As He Is, So Are We
As He Is, So Are We
I received a question in email recently and I want to share my response with you.
The questioner asked that I comment on the relationship between two passages of scripture, Philippians 2:6-7 and 1 John 4:17. As with many questions that arise from scripture, context is the key to understanding. Here is the passage from Philippians:
Philippians 2:2-7
“make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”
In this section of Paul’s letter to the Philippian assembly of saints, we find that life in Christ will reflect the same qualities that Jesus displayed. In this case, Paul has focused on caring for others rather than just looking out for our own interests, desires, and needs. Jesus said that He came not to serve, but to be served. (see Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45) He demonstrated this in many ways, perhaps most famously when He washed the feet of the disciples. (see John 13:5)
The second passage asked about is 1John 4:16-19.
“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.”
This passage is related in that love is the ultimate expression of the nature of God. Love naturally prioritizes care for the interests and needs of others. When John talks about love being perfected, he is showing us that God living in us makes us naturally loving people. Our hearts want to love others. Paul echoes this idea in saying that the love of God is poured all over our hearts. (see Romans 5:5)
As Jesus is, so are we in this world because when we are born again, we have His nature. (see 2 Peter 1:4) We have His righteousness as well. (see 2 Corinthians 5:21) Since God is love, He always looks out for our interests. We are His children, so we inherit His traits. At the deepest level, we are loving, just like Father.
