quotes by Sinclair B. Ferguson
(showing 1-2 of 2)
"Failure to deal with the presence of sin can often be traced back to spiritual amnesia – forgetting our new, true, real identity. As a believer, I am someone who has been delivered from the dominion of sin and who therefore is free and motivated to fight against the remnants of sin in my heart. You must know, rest in, think through, and act upon your new identity – you are in Christ"
— Sinclair B. Ferguson (In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life)
— Sinclair B. Ferguson (In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life)
"Several expressions Paul uses help to illuminate the wonder of Christ's grace. They suggest, as it might be put, that Jesus is portrayed here as 'Adam in reverse' (cf. Rom. 5:12-21).
(i) His being in the form of God but not counting equality with God a thing to be grasped (v. 6) reminds us of Adams failure. He was created as the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26). But he grasped after equality with God ('you will be like God' [Gen. 3:5], the tempter suggested). By contrast, Jesus, whose right equality with God always was, did not refuse to become obedient (v. 8).
(ii) The Son made himself nothing [emptied himself] ... taking the form of a servant (v. 7). Here we may have an echo of the great prophecy in Isaiah 52:13-43:12, where the Sufferer 'poured out his life to death' (Isa. 53:12). He is described by God as 'my servant' (Isa. 52:13). He did what Adam refused to do: serve God.
(iii) The incarnate Son became obedient to the point of death. In Romans 5:12-21 Paul gives us an exposition of these words by means of an extended comparison between Jesus and Adam. Adam's disobedience brought sin and death into the world; by contrast, Jesus' obedience brings righteousness and life into it."
— Sinclair B. Ferguson (Let's Study Philippians)
(i) His being in the form of God but not counting equality with God a thing to be grasped (v. 6) reminds us of Adams failure. He was created as the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26). But he grasped after equality with God ('you will be like God' [Gen. 3:5], the tempter suggested). By contrast, Jesus, whose right equality with God always was, did not refuse to become obedient (v. 8).
(ii) The Son made himself nothing [emptied himself] ... taking the form of a servant (v. 7). Here we may have an echo of the great prophecy in Isaiah 52:13-43:12, where the Sufferer 'poured out his life to death' (Isa. 53:12). He is described by God as 'my servant' (Isa. 52:13). He did what Adam refused to do: serve God.
(iii) The incarnate Son became obedient to the point of death. In Romans 5:12-21 Paul gives us an exposition of these words by means of an extended comparison between Jesus and Adam. Adam's disobedience brought sin and death into the world; by contrast, Jesus' obedience brings righteousness and life into it."
— Sinclair B. Ferguson (Let's Study Philippians)
