12/10/17 THE HUMILIATION OF GOD

12/10/17 THE HUMILIATION OF GOD

Today (TLW) I will address the Second Point in my Christmas Message outline.

The OUTLINE (with focus on point number 2)...
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST...
1. THE HONOR FOR MARY.
2. THE HUMILIATION OF GOD.
3. THE HOPE OF MANKIND.

THE HUMILIATION OF GOD.
Humiliation is not to be confused with embarrassment.
Humiliation was when God the Son deliberately emptied Himself, set aside His glory and certain of His Divine attributes (omniscience, omnipresence) and took the form, the likeness of a Man, in order to save men from their sins. He did not lay aside His Deity but He did limit Himself for a period of time, in order to become the perfect sacrifice.

Hebrews 5:8-9
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

I will also address the importance of grasping the meaning of passages, such as these.

His Glory
John 17:3-5
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

1 Timothy 6:16
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Hebrews 1:3
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

His Humiliation (self emptying)
Philippians 2:5-9
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Hebrews 2:16-18
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.