Philippians 2:5 AMP
[5] Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility]
Paul and Timothy, in writing to the church of God in Philippi, described themselves as bond-servants of Christ Jesus, and the church, including the overseers and deacons as the saints or God’s people in Christ Jesus. A bond-servant is an individual who is bound by contract or circumstance to serve a master without wages, usually to repay a debt or serve a term of years. While similar to a slave, a bondservant usually enters the arrangement willingly and would be entitled to eventual freedom. Let us apply that to the lives of Paul and Timothy. Both were adults that chose to surrender to and follow Christ of their own freewill. There was no coercion.
The slight difference between the definition above and the reality of the Christian experience is the reality of eventual freedom. This is one encounter from which you are not expected to recover. You do not get in, and then plan to leave sometime in the middle of the journey. This is a lifelong engagement between the Saviour and His subjects. I might not be working for physical wages, as the world will describe wages, but I am definitely not working for free. Truly, there is a debt to be repaid; the one to whom I am now bound gave up His life for me, so that I do not have to pay anything anymore, other than to live to please the One who saved me.
Does the above describe my current reality? Have I come to Christ of my own personal choice, or am I there only for what I can get out of it? Are there selfish interests behind my decision to follow Christ? Do I even know the impact behind my current reality, and what is at stake for me? These are not questions that can be answered publicly; these are personal reflections and personal encounters, and all have both earthly and eternal implications. It is not a wonder, then, that the chapter from where the verse above is taken from starts with an encouragement for us to consider who Christ is, what He has done and given, and what this understanding requires of us.
We have the perfect example of humility to guide our daily engagement, interaction, and conduct with the world around us. Christ did not have to die, but He did. He left His glory in heaven, because in that form, man could not touch Him, not to talk of putting Him to death. He became like me, so He could walk in my shoes and offer acceptable sacrifices to God for sin, effectively ending the power of sin over me. When such a God then calls me His own, and asks me to serve and follow Him, what a privilege it is. He has laid down the perfect example; all I can do is ask for grace and strength to be able to follow in His steps. He will help, if I depend solely on Him. God's time of favour is here.
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