What Is The Difference Between Obedience Of Jesus And Man?
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:8
THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OBEDIENCE OF JESUS AND THE OBEDIENCE OF MAN.
What do I mean by this? I mean, when we obey, be it spiritually or physically (to parents, elders etc), our obedience brings us blessings — of honour, good life, glory, better place on Earth as well as in Eternity. To be honest, our obedience does have some bit of selfishness in it because we desire to be blessed in life; and not to have a life of suffering for as long as we live 😊
However, on considering the Obedience of Jesus, His obedience made Him leave all His glory, honour and majesty He had in heaven. Why? Just for you and for me. In fact, His obedience did not have even a single iota of selfishness in it, because if that was so, Jesus would never have come down for us. God the Father wants us all to have the obedience of Jesus in us.
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Hebrews 5:8
Perhaps sometime we might have thought that Jesus learnt obedience only through suffering. Well then, wasn’t He obedient in heaven? Yes, He was obedient in heaven and even now He is obedient. The obedience of Jesus wasn’t a suffering for Him because He willingly obeyed for us; and this is the correct meaning of the above quoted verse.
By putting on the obedience of Jesus, our suffering won’t be “a great suffering” for us on earth. That’s why knowing this truth St.Paul was yielding himself for the sufferings of Christ. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Philippians 3:10
Jesus was willing and was joyfully obedient unto death. “... because he hath poured out his soul into death...” Isaiah 53:12. In the same manner, we must also be willing to joyfully do the will of God thereby bringing the old man and his natures to death. May God help us.
Be blessed💕