Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 4

We have traced the necessity, the historicity, and how depravity, sin, and original sin demand Christus Exemplar, it is now time to show some of the specific examples given in the propitiatory cross of Jesus Christ. We must begin with humility. Perhaps the greatest passage where the cross and humility collide is in Philippians:

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. -Philippians 2:1-11

Notice how Paul lays out his argument. Paul's style of writing is to lay out orthodox doctrine and then apply it (see Romans and Galatians especially). At other times, he mixes exhortations and theology together. Here, we see Paul giving the simple exhortation to be humbled. How can we be humbled? Paul points us to Christology and the cross. Paul reminds us that Christ was in heaven ruling on His throne. He was God and in complete control. Yet He became man.

Paul shows us humility in Christ beginning with the incarnation. Christ took upon Himself the "form" of a man. This meant stepping off His throne and putting on flesh. Can you imagine the humility that took? I have a hard enough time changing my sons diaper, and yet Christ put on flesh and dwelt among us sinful men. Would any of us?

But that is not where Paul primarily takes us as our supreme example of humility. Paul points us to the cross. Paul notes that Christ became obedient by dying on the cross. He humbled Himself beyond the incarnation to the crucifixion. At the cross, Christ humbled Himself on our behalf. He could have, at any time, come off of the cross and set up His Kingdom as would have been within His authority and right. But He did not. Out of a humility that none of us would ever be so holy to embrace or fully understand, Christ became our propitiation.

But that's the amazing thing. By pointing us to the cross, Paul takes us to the resurrection and the glorious ascension of our Savior. Paul notes that through the humility of the cross, Christ has been exalted. He has returned to the throne that He left to be incarnated, receiving the fully glory due to His name. Humility leads to exaltation.

Is this not the message of Christ? How many times did He tell people that the least become first, the first become last, the least will be the greatest, the greatest will be the least, etc.? How did Christ prove such a radical idea? The cross. Paul could have easily quoted Christ's numerous statements about how humility leads to exaltation, but instead, He feeds us sound Christology climaxed in the incarnation, the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension.

If we suffer, obey, and humble ourselves like our Savior on the cross, we too will be exalted. Is that not the gospel? The suffering Servant became the resurrected Lord. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, if Christ has risen, so will we. In other words, unless we humble ourselves before the cross, we will never experience the exaltation and glorious words "Well done good and faithful slave."

Here is a profound example of how Christus Exemplar cannot and should not be separated from penal substitution. To separate the two is foreign to the doctrine. Paul points us to the cross, not to just teach us about humility, but to teach us about salvation. At the cross we are saved and since we are saved, we ought to live by the very way we were saved: humility. Until we become "poor in spirit" we will never be redeemed and the resurrection reminds us that we are to remain "poor in spirit." Pride has no room in the life of the Christian because we nailed our self-centered pride to the cross when we repented from our sins and rebellion against God.

Herein lies a follow for many ministers: we preach humility without preaching Christ. We cannot separate the two. We dare not speak of humility without speaking of Christ. In fact, we cannot speak of anything without speaking of Christ. And we know Christ because of the cross and His glorious resurrection.

Christ left His throne and took on the form of a slave in human flesh and died in our place. That is the very definition of humility. Furthermore, the empty tomb reminds us that true exaltation, if rooted in humility. Where God is most glorified, we are most humbled.

Series:
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 1 - Introduction
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 2 - Christus Exemplar and the doctrine of sin and depravity
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 3 - The History of Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 4 - Christus Exemplar and Humility