Philippians 2:5 (NASB)
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
In order to understand this verse and the passage we will look at today, we must understand the word attitude. First, we will look at the Greek word for attitude.
Attitude - 5426. this Greek word for attitude comes from the Greek word that means mind (5424). To think, to have a mindset, be minded. The activity represented by this word involves the will, affections, and conscience. (CWS-NT)
Other resources are helpful in understand this complicated word or concept.
One online dictionary defines attitude as, "a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's degree of like or dislike for an item. Attitudes are generally positive or negative views of a person, place, thing, or event -- this is often referred to as the attitude object. People can also be conflicted or ambivalent toward an object, meaning that they simultaneously possess both positive and negative attitudes toward the item in question.
"Attitudes are judgments. They develop on the ABC model (affect, behavior, and cognition). The affective response is an emotional response that expresses an individual's degree of preference for an entity. The behavioral intention is a verbal indication or typical behavioral tendency of an individual. The cognitive response is a cognitive evaluation of the entity that constitutes an individual's beliefs about the object. Most attitudes are the result of either direct experience or observational learning from the environment.
"Unlike personality, attitudes are expected to change as a function of experience." Wikipedia
From these resources, we discover several important things about attitude.
Remember these three key words:
So, attitude is the end result of a process. Our attitude toward someone or something is the end result revealed by the actions we take, that are based on decisions we make by our will about a person or thing.
Knowing what is meant by the word attitude, we can now search out what Paul meant when he tells the followers of Christ to have the attitude of Christ. We will answer two questions based on what we know about attitude.
First, a quick outline of our passage in Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. (Philippians 2:1-18)
First, Paul reveals the desired attitude in verses 1-4.
Philippians 2:1-18 (NASB)
[1] Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
Notice he starts this second chapter of Philippians with the word therefore. Therefore connects this passage to the previous passage in chapter one, which was a call to live a worthy life in Christ. This connection between these two passages tells us that, to live a worthy life in Christ we must have the right attitude.
In fact, attitude is one of the most important factors in our participation in the Gospel of Christ. If my attitude were such that I view myself as saved and safe from the fires of hell, but nothing further, I would have a wrong attitude about following Christ. This kind of an attitude brings some gross misunderstandings about what it means to follow Christ.
This is why so many professing Christians are unsatisfied in their relationship with Christ. I will go to church when it is convenient. I will give some money when it is convenient. I am pretty much a good person. These kinds of decisions and actions show an attitude that has missed the true meaning of living a worthy life in Christ.
You will also notice in this verse Paul uses several phrases that reveal the motive for this attitude the followers of Christ are to have.
These five phrases show the results of experiencing the love that God has shown us in His provision for our salvation. When I experience His love for me as demonstrated on the cross of Calvary, I soon come to know that He encourages my relationship with Him. He encourages me to live my life for Him in many different ways. To follow the direction of His words is a light to my path in a dark world.
There is the fellowship of His Spirit, which guides me to be affectionate and compassionate toward others. This contributes to the forming of my attitude toward His lordship in my life. It also helps me to have a right attitude toward others.
[2] make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
[3] Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
[4] do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Next, Paul reveals some detail about the content of the attitude of the followers of Christ.
These are the characteristics of the attitude a follower of Christ must have.
Second, in verses 5-8, Paul describes how Christ lived out those same expectations during His life here on earth.
[5] Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
[6] who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
[7] but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
[8] Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
The extravagance of Christ's attitude is revealed in many ways. Even on earth, Christ was God. We cannot even begin to imagine what it might be like to be the Creator of the universe. So, to further imagine the Creator becoming a mere man is beyond our comprehension, but that is exactly the first step God took. He set aside His divinity to become a man, to suffer and die as a man.
What was Christ's attitude? Whatever it takes, there is no price so great that I will not pay it, because I love mankind and want to have relationship with them.
Third, Paul describes the eternal Kingdom of God.
[9] For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
[10] so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
[11] and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
When we take on the attitude of Christ, we reap the rewards of His eternal Kingdom.
Fourth, Paul describes the personal conduct required of those who would follow Jesus Christ.
[12] So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
[13] for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
[14] Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
[15] so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
[16] holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
[17] But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
[18] You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
Paul indicates several aspects of Christian conduct, which are the actions that reveal our attitude about God and His Kingdom.
This kind of personal conduct was revealed in the details of the life and teachings of Jesus while He lived on this earth. As we read and study these verses in the 21st century, we will form an attitude toward the imperative presented to us.
What attitude does our culture have toward the gospel as we present it to them? How can we reach people with this wonderful message of God's love? Bonhofer gives us some advice...
We have a lot of information about the life of Jesus Christ and His teachings here on earth. However there is one message that Christ preached that is very relevant to our discussion about attitude.
Matthew 25:31-46 (NASB)
[31] "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
[32] "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
[33] and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
[34] "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
[35] 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
[36] naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
[37] "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?
[38] 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
[39] 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
[40] "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
[41] "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
[42] for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;
[43] I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'
[44] "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'
[45] "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
[46] "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
I guess one of the things that keeps religion on people's minds is the fact that there is a day of judgment coming. This passage gives detail about what that judgment will be based on. It will be all about our attitude toward this teaching of Jesus Christ.
Those who choose to be followers of Jesus Christ will do two things to form their attitude about this teaching of Jesus.
First, they will make a decision about whether they are going to be a follower of Jesus Christ. This means that they believe His words as absolute truth, and that He is the Creator who loves them and has provided for their salvation.
Second, they will act on the teachings of Jesus Christ. They will follow Him by their actions in participating in the Gospel.
Their decision, and their actions, will reveal their attitude about following Jesus Christ here on earth.
Can I ask you a question? If you have in the past or today, made a decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ, how will your actions be different from this day forward?
I could use the emotion that this passage stirs within each of us, to the advantage of Mountain View, the organized church. I could pass out cards and have you sign up to do something in the church and try to reap a harvest of volunteers to help in the ministries of our church. But, to be honest with you, most of those kinds of commitments are only temporary.
If you have made a decision to follow Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit will lead you. In the future, the Holy Spirit will present to you opportunities to participate in the Gospel. Your attitude about the Kingdom of God will be revealed in future decisions you make, and the actions you take on those decisions.
To be a follower of Jesus Christ is to have the attitude of Jesus Christ. The passage we just read in Matthew reveals Christ's attitude about how to live life here on earth. What will you do with this attitude?
CWS-NT - AMG Complete Word Study Dictionary - New Testament (CWS-NT). Cedar Rapids: Laridian Electronic Publishing, 2007.
NASB - New American Standard Bible (NASB). Cedar Rapids: Laridian, 2002.
I want to thank my research assistants, Debi Peck and Robyn Harper (HARPER), who do hours of research to provide some of my study resources. I also want to thank Vonda Watson-Bostick and Robyn Harper, who help me with editing.