Think It Not Robbery To Be Equal With Christ
Hi Mike,
It’s been awhile since I last wrote to you. My panic attacks and depression have been almost gone completely for a while now it seems. Thanks for your continued prayers and support.
I’ve been reading a lot on the IWWB site and was starting at the beginning of your Revelation notes when a verse that I had read before struck me again. I’m sure you’ve read it before, but I thought I’d ask what you think about my assumption here.
Here is the verse:
Joh 16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs [Gk: Paroimia]: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs [Gk: Paroimia], but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
The verse that jumped out at me – aside from your notes on the Paroimia – was the latter verse, Matthew 13:13:
Mat 13:13 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
If it is saying what I think it is saying, then when we have the “mind of Christ,” and “keep the sayings of the book,” and “are his disciples indeed” we shall ask “IN HIS NAME,” and that doesn’t mean adding “in Jesus’ name I pray” to the end of our prayer, or praying to him so we can get to the father so that “he prays the Father for us.”
Rather, to me, it is when the fullness of Col 1:27 has sunk in (or has been “burned” in), and we are called sons, to where like the Galatians received Paul “even as Jesus Christ” (Gal 4:14), so will we be received. And we will ask the Father “IN HIS NAME,” and I don’t mean that he will pray the Father for us. For as sons we consider it not robbery to be called the son of God, right? Just like Jesus didn’t consider it thus? For if He is in us and we have his mind? If indeed he is in us and we have his mind..
Just some thoughts. Thanks for all you do, and keep me in your prayers.
J____
Wow, what an incredible spiritual insight!
You have been given by the spirit, the understanding of the Biblical doctrine of who is “the Christ.” Let’s look at these three verses together.
Joh 16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
Joh 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
Joh 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
The reason Christ gives for “saying not that I will pray for you” is that “the Father Himself loves you because you loved me and believe that I came out from God.”
What I especially appreciate is that the holy spirit has given you the ability to apply Philippians 2:6 to this statement of Christ.
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Christ has gone to great lengths to let us know that we are just as He is in this world. He was rejected, hated, despised and killed, just as we are, and just as we are to reckon ourselves.
1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The flesh recoils at the thought of being rejected, hated and despised by this world. However, the spirit rejoices when it realizes that “as He is, so are we” means that the Father loves us just as He loves Christ, and the Father actually sees us just as He sees Christ Himself. These are not empty words. These words have consequences which are a matter of life and death in the realm of the spirit.
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye h ave done it unto me.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
When we “think it not robbery” to see ourselves as “equal with Christ,” we are not becoming our own head any more than Christ became His own head when He “thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” My wife is my equal because we consider ourselves to be one, not because she considers herself to be my head. So it is with any healthy body.
1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is [ Greek, the] Christ.
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
1Co 12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
1Co 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
1Co 12:19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
1Co 12:20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
1Co 12:21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
1Co 12:22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
1Co 12:23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
1Co 12:24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that [ part] which lacked:
1Co 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
1Co 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Now look at verse 12 in all these literal translations.
(CLV) For even as the body is one and has many members, yet all the members of the one body, being many, are one body, thus also is the Christ.
(Darby) For even as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ.
(EDT) Just as for the body one is, and members has many, all but the members of the body of the one, many being, one is body; thus also the Anointed.
(REV) For, just as, the body, is one, and yet hath many members, but, all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so, also, the Christ;
(YLT) For, even as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the one body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ,
It is not robbery for Christ to consider Himself equal with God because, like Eve from Adam, He came out from God. It is not robbery for us to consider ourselves equal with Christ, because like Christ from the Father, we have come out from Christ, and Christ is our Father, and “as He is, so are we in this world.”
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
We are His body, and He is our head and “as He is so are we…” That is what Christ meant when He said, “and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.”
If ever the depth of these words, and the blessing of knowing the Truth they are, sinks into our spirit, then all the suffering we endure in this world becomes a reason for rejoicing that we are counted worthy to suffer with Him and to “fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of the Christ.”
(YLT) Col 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and do fill up the things lacking of the tribulations of the Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the assembly
(REV) Col 1:24 Now, am I rejoicing in the sufferings on your behalf, and am filling up the things that lack of the tribulations of the Christ, in my flesh, in behalf of his body, which is the assembly,
(EDT) Col 1:24 Now I rejoice in the sufferings on behalf of you, and I fill up the wants of the afflictions of the Anointed one in the flesh of me on behalf of the body of him, which is the congregation;
“My sufferings [are] for you… His body.” We suffer for “the body of the Christ,” of which body “we are members in particular.”
That verse “He cannot deny Himself” becomes much more meaningful when we see why Christ says ” I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.”
2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2Ti 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
If we deny Christ, He will deny us before His Father. If we do not believe in Him, it will be because we never knew Christ, and He never knew us.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
He is faithful and cannot deny Himself, and the day will come when all men will be given the faith to believe.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
So that is what I think about your ‘assumption here’. God bless you for sharing this with me. As the depth of this truth sinks into your spirit, your depression and panic attacks should be completely gone. You are in very good hands for this very reason.
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
Other related posts
- Wisdom Is 'She' (June 21, 2014)
- Who Walks To And Fro In The Earth? (November 18, 2009)
- Where Does Scripture Say That All Ungodly Men, Devils and Satan are Brought Out of the Lake of Fire? (March 19, 2020)
- To Give Account Of Every Idle Word (November 18, 2009)
- Think It Not Robbery To Be Equal With Christ (December 18, 2009)
- The Words Might Be (October 5, 2011)
- The Sins of The First Adam (June 30, 2010)
- The Saviors of Obadiah 21 (May 7, 2008)
- The Lord And His Church (April 7, 2010)
- The Book of Hebrews - Heb 12:9-17 "Be in Subjection unto the Father of Spirits and Live" - Part 2 (April 15, 2021)
- The Biblical Overview of The Plan of God - Part 14 (January 30, 2015)
- Sovereignty Introduction (May 7, 2009)
- Seven Steps of Salvation (February 8, 2013)
- Resurrection(s) (August 26, 2010)
- Pledging Our Allegiance (August 25, 2008)
- Not The God Of The Dead (April 25, 2010)
- Job 14:1-10 "Who Can Bring a Clean Thing Out of an Unclean?" (April 8, 2012)
- Is God Totally Sovereign? (December 8, 2008)
- Is God Sovereign? (January 23, 2006)
- Is God Judging Us Today? (April 25, 2007)
- In What Way Is Christ God (June 3, 2008)
- How Christ is God? (November 25, 2007)
- Gospels in Harmony - The Coming of the Son of Man and the Lesson of the Fig Tree (August 17, 2021)
- Gods Two Amazing Miracles (August 2, 2008)
- God Is Love! (February 7, 2010)
- God And Suffering (July 6, 2006)
- Do We Cease to Exist When God is All in All? (November 26, 2012)
- Do The Aions Come To An End? (October 6, 2008)
- Do Men Conspire To Rule This World? (January 6, 2010)
- Did We Consciously Pre_Exist? (December 30, 2010)
- Continue to Fight the Good Fight (June 23, 2011)
- Can Universalism be Refuted? (September 7, 2004)
- Because He Could Swear By No Greater (August 30, 2007)
- All Things Come Alike To All (December 31, 2010)
- All The Petty Details of Life? (March 5, 2008)
- All In All And Ranking (August 1, 2010)
- All In All And Family Members (January 27, 2010)
- Aionian Life is not Eternal (October 12, 2010)
- After the Counsel of His Own Will - parts 11-20 (April 29, 1997)
- After The All In All (July 20, 2010)