Q1. Humility

[Pastor Ralph]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

[JanMary]

On 8/28/2019 at 11:16 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

1. Jesus, though God (the Son and Second person of the Triune Godhead) stripped Himself of all privileges and rightful dignity, so as to become a servant/slave like men and was born a human being. Then further abased and humbled Himself still further and carried His obedience to the  extreme of death on the cross.

2. "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall"  Prov 16:18 (We can choose to humble ourselves and failing that, He will, in love, humble us. (We can't really be of use in His kingdom until we have an honest view of who we are...people with a fallen nature, sinful to the core in need of His Grace and training through teaching (renewing our minds in scripture) and  trials and testing as Holy Spirit does His transforming work in us gradually "crucifying our flesh" to reflect His character and nature.

3. I would call this pride and arrogance...thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. (Rom 12:3) Also, denial, attempting to cover shame.

[Nandita]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? 

In order to fulfill God's plan for our salvation Jesus became human—the son of an ordinary carpenter—and died a painful, shameful, and humiliating death on the cross. As the Son of God—as God himself—Jesus needn't have suffered discomfort or discourtesy from anybody for even a second. But he chose to divest himself of everything powerful and prestigious so that he could teach us from a point of knowledge and experience. Jesus never asks us to do anything he didn't and "do as I do" is always more effective than "do as I say". His love for us was at the core of his being and 'love for others' goes hand-in-hand with humility (while love for ourselves is at the root of pride).

What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?  
Our tendency to esteem ourselves higher than others is sheer, baseless pride. When we are proud and arrogant we rely upon ourselves not realising how limited we are. We march on ahead resting upon our own abilities and counting upon our own strength. We usually fail to live up to our own exalted standards (or when we succeed it's often unremarkable with results that are short-lived). When we accept our own limitations, however, and embrace our need to be dependent upon God, we're able to put aside our own plans. God then uses us as agents in his own plan. And we end up doing beautiful things when we are channels for his power and will.

[garymerkel]

In His humanity, Jesus "emptied" Himself of His rightful deity by depending 100% on the Holy Spirit to do what He did.  He was led by the Spirit.  He did NOT use His deity to do anything.  It was a matter of surrendering totally to the Father's will and to the control of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus demonstrated humility when He washed the disciples feet.  The ultimate humility is when He took into Himself the eternal punishment we deserve for our sin, offering us cleansing, forgiveness, and holiness, acceptable to God.

Glory belongs to no one else except God.  No one else deserves exaltation except Jesus.  If we try to exalt ourselves we are doing what Satan did, trying to make ourselves God, thus committing spiritual idolatry.  The goal of life is that Christ be exalted through our lives so that others see HIM and are drawn to Him, NOT us.  PRIDE trips up many Christians, pastors, and other evangelicals who start out with good intentions, but that's the problem.  "Good intentions" points to us, not God.  God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

[Uncle Dave]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11)

1.     How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will?

Jesus demonstrated the importance of humility in that He regained the glory He set aside as a result of living the life of a servant. He said that he who exalts himself would be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be exalted and the part of being exalted is exactly what happened, only after a death that, when you think about it is so cold hearted as to make one wonder who would even dream of something so evil. Rather than get into the gory details or evil devices which works a person’s mind to come up with something like that, I think it needs to be stated that even today Jesus serves us. What do we have that He didn’t give us? All we have to do is pray and He is right there to forgive us and bless us beyond our wildest dreams. I do believe that utilizing such blessings to bless others, especially the poor is part of His intentions for us. Often, these blessings come without so much as a thank you from the person who was blessed but rather than giving God the glory for all that happens, His people have a tendency to call upon Him only in time of need with the expectation of the best.

2.     What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us?

When this happens, we often take a fall of sorts as an attention getter. God does not want us to do this and is very clear about it more than once. Many are those who have fallen from self-imposed states of glory as a result of patting one’s self on the back a time too many. Things always begin to go good again once one returns to God, such as the story about the Prodigal Son.

3.     What do you call this tendency?

I’m sure there are many terms to describe this tendency, but I call it prideful greediness with a sure “kick” on the way. A person who has little is probably better off when something like this happens because when a poor person loses it all, they have more of a tendency to reach out to God and get back on track whereas a rich person usually don’t understand why they fell and start looking for ways to buy themselves back into that from which they have fallen.

[Queen Mc Daniel]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will?

Philippians 5:5-11 “A song writer said, He came all the way from heaven down to save a wretch like me.” He was equal with God in heaven, but on earth he did not try to be equal with God. He humbles himself, by Laing aside His dive form and attributes made Himself of no reputation, became a bond-servant, obedient unto death.

What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us?
  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:12) therefore, no religious lordship and domination by any man has no place in Christianity (Lk. 14:11; 18:14; Prov. 16:18).  Example: the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24.

 What do you call this tendency?

The scriptures says it better than i could say it. "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3).

"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5.

[jesus]

(Philippians 2:2-11) Jesus demonstrated the importance of humility by emptying Himself of some of the "relative attributes" of deity-omniscience,omnipotence and omnipresence. He became a slave as well as a human being.He too on the form of a slave as well as a human being. He took the humiliation to become a human being and takes on the humiliation of death, and a very painful and shameful death.

Jesus sets an example of humility and humbling Himself rather than insisting on His own ways with selfish ambition and vain glory.Jesus hymned Himself twice over-first in taking the form of a human being and then voluntarily assenting to the most shameful death . He gave up all his rights and became a slave dying the most painful death and that was humility!

When we try to exalt ourselves rather than wait on God to exalt us, God will humble us as He resists the proud ,but gives grace to the humble.

This tendency to exalt oneself could be called self-idolatry or self glorification.

[Old Jerry]

Jesus was with God and was God and He demonstrated the importance of humility to forego his rights in order to do God’s will by becoming a human. He suffered and died and was resurrected for our salvation. As a rule when we try to exalt ourselves we are making a mess of things but when we wait for God to exalt us we become more powerful. I call this tendency pride.

[Preistina11]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? Jesus demonstrated the importance of humility by becoming a human being and emptying Himself  of all divine power and prestige and volunteering Himself  to the most shameful and painful death imaginable in his day.

What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? We will be brought down by this foolish action of calling attention to ourselves (exalting ourselves) by offending others which in turn will put us in trouble. If we wait upon the Lord, and humble ourselves He will lift us up in due time.

What do you call this tendency? I would call it vainglory and living in the flesh.

[Travis81]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? 

I’d say He, (Christ), demonstrate the importance of humility (self-effacement, unpretentiousness, meekness) by not executing attributes that only God Himself possess (All power, Almighty, Ever-present); He however continued to exhibit omnibenevolence.

Through His humility people were/are able to become intimate with Him - opens the door to God’s Truth – to become humble - to receive forgiveness – to see that God isn’t a distant Spirit – to see the proof of God’s love is LOVE.

 

He forgoes His divine rights/privileges by not equating Himself equal but by being submissive even unto death, (death of/to self-will, surrendering, subjection in service), even unto giving up His last breath of physical life.  

 

What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us?

 

Self-exalted = self-defeated (Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11

 

What do you call this tendency?

 

I would call the propensity to exalt oneself is carnal thinking more so than being lead by the Spirit. I would call the proclivity to exalt oneself demonstrates the lack of humility/meekness, living an Beatitude life.

[haar]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Q. How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will?

A. Being every thing God, he humbled Himself and took the form of man  and foregone His rights and to crown it all, humbled Himself to died on the cross for my sin and the sin of the world.

Q. What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

A. We try to exalt ourselves by our action. This is pride

 

[Eldress]

How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights to do God's will?

Jesus demonstrated the importance of humility  in order to do God's will when He told God to prepare Him and body and He would go down and redeem mankind. He understand that this meant leaving all the comforts and rights He enjoyed in Heaven where there was no sin to come down to a world filled with sin, to become a sin offering that would  bring  sinful mankind back into a right standing with God .Even though this meant died a shameful death on the cross, the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus was will to do this for man.

When we exalt ourselves rather than being exalted by the spirit we set ourselves up for failure or defeat.  When God exalts us He provides everything needed to succeed in whatever error He has exalted us.  In other words He will not let you fall.

When we try to exalt ourselves by our action some may call it pride but I call it stupidity..We can do all thing thru Christ who strengthens us but when we try to do it on our own we are sitting ourselves up for failure.

[Godswriter]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

Jesus chose to forsake His glory and the power that it gave Him in order to do the Father's will. He could have easily said no to it but instead He bowed down to it. By bowing down to it He chose to prove the sanhedrin that He was really the Son of God and when He rose from the dead He proved to them that He wasn't lying.

When we exalt ourselves like the Pharisees we end up becoming humbled and laid low by the Lord. I call it Pride. 

[hanks]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) 
How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego His rights in order to do God's will? 
What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? 
What do you call this tendency? 
By voluntarily laying aside His Divine rights and privileges out of the love for His Father Jesus demonstrated the importance of humility. For when we seek a high place for ourselves, there is always the possible shame of being demoted. Whereas, if we are truly humble ourselves before God, there is only one direction we can possibly move and that is up. Jesus taught us that it is better to be promoted later, to a place of honour, than to grab that place initially, and then later be forced to give it up. He Himself is the living example of self-denial (Philippians 2:5-8). He humbled Himself and God exalted Him. The lesson Jesus taught us is that whoever exalts himself will be humbled by God. If we don’t reflect the humility and self-sacrifice of our Lord Jesus; we take on the worldly attitude of self-centred pride, greed, pleasure seeking, and the **** for power. This will result in us being cut off from God, and from others, as well as blinding us to our own faults. “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). 
 

[Stanley Tavaziva]

Jesus Christ was humble, willing to give up his rights in order to obey God and serve people. Like Christ, we should have a servant’s attitude, serving out of love for God and for others, not out of guilt or fear. Remember, you can choose your attitude. You can approach life expecting to be served, or you can look for opportunities to serve others. Christ’s attitude of The Incarnation was the act of the preexistent Son of God voluntarily assuming a human body and human nature. Without ceasing to be God, he became a human being, the man called Jesus. He did not give up his deity to become human, but he set aside the right to his glory and power. In submission to the Father’s will, Christ limited his power and knowledge. What made Jesus humanity unique was his freedom from sin. In his full humanity, Jesus showed us everything about God’s character that can be conveyed in human terms. 

Several key characteristics of Jesus Christ, however, written in the Bilbe (1) Christ has always existed with God; (2) Christ is equal to God because he is God (3) though Christ is God, he became a man in order to fulfill God’s plan of salvation for all people; (4) Christ did not just have the appearance of being a man—he actually became human to identify with our sins; (5) Christ voluntarily laid aside his divine rights and privileges out of love for his Father; (6) Christ died on the cross for our sins so we wouldn’t have to face eternal death; (7) God glorified Christ because of his obedience; (8) God raised Christ to his original position at the Father’s right hand, where he will reign forever as our Lord and Judge. How can we do anything less than praise Christ as our Lord and dedicate ourselves to his service!.

[RD35]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

Though Jesus was God, had equal status  with God but He didn’t cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. But when the time came, He set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human – an incredibly humbling process indeed! He didSuch n’t claim special privileges. Instead, He lived a selfless, obedient to the point of death life, and then humbled Himself even further by dying a selfless, worst kind of death at that – a crucifixion.

Luke 18:14 "For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Such tendency is called pride and arrogance.

[lighthouse2014]

On 8/28/2019 at 1:16 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

Jesus demonstrates his humility by foregoing his Godly attributes of omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence and to take on the form of a slave. By humbling himself, and being obedient to do God's will, he submitted himself to a shameful death whereby he bore humanity's sin's so that we could be reconciled to the Father in heaven.

When we exalt ourselves rather than waiting for God's will, we are no longer able to allow the Lord to work in our lives therefore we no longer bring glory to God.

We call this self exaltation by no other word but Pride. We have no longer allowed the lord to lead us.  

[rosegarden]

On 8/28/2019 at 2:16 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

a. Jesus humbled himself and made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross forgoing his rights in order to do God's will, for the salvation of mankind.  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
 

b.  When we exalt ourselves we will be humbled.  For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:11)

c.  This tendency of exalting ourselves is called Pride.

 

[blezed]

How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will?

Jesus humbles himself twice over -- first, in his humbling by becoming a human being and whatever loss of divine power and prestige that required. Then again, by voluntarily assenting to the most shameful and painful death imaginable in his day.

What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

When we exalt ourselves we are making ourselves greater than or more important than God or other human beings.  God will humble us. This tendency is called pride.

[Lottie]

Q1. (Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego his rights in order to do God's will? What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us? What do you call this tendency?

Jesus humbled Himself by giving up his divinity and being born, and dying  a humiliating death on the cross. He chose to be obedient to God by letting go of His power, and knowledge and becoming like us. He chose to die in agony rather than have the angels come to save Him. He chose to endure the insults and mockings and beatings to show His love for mankind. He chose to become a slave so that we could be free. He let go of it all in order to bring us to salvation . 

When we try to exalt ourselves then we completely lose our witness for the Lord. We become no better than other men and cannot have an impact on others when they see that we are no different. Then we become full of pride and arrogance and think we are better than others. We are so full of ourselves that we cannot see anyone else's needs than our own. We tend to alienate others when we put ourselves above them. Then it is about us instead of Him.

I would call this tendency is called self-indulgence or glorification. When we think that we are the most important beings instead of the least and forget about hIM.

[Maggz]

In becoming a human, Jesus displayed humility.  In many of His parables, he stressed the importance of humility.   Finally, in the Garden of Gethsemane, he displayed complete obedience to God's will and sublimated His own, becoming obedient, even to death.

We are likely to find ourselves humbled, either by God or other people, and we lose sight of our own insignificance in the sight of God's omnipotence.

I would call this self-aggrandizement.

[Irmela]

Philippians 2:5-11) How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of humility and forego His rights in order to do God's will?

What happens when we try to exalt ourselves, rather than waiting for God to exalt us?

What do you call this tendency?

Jesus was prepared not only to leave His home/place in glory and humbled Himself to take on the form of man. Not as a grown man but was prepared to come as a babe, born to a virgin. He came in a form where His needs were the same as mankind. He had to submit to hunger, and other needs. Joined to a humble poor family. Then underwent discipline and growing up in a family just as we do. Also performed human duties, followed "Jewish rights" as others did. Worked, (following a trade) just as others did. 

Finally took on the humiliation of being beaten and then nailed to a cruel cross. Prepared to take on public disgrace. (Actually much, much more. He bore our sins on Himself and our diseases) He became the ultimate sacrifice so I could go free and one day gain eternal life. 

He did this all in conjunction to God's will. He humbled Himself. 

After conquering death He rose and was exalted to sit at the right hand of the Father. His glory as it were, has been given back to Him. 

To exalt yourself is usually in pride. Jesus related that it is better to take the place at the lowest spot and rather be called to higher place than be lowered in your position. 

[Krissi]

The other day I was watching a group of workers fix a road. They were cold, dispirited and bored by their task. They seemed not to have any pride in what they were doing and made no eye-contact with the people in the cars who had stopped at the light near where they were working. I wondered if they felt humiliated by the job they were doing -- I hoped not for all work, even humble work, is noble.

Maybe Jesus was like this? I think of carpenters as highly skilled, but perhaps at that time, they were at the bottom of the social ladder. Did Jesus know himself to be God as he plied his trade with hammer and saw? Did he feel humiliated by his line of work or proud of the things he had built? Perhaps Jesus' self-consciousness as God is the key to answering these questions. 

And his death ... well, we have historical parallels that are contemporary that make Jesus' humiliation at death understandable. The deaths of Italian partisans -- fascists -- at the end of WWII come to mind. (I'm not paralleling the life of Jesus to that of Mussolini, obviously, only his death.) Mussolini had been executed but his body and that of his wife and others were dumped into a public square. People kicked the bodies, urinated on them and eventually hung them upside-down on a beam in front of a gas station.

Humiliation after death. 

Perhaps Christ's death was like this. Mocked and spit upon, his tattered clothing "auctioned off," his battered body removed and quickly carted away to a tomb ... before the Jews could further humiliate him after death.

The Message Bible reads: " ... 

When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion."

And yet, unlike fallen human leaders, Jesus rose again.  He didn't try to save face or exalt himself, but died quietly and then, amazingly, came to life again, to walk AGAIN among men and women knowing He was GOD!  

Those who are most like Christ, then, are martyrs.