In the Form of God

In the Form of God by Randy Brown @ Studies in Scripture

Philippians chapter 2 tells us that Jesus is in the form of God.

Phi 2:6-8 KJV ⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

The Greek word for ‘form’ is ‘morphe’.

3444 morphe {mor-fay’}

Meaning: 1) the form by which a person or thing strikes the vision 2) external appearance

Jesus was the ‘morphe’ of God; the external appearance of God. Jesus was the appearance of God because he had the very nature of God- he was God Himself.

The Greek word for ‘equal’ is ‘isos’.

2470 isos {ee’-sos}

Meaning: 1) equal, in quantity or quality

The Scriptures tell us there is no one equal with God.

Isa 40:25 KJV To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

Isa 46:5 KJV To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

Isa 46:9 KJV Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there isnone like me,

Since there in none that is equal with God, and Philippians 2:6 says that Jesus thought it not robbery to be equal with God, Jesus must be God.

Even though Jesus is God, and it was His prerogative to do as He willed, He did not hold on to these prerogatives. Instead, He was willing to lay His prerogatives aside and take on the form of a servant in order to become the sacrifice for our sins. Did He have to? No. He did this by His own grace. By His grace He willingly took on a human nature and submitted Himself to death on the cross.

Doesn’t this make two ‘persons’ in the Godhead? Doesn’t Jesus have the same nature as the Father? This wasn’t a divine ‘Son’ emptying Himself of divine attributes and becoming incarnate. While Jesus did ‘empty’ Himself of His divine prerogatives, He did not stop being God. He did not turn deity into humanity. He did not stop being the Father to become the Son. He was God manifest in flesh. He took upon Himself humanity, but He still had His divine nature. He had two natures- God and man. He is equal to God because He is God. The term ‘equal’ means that His nature is the nature of the Father. He never lost His divinity or attributes.

His dual nature explains how Jesus was exalted.

Phi 2:9-11 KJV ⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God exalted the man Jesus. The name of Jesus is above every name because it is the name of God manifest in flesh. The name of Jesus is the saving name.

Act 4:12 KJV Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Jesus is both God and man. Our God became a man to become our sacrifice for sins. Jesus is our God and savior.