Jesus, being fully God and fully man, submitted to the will of the Father, and was crucified. Crucifixion is not a noble death. It is a debased, torturous, languishing death of guilty criminals. In His crucifixion Jesus made a way for us to be justified from our sins. He took a lowly human inhumanity and turned it for His glory and the Godhead is glorified in it. Every sinner miraculously brought to new life in Christ, brings glory to God. The greatest demonstration of sacrificial submission has brought the most glory to God. We need to submit to God’s authoritative word. In His word we know to submit to governmental authority. We learn that work is to be done for the glory of God. All vocations are equally glorifying to God when done for His glory. Work was intended for us from the beginning. The fall brought the factor of toil to work. Adam did not submit to the word of God. Husbands, submit to Christ. Wives, submit to your Husbands. Children, submit to your parents, slaves (employees) submit to your masters. (employers) I think the pattern is obvious. We are not to be a rebellious people, but rather a people sanctified for submission to a Holy God, and all the authorities He has ordained over us. May God keep and bless you, in all that He has in His sovereign will for you, to His glory, in the name of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, amen.
Philippians 2:1-18
1Therefore 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, 2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, andbeing made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12So 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; 13for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
14Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15so 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, 16holding 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. 17But 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. 18You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
Snyder's Soapbox 