____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ February 22, 1998 ____________________________________________________ Jesus Emptied Himself: A Basic Approach by T. Doy Moyer That Jesus ``emptied Himself'' is not a debatable issue (Phil. 2:6-7). Of what He emptied Himself, or exactly what that phrase means, has been an ancient debate. What I have to offer here may not solve any controversies, but I hope it will give some food for thought. 1. Any position which effectively destroys the Deity of Jesus is wrong. This is the effect of the position that teaches Jesus gave up His divine attributes and characteristics. Those who teach this need to explain how Jesus could remain God while giving up the nature of God. The nature of something is the attributes and characteristics that make it what it is. If Jesus did not have the nature of God, He was not God (see Gal. 4:8). 2. The text does not say that Jesus emptied Himself ``of'' anything. When we add ``of'' to the phrase, and then start enumerating upon what all He supposedly gave up to come to earth, we are not being faithful to the text. We are reading into the text what it does not say. As opposed to being ``full of'' Himself (a modern idiom), He ``emptied Himself.'' He did not empty Himself ``of'' a bunch of things. 3. To insist that ``emptied Himself'' should be taken literally to mean that Jesus had to dump something out of Himself before He could take something else on is a misuse of the text. The text says, ``He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant.'' That is self-explanatory. His taking on servanthood was a self-emptying act. 4. A good comparison can be made with Isaiah 53, a text describing the suffering Servant. Note in verse 12 the phrase, ``He poured out Himself to death.'' Does that not have a striking resemblance to ``emptied Himself,'' and ``humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death'' (Phil. 2:7-8)? As the suffering Servant, He emptied Himself, poured Himself out even to death. 5. The context of Philippians 2 itself shows what it means by the phrase ``emptied Himself.'' Paul's point of the text is to urge the brethren to be of the same mind, to be united and intent on one purpose (vs. 2). To accomplish this, He instructs: ``Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others'' (vv. 3-4). These are the instructions, but how does one do this? ``Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus'' (vs. 5). To reach the point of selflessness, one must look to Jesus. Why? Because He is the perfect example of these instructions. Though He Himself is God, while on earth He did not grasp after His godhood by trying to exercise His own independent will apart from the Father (``did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped''). Rather, He ``emptied Himself,'' which is the perfect phrase to describe the attitude of verses 3-4. So what does it mean that Jesus ``emptied Himself''? Jesus Christ, in His role of the Servant, did nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but in lowliness of mind He regarded others as more important than Himself. He looked out for the personal interests of others. How did He do this? Ultimately, by dying on the cross. So, Paul's point is that, as Jesus emptied Himself, so must we all empty ourselves. It is simply another way of saying that we need to deny ourselves (Luke 9:23), for this is what Jesus did when He fulfilled His mission for a lost world. He set Himself aside so that everything He did was selfless. Mark says it this way: ``For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many'' (Mark 10:45). These passages say the same thing. 6. The idea that Jesus emptied Himself of attributes and characteristics is completely foreign to Paul's argument. He points to Jesus as our example of self-humiliation. If Jesus emptied out of Himself a bunch of attributes, then how can we follow this example? We can't divest ourselves of our human nature any more than He could divest His divine nature. The line of reasoning that Paul uses to say that we should be selfless becomes meaningless through such an interpretation. It is an attitude that he is teaching. 7. Very simply, then, the text tells us that we should empty ourselves. We should deny ourselves, doing nothing out of selfishness. We do this by taking the attitude of Jesus, the supreme example of self-denial. He emptied Himself. As a servant, He completely submitted to the Father and poured out Himself unto death. Afterwards, He was exalted. If we, too, will humble ourselves in like manner, God promises that we will be exalted (Jas. 4:10). ___________________________________________ Emphasis on Baptism by Robert F. Turner This story is told about a preacher who preached on the subject of baptism, sermon after sermon. Finally one member, in desperation, asked him to preach on Gen. 1:1, or creation. The preacher began, ``In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth--the clouds, the land, and the water--which reminds me--'' so they had another sermon on baptism. It is expedient for us to discuss more thoroughly those subjects about which there is greatest misunderstanding; hence, baptism has had a multiple work-out. Some of us may have emphasized this subject to the neglect of other important topics, but we have not violated the scriptures in teaching the necessity of baptism. The great commission, sending the Apostles into all the world, and putting in motion the church as a teaching institution, is very clear on the subject. Matthew records Christ as saying, ``--teach all nations, baptizing them--'' and Mark reports, ``he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved--'' (Matt. 28:19 Mk. 16:16). In the first application of this commission (Acts 2:38) Peter commands, ``Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'' In the cases of conversion recorded in the Acts of the Apostles one must be blind indeed not to see baptism. On Pentecost, in Samaria, the eunuch, Saul, Cornelius, Lydia, the Philippians, Corinthians, Ephesians--all were baptized. The evidence is so profuse that discussion is limited by space and time--not material. Then the epistles confirm our findings from Acts of the Apostles. Paul wrote, ``Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.'' Did Paul ``overemphasize''? (Rom. 6:3-4) Water was the dividing line between a sin-cursed generation and the clean new world in Noah's time; and Peter said, ``The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us--'' (1 Pet. 3:21). The negative clause, (``not the putting away of the filth of the flesh--'') eliminates direct physical cleansing (``water salvation'' as some put it) but actually strengthens the truth. Baptism, a figure, is a God-given figure, required of all who would be saved. Whatever God requires of us in order to our salvation, may be said to ``save'' us. This is true of faith. If God had not made faith a condition of salvation, there would be no propriety in saying we are ``saved by faith.'' Thus, when Peter says we are saved by this figure, baptism; he is fully consistent with every passage that shows baptism is commanded ``for the remission of sins'' (See Acts 2:38). Should we emphasize ``baptism''? To the extent this is needed in order to save men's souls--YES! And woe to the weak in faith who ignore it. -- Via Plain Talk, vol. 1, no. 10, October ___________________________________________ NEWS & NOTES Let us be praying for Greg Frazier who will be undergoing surgery March 19 for a brain tumor. I'm sure he will appreciate our prayers. Carol Music's mother, Mrs. Earnest Hamm, is doing somewhat better, but still in a convalescent home. Greg Frazier's mother is now out of the hospital and staying temporarily with Greg and Debbie, while recuperating. Today will be the last Sunday we will be meeting at 713 13th Street, here in Ashland. Next Sunday (and I imagine this coming Wednesday) we will begin meeting at 1314 Montgomery Avenue. InterNet Users: The Gospel Observer home page (as well as my personal home page) was mistakenly deleted by my InterNet providers. Hopefully, they'll be able to restore it with their backup. Apparently, there was a mixup when I told them of my new postal address change. I apologize for this inconvenience. Thank you. ___________________________________________ The Ship A slip of paper was found in the wallet of Colonel David Marcus, a West Pointer, when he was killed while leading Haganah forces in the Jerusalem Road Battle on June 11, 1948. It's author was (is) unknown. It was entitled ``The Ship.'' I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until at length she is only a ribbon of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, ``There! She's gone!'' Gone where? Gone from my sight -- that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and just as able to bear her load of living freight -- to the place of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her, and just at the moment when someone at my side says, ``There! She's gone!'' there are other voices ready to take up the glad shout, ``There! She comes!'' And that is dying. -- Via The Bulletin of the North Courtenay Church of Christ, January 18, 1998 ___________________________________________ Time and Truth by Dan S. Shipley Early in the first century, Christ sent the Spirit of Truth to guide the apostles into all truth (Jn. 16:13 Acts 2:1-f). The New Testament records that truth which these inspired men wrote and taught. This gospel truth was being preached, believed and obeyed before the middle of that first century. Over 1900 years ago, souls were being saved from sin through the knowledge of this truth. The implications of this simple fact are profound. Think of it! A sinner could be saved in obedience to this gospel over 250 years before the Nicene Creed was formulated; long before there was a Catholic church to establish ``Divine Tradition'' or ``interpret'' the scriptures; over 500 years before Catholicism had a universal Pope; before Catholic doctrine of celibacy, sprinkling for baptism, instrumental music in worship, transubstantiation, purgatory, extreme unction, holy orders, Mary-worship, confession before priests--and over 1800 years before the doctrine of Papal infallibility. Think of it! An individual could be reconciled to God through Christ over 1450 years before the Catholic monk Martin Luther made his historic protest; before he advanced the false notion of justification by faith only; before his name was worn by anyone except his family. Think of it! Men and women could become CHRISTIANS, live and die with the hope of heaven, over 1450 years before there was a Church of England (Episcopal) or a Presbyterian church; before John Calvin and his false teaching on predestination, direct operation of the Holy Spirit and infant baptism! Think of it! Men were being redeemed by the blood of Christ over 1500 years before John Smyth began his work which resulted in the establishment of the first Baptist church; over 1650 years before John Wesley and the Methodist church; over 1750 years before Joseph Smith, the father of Mormonism, received his alleged revelation; which was about the same time the Adventist group had its beginning under the leadership of William Miller; over 1800 years before Mary Baker Eddy's ``revelation'' and Christian Science; over 1800 years before there was a Jehovah's Witness sect to knock on the door or distribute the Watchtower paper! Think of it! The simple gospel of Christ was providing men with ALL THINGS pertaining to life and godliness over 1900 years ago! (2 Pet.1:3) It was furnishing men completely unto every good work at that early date (2 Tim. 3:17). That gospel truth provides the basis for man's becoming, being and doing ALL that God requires of him, is further evidenced by the fact that men will one day be judged by this very gospel (Jn. 12:48). Think of it! If ALL of the combine religious creeds, ideas, doctrines, concepts, opinions, ``revelations,'' and traditions of the past 1900 years should perish, men could STILL know how to serve God and be saved! Is it not time you considered uncluttered, unadulterated New Testament Christianity?? -- Via Plain Talk, vol. 7, no. 3, May 1970 ___________________________________________ Free Bible courses are available upon request. Why not call for yours today? ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________