We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer
Therefore let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth. --Basil of Caesarea
Once you learn to discern, there's no going back. You will begin to spot the lie everywhere it appears.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. 1 Timothy 1:12

Friday, January 23, 2015

He made himself of no reputation.


“He thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”  He regarded the insignia of His Godhead not as a prize to be held on to, to be clutched.  He deliberately decided that He would for the time being lay them aside.  Not lay the Godhead aside — He could not do that — He did not lay the Godhead aside, but He did lay the signs of the Godhead aside.

Then after that first initial decision the second followed, and of necessity. “He made himself of no reputation.”  How superior the Authorized Version is here to the Revised Version and others, which say here “He emptied himself”!  No, He did not empty Himself, He did not empty himself at all.  He “made himself” — still remaining what He was — “of no reputation.”  There is no “kenosis” in the sense of evacuating Himself of His Godhead, for that is impossible.  It is something much more wonderful than that.  It is that He decided to “make himself of no reputation.”  Though still the eternal Son of God, He came down to earth, and He was born as a babe and He lived as a man.  He was still the same but He made Himself of no reputation.  We read stories of great kings putting on ragged clothing and going to work with their hands; nobody knew them, nobody recognised them.  What had happened?  They king had made himself of no reputation, he pretended to be an ordinary man, he did not take with him the trappings and the insignia of his regal position; in other words, he made himself of no reputation.  Or you can think of it in terms of a king traveling incognito.  That is the very thing that happened in the incarnation.  That is what happened when the Son of God came down on earth to dwell amongst men.  Though He remained exactly what He always was, He came as a Man and took upon Him the form of a servant.


D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, God’s Way of Reconciliation: An Exposition of Ephesians 2, p.123

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen! Thanks, Brother Glenn, for posting this most excellent description of Christ's Incarnation in relation to His Never-Ending (not even for a moment) Divinity. God Bless you with His Wisdom in abundance, today & always. ~Brenda

Anonymous said...

It's funny how Jesus makes himself of no reputation and yet, here in the American church system.....

man and woman alike make themselves of reputation and their names are held in higher regard than Christ Himself...and us lower laity are required to worship them.

How fallen the church has become.....with lords and overlords...and the true Shepherd, true LORD, is still desiring to enter into man's heart.