In order for us to experience Christ and live Christ, we must know Him as our pattern and take Him as our pattern; we need to let His mind be in us – He emptied Himself, humbled Himself, and was obedient unto death, and God exalted Him to the uttermost.
What a wonderful pattern we see in the Lord Jesus! And how grateful we are that He now lives in us, being an organic, subjective pattern for us to learn not by outwardly imitating but by living one spirit with Him!
Amen, Lord, live in us today! May Your pattern be replicated and duplicated in us! May we live the same kind of life that You lived while on the earth!
This week, we come to the topic, Knowing and Taking Christ as our Pattern, mainly based on verses 5-11 from Philippians chapter 2.
If we read this portion of the word, we will see seven steps of Christ lowering Himself, humbling Himself, emptying Himself, and being obedient to God; this One is our pattern, and He lives in us today.
We need to know Him as our pattern. We need to experience Christ as our pattern. He is our spiritual model, our spiritual example given in the Scripture for us to imitate.
We imitate Him, however, not by outwardly trying to copy Him and do the same things He did. Rather, we take Him as our pattern inwardly, subjectively, by living Christ and experiencing Christ.
We learn Christ as the reality is in Jesus; we do this by living in the mingled spirit. We want to be the same as He is.
As we read the Gospels and see how the Lord lived and walked when He was on the earth, we are infused with Him as our living pattern.
It is very impressive to see that, even though He was God incarnated to be a man, He never took this for granted, that is, that He’s God, so He could do whatever He wanted to do.
He didn’t consider being equal with God as a treasure to be grasped. Rather, He laid aside the outward form of His majesty and divinity, retaining His divine life and nature inwardly, and He lived a life for the fulfilment of God’s purpose in a humble way.
May we see the Lord as our pattern, eat Him as our living pattern, and live because of Him as our pattern. May we allow the Lord to infuse us with Himself as our living pattern until we become His reproduction, His duplication, and His continuation today.
May we allow the Lord to shine on us as we prayerfully consider Christ as our pattern so that we may be infused and saturated with Him until He is lived out of us and His mind is in us.
Christ is our Pattern: He Emptied Himself, He Humbled Himself, and He was Obedient unto Death
After believing into the Lord Jesus, we Christians need to take Christ as our pattern.
In order for us to experience and live Christ, we must know Him as our pattern and take Him as our pattern. The pattern of Christ can be seen in Philippians 2:5-11.
We need to read and pray, pray and read, and prayerfully consider and muse on this portion of the Word to see and enjoy Christ as our pattern.
In this portion of the word, we see Christ as the pattern; we need to have this pattern infused into us.
This is not just by our understanding mentally or agreeing with the process; it is by much opening to the Lord in prayer regarding all the aspects of Christ as our pattern.
May we really open to the Lord in this matter and give Him access to every part of our being so that, while we live here on earth, He would be able to saturate every part of our inner being.
He wants to infuse our inward parts of our being with Himself; for this, we need to be open vessels so that He may make His home in our heart.
The pattern of the Christian life is the God-man Saviour who emptied Himself and who humbled Himself, and who has been exalted and glorified by God.
On His side, the Lord emptied Himself and humbled Himself, being obedient to God even unto death.
This One is making His home in our heart to make us the same as He is. He existed in the form of God, but did not consider being equal to God a treasure to be grasped and retained.
Rather, Christ emptied Himself, laying aside what He possessed – the form of God (vv. 6-7). He laid aside the form of God, the outward form of God’s majesty and glory, but He retained the divine life and nature of God inwardly (Heb. 1:3).
Christ put aside the expression of God’s being outwardly and retained the divine essence; He emptied Himself and humbled Himself.
He was equal to God, but He didn’t consider being equal to God a treasure to be gasped. Rather, Christ as our pattern laid aside the form of God – not the nature of God – and emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave.
In His incarnation, the Lord Jesus did not alter His divine nature; He changed only His outward expression from the form of God to the form of a slave (v. 7).
He came as the Slave of God, and He is making us slaves of God; even in the new heaven and new earth, we will serve God as slaves of God, and we will also reign with Him (Rev. 22:3-5).
Today, no one wants to be a slave, but Christ chose to humble Himself and empty Himself to be a slave.
It is a privilege for us today to be slaves of God and to serve others for the Lord. We can be slaves only by the indwelling Christ who lives in us.
The Lord became in the likeness of men. He existed in the form of God, implying the inward reality of Christ’s deity, and He became in the likeness of men, denoting the outward appearance of His humanity.
When others saw Him, they didn’t see God shining or being manifested in splendour; rather, they saw a man. Christ changed only His outward expression from the form of God – the highest form – to that of a slave – the lowest form.
His essence remained the same; only His state, His outward form, changed. He became in the likeness of men; He entered into a new state. He appeared to others as a man, even though He had the divine essence within Him.
This is truly mysterious and indeed wonderful! He was found in fashion as a man, and He humbled Himself even more, becoming obedient even unto death, and that the death of a cross (Phil. 2:8).
He knew the death of a cross was His portion, and on the night He was arrested to be tried and crucified, He prayed to God to let this cup pass away from Him; however, He concluded, Not my will be done but Your will be done (Luke 22:42).
He emptied Himself and He humbled Himself to the uttermost; even more, He became obedient to God, being obedient not only to the will of God but even unto death, and that the death of a cross.
He was inwardly willing to go to the cross and be put to death, being obedient to death; He was also outwardly willing to be captured, judged, mocked, scourged, and crucified by man.
While He was on the cross, many made fun of Him and mocked Him, and even one of the people who were crucified with Him mocked Him.
Others said, If You are the Christ, come down from the cross and save Yourself. Oh Lord!
Here was the God-man Jesus Christ with the divine life and nature within Him, yet He was willing to be emptied, humbled, and even obedient unto the death of a cross.
He humbled Himself to the uttermost. Humbling Himself was a further step in emptying Himself; Christ’s self-humbling manifested His self-emptying.
This One is our pattern today. The death of the cross was the climax of Christ’s humiliation (Acts 8:33; Phil. 3:21).
To the Jews, being crucified was a curse (Deut. 21:22-23) and to the Gentiles it was a death sentence imposed upon malefactors and slaves (Matt. 27:16-17, 20-23); it was truly a shameful thing (Heb. 12:2).
This is Christ as our pattern. May this mind be in us. May He be infused into our being to live in us and be reproduced in us today.
Lord Jesus, we want to experience and live Christ by taking Christ as our pattern. Amen, Lord, may we know You as our pattern and take You as our pattern in our daily living. We open to You, Lord, as we come to Your word to see who You are as our pattern. Infuse us with Yourself. May Your mind be in us. May the same mind that was in Christ also be in us today. Thank You for being willing to empty Yourself and humble Yourself. Thank You for emptying Yourself and laying aside the form of God so that You may become as a lowly slave. Amen, Lord, may the mind of Christ in emptying Himself be in us. Thank You for becoming in the likeness of men having the reality of God’s life and nature inwardly. Oh Lord, praise You for humbling Yourself by becoming obedient even unto death, and that the death of a cross. Thank You, Lord, for being willing to be emptied, humbled, and obedient to God. Infuse us with Yourself as our pattern. Live in us today. May we be one with You today to live the same kind of life today!
Christ Humbled Himself to the Uttermost but God Exalted Him to the Highest Peak and gave Him the Name which is Above Every Name!
In Philippians 2:5-9, we see how Christ humbled Himself to the uttermost, and then God exalted Him to the highest peak and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. Hallelujah!
Humanly speaking, what the Lord went through willingly is a complete and utter humiliation.
His humiliation involves seven steps: He emptied Himself, he took the form of a slave, he became in the likeness of men, He humbled Himself, He became obedient, He was obedient even unto death, and He was obedient unto the death of the cross.
He humbled Himself to the uttermost and was willing to be humiliated publicly for the whole world to see.
However, God exalted this One, Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself and emptied Himself, and God exalted Jesus to be the Lord of all.
Now Jesus as a real man is the Lord of all (Acts 2:32-33; 5:31). When He returned in His resurrection to His disciples, He made it clear to them that He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18).
Jesus Christ is now on the throne; God has exalted Jesus, a real man, to be the Lord of all, and He bestowed on Him the name which is above every name! Wow!
This exaltation of Christ was the manifestation of resurrection power. Death could not hold Him.
He was willing to empty Himself and humble Himself to the uttermost, but the resurrection life within Him raised Him and exalted Him to the uttermost. Praise the Lord!
And this is not just His portion; even we today, as we take Christ as our pattern and live Christ, as we are willing to be humbled and emptied, we will experience the resurrection life operating in us.
As we are willing to allow the Lord to crucify us and operate in us to keep us on the cross, something will flow out from our being.
When His death operates in us, His life will also have a way to flow in us.
Every now and then, as we simply allow the Lord to be lived in us as our pattern and are therefore humbled, emptied, and become obedient, the resurrection life of Christ will flow through us.
And when we come together with the saints to pray, we realise we’re seated with Christ in the heavenlies, one with Him to pray for the Lord on the throne to carry out His intention on the earth.
Hallelujah, His name is above every name! The highest name in the universe, the greatest name, is the name of Jesus! Amen!
A name is the expression of the sum total of what a person is; the name of Jesus is the sum total of what the Lord Jesus is in His person and work.
He is a living person. We love Him. We call on His name. His name is the highest name.
We love Him so much that we want Him to return secretly to rapture us. We want to be part of His bride, the overcoming saints who are raptured early to be with Him! Hallelujah!
As we confess the name of Jesus as Lord is that God the Father is glorified; this is the great end of all that Christ is and has done in His person and work (Phil. 2:10-11; 1 Cor. 15:24-28). Wow!
We call on the Lord, Lord Jesus, we confess His name, and the Father is glorified in a tender way.
Don’t you love this wonderful One? He was willing to be humbled to the uttermost and became obedient even unto the death of a cross, but God highly exalted Him, even giving Him the name that is above every name! Praise the Lord!
The principle of this pattern is that someone with the highest life and position would be willing to live in a lowly way.
This is what happens to us as we reach maturity; we have the highest life and the highest position, yet we’re willing to live in a lowly way.
We do not demand what is rightfully ours but are content with less than is due, and we live a Christian life having ordinary days under the divine dispensing.
But in the depths of our being, as we’re willing to be humbled, emptied, and become obedient to the Lord, the all-inclusive Christ is making His home in our heart. Hallelujah!
Lord Jesus, thank You for humbling Yourself to the uttermost in Your incarnation, human living, and death on the cross. Hallelujah, Christ humbled Himself to the uttermost but God exalted Him to the highest peak! Praise the Lord, God bestowed on Jesus Christ the name which is above every name! Hallelujah, God has exalted Jesus, a real man, to be the Lord of all! Jesus is Lord! He was willing to humble Himself, empty Himself, and be obedient unto death, and that the death of a cross, and God exalted Him to the highest peak in the universe! Hallelujah, the highest name in the universe is the name of Jesus! Praise the Lord, the greatest name in this universe is Jesus Christ! Lord Jesus, we confess Your name: Jesus is Lord! We call on Your name, Lord Jesus, to the glory of God the Father! Amen, Lord, live in us today. We want to live one spirit with You so that we may be willing to humble ourselves, empty ourselves, and be obedient to the Lord! Make Your home deep down in our heart as we learn to know You and take You as our pattern today!
References and Hymns on this Topic
- Inspiration for this article/sharing comes from the Word of God, the enjoyment in the ministry, a sharing by the brother Ron Kangas in this conference, and portions from, Life-study of Philippians, msg. 10, by Witness Lee, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (part 3 – 2025 Summer Training), week 26, Knowing and Taking Christ as Our Pattern – day 1.
- Similar articles on this topic:
– The way the Lord came out of His divine form and the way He returned, a portion from, Authority and Submission, Chapter 5, by Watchman Nee.
– God’s Government and God’s Grace, via, Shepherding Words.
– Self-humbling, a portion from, Conclusion of the New Testament, The (Msgs. 050-062), Chapter 13, by Witness Lee.
– Our Enjoyment! More via, Living to Him.
– The mind which was in Christ, a portion from, Life-Study of Philippians, Chapter 10.
– What Does It Mean to Be Poor in Spirit? More via, Bibles for America blog.
– How Can Christ’s Crucified Life Become Our Pattern? More via, Holding to Truth in love.
– Philippians (Program #10) – Taking Christ as Our Pattern, via, Bible study radio. - Hymns on this topic:
– Throned in heav’n, the Prince of Glory, / Equal God, with God on high; / Form of lowest servant taking, / On the cross of shame to die: / In obedience, strong, unswerving, / His blest Father’s will to do; / Death of shame, all undeserved, / E’en to that His love could go. / Heaven’s crown of brightest glory / Be to Him, the humbled One. / Heaven’s robe of brightest splendor / Be to Him and Him alone. / In the Name of Jesus bowing, / Every tongue shall Him confess / Lord of earth and Lord of heaven; / Myriads shall this Monarch bless. (Hymns #134 stanzas 2-3)
– He hath put on human nature, / Died according to God’s plan, / Resurrected with a body, / And ascended as a man. / God in Him on earth was humbled, / God with man was domiciled; / Man in Him in heav’n exalted, / Man with God is reconciled. (Hymns #132 stanzas 2-3)
– Oh, to be nothing, nothing! / Only to lie at His feet, / A broken and emptied vessel— / For the Master’s use made meet! / Emptied that He might fill me / As forth to His service I go; / Broken, that so unhindered, / His life through me might flow. / Oh, to be nothing, nothing! / Only to lie at His feet, / A broken and emptied vessel— / For the Master’s use made meet! (Hymns #900 stanza 1 and chorus)
About aGodMan
Life-study of Philippians, pp. 86-88, by Witness Lee
Christ is our pattern. In order for us to experience Christ and live Christ, we must know Him as our pattern and take Him as our pattern.
Our pattern as Christians is the God-man Saviour who emptied Himself and humbled Himself and who has been exalted and glorified by God.
He was equal with God, but He didn’t consider being equal with God a treasure to be grasped; rather, He emptied Himself, humbled Himself, and was obedient, even obedient unto the death of a cross. Amen!
This One lives in us and His mind must be in us.
Wow, aamen, brother, our pattern Christ emptied Himself, laid aside what He possessed and humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, the death of the cross!
The Lord Jesus is the spiritual model set for our imitation as the pattern. (Phil.2 5-11).
How we need to know and have this pattern infused into us so that He can reproduce Himself in us for our experience and living.
For this, we need to be genuinely open vessels so that in our time on earth, He will saturate every part of our being inwardly, having made home in our hearts. (Eph. 3:17).
The Lord emptied himself, changed from the outward form of God to serve as a slave. He humbled Himself to the uttermost as a form of further emptying of Himself by becoming obedient even unto death but God highly exalted to the highest peak, bestowing on Him the highest name in the universe. We confess the name of the Lord for God the Father to be glorified!
And, like the Lord, our path to glory ever leads thru death alone! How amazing that someone with the highest life and position would be willing to live in such a lowly way! This is the principle and pattern the Lord set for our experience.
Amen, Philippians 2 teaches us the pattern of Christ who emptied Himself, humbled Himself and was glorified and exalted by God.
Christ did not cling to His divine form, instead, setting it aside to take on the form of men outwardly. He emptied Himself and humbled Himself by becoming obedient even unto death and humiliation.
Amen, Lord. we take you as our pattern,we want to follow after you by humble ourselves and emptying our self being obedient unto you.
To know and take Christ as our pattern, one who laid aside His form – the inward reality of His deity – to come in the likeness of a man for His outward expression – we need the inner operating God to work this out in our experience as we cooperate with Him allowing the mind of such Christ to operate in us.
As He emptied and humbled Himself, taking the form of a slave, God highly exalted Him.
Christ Himself is the standard of our salvation.
We should enjoy Christ and live Him, taking Him as our pattern.
Like Jesus, we have the outward form of humanity, but the reality of divinity inwardly.
As humans, we should not insist on anything. Rather, we should be willing to be emptied & humbled.
To the unbelieving world, it’s a shameful thing to turn the other cheek and to forgive even our enemies. But to us, the cross is the central point of our salvation.
May the Lord operate in us the willingness to be emptied, to serve, to be jesusly-human, humbling ourselves and becoming obedient even unto death.
Footnotes from the Recovery Version Bible
According to Romans 8, all creation eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God. This is the universe’s central matter, and all things work together toward it: the conforming of believers to the image of His Son—worked out through the decaying of the outer man and the renewing of the inner man. But just as Rebekah followed the servant across the wilderness until she met Isaac, this conformation process does not take place apart from the Spirit of reality. Romans 8 states it clearly: as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. The Spirit leads us into the full reality of Christ’s death and resurrection.