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Answer: Not at all. In Philippians 2:5-11, we have another
Pauline statement of Jesus' subservient position to
God: "The attitude you should have is the one Christ
had: Although he existed in the form of God he did not
think that by force he should try to become equal with
God. Instead, he emptied himself and took the form of
a slave and came to be in the likeness of men. And being
found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient until death, even on a cross. For this
reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name
that is above every name. And so, in the name of Jesus
every knee should bend of those in heaven and those
on earth and of those underground. And every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father."
The statement that Jesus had the "form of God" could
not mean that he was God or even one-third of God. Paul's
Jesus is not equal to God but is an angelic being considered
to have been raised to an exalted position by God. That
which is not equal to God cannot be God. Furthermore,
Jesus is proclaimed Lord, but Paul does not use "Lord"
and "God" here as synonymous terms.
Paul considers Jesus to be a highly honored angelic
being, but does not make him equal with God. |