church.

5. Joy and Perseverance as Ethical Virtues

  • Joy, rejoicing, and steadfastness amid hardship are ethical responses to the exalted Christ (Phil 3:1; 4:4).
  • Believers embody Christ’s victory by living in hopeful endurance.

Summary

Paul’s ethical exhortations in Philippians flow directly from the Messiah’s example of humble incarnation and divine exaltation. The Christian life is a call to imitate Christ’s humility, foster unity, and rejoice in His lordship amid challenges.

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