The Form of a Servant

The Form of a Servant

Jesus took on the form of a servant (Phil. 2:5-7), and we are exhorted to let that same mind be in us. By being in complete submission to the Father, He revealed “the form of a servant.” Therefore He also became a servant to the people in everything with which God wanted to serve them. He went about doing good, healing all kinds of sicknesses and disabilities among the people, as well as always preaching the gospel to them. Jesus sought the people’s best; He offered Himself for their sake; He was a servant in spirit and in truth. We become servants by following Him who did not commit sin but who suffered in the flesh and ceased from sin. 1 Pet. 4:1.

In Ezekiel 43:11 it is written about the entrances and exits of the temple. The entrances to the temple are our battles against sin until bloodshed. On that way we become like God and have the opportunity, in likeness with Jesus, to renounce being like God and to take the form of a servant. Only then can we speak about the exits; we must first enter in before we can speak about going out. In 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 the apostle says that our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as servants of the new covenant. The evidence that our sufficiency is from God is precisely this: that we do not consider it robbery to be equal with God, renouncing it voluntarily. Also in 1 Corinthians 9:19: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more . . . .” And verse 20: “And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law . . . .” And verse 22: “To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

The fact that we can forsake our standing and go down to the others is an acknowledgment that our sufficiency is from God, who consequently makes us His capable servants.

Then we can make use of the exits from the sanctuary, by which we go out to the people in order to serve them. In Ezekiel 42:14 we read that after the priests had entered the holy chambers, they were not to leave them and go into the outer court, but they were to put off their garments in which they served, for they were holy. They were to put on other garments in which they could approach the people. When we compare this to Revelation 19:8, “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints,” we notice that our works represent our garments.

We see that we are not to appear before the people in our holy garments, but rather hide ourselves or put off our holy garments. We must not consider it robbery to be like God, but we shall be like God. On the other hand, we renounce appearing as if we were like God or that people should regard us as such, and so we take the form of a servant. We shall let our light shine before people so they can see our good works without ourselves seeking to be seen or making a show of it.

The seraphim had six wings; they used four wings to cover themselves and two wings with which to fly. Isa. 6:2. They used twice as much strength to cover themselves as they did to advance on the way.

There are various gifts and ministries for the different ones, but being faithful must be common to everyone, for God rewards faithfulness. Our part is to pour out our soul unto death; then God will give us the many. Isa. 53:12.