Reversal of Fortune

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." (Hebrews 2: 14-18 NIV)

These verses tell us, in a nutshell, that Jesus, the Son of God, when he "came down from heaven," became something he was not in order that certain of "Abraham's descendents" might "become" something they are not.

"Since the ones Christ came to save were human, he likewise became human," so says the writer above. He also adds a secondary thought about this wonderful "becoming," this becoming human, or incarnate, it being that he might further "become," after his "becoming" human, a "high priest" to represent other humans before God his Father.

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (II Peter 1: 4)

Those sinners, from among the fallen human race, who are converted to Christ and who experience being "begotten" or "born" of God (I John 5: 1), or "born of his Spirit" (John 3: 3, 5), become "partakers of the divine nature," making them "children" or "offspring" of God, and therefore god-like and divine beings. It is indeed a most glorious exaltation! But, it is only made possible by a glorious humiliation on the part of Christ the Son of God, who was supremely divine before his "becoming" man.

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2: 5-11 NIV)

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1: 14 KJV)

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name." (John 1: 12 AV)

Again, the theme is the same. He who "was God," yea, "equal with God," and "in the very nature ('form' KJV) of God," nevertheless "became man," and all for the purpose of exalting humans to the rank of divinity as the children of God.

Further, the theme is further enlarged in that the "Son of God," or "Living Word of God," the "most High," would be "abased" or "humiliated" and all for the purpose of exalting the lowly, for lifting and elevating sinners. He who was exalted, nevertheless, "became" lowly, in order that those who are lowly might be exalted in him. Also, the verses indicate that he who was glorious, nevertheless, "became" inglorious, in order that inglorious sinners might "become" glorious.

He who was "without blame" and "without shame," nevertheless, "became" subject to shame in order that guilty and shameful sinners might themselves "become" free from guilt and shame.

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (II Corinthians 8: 9)

When was Jesus "rich"? He was rich BEFORE he "came down from heaven," when he was "with his Father" as the eternal Son of God, and before his "becoming flesh" and "dwelling among us" and before his "dying the death of the cross."

When did he "become poor"? Was it not when he was mysteriously "begotten of the Holy Spirit" and when he was born of the womb of the virgin Mary, and when he became human, and when he became God incarnate?

What is the nature of the "poverty" to which the Son of God partook, in his state of humiliation in becoming human? And, how was this "poverty" realized and experienced by the Son of God?

He was born of poor parents, in a poor home. He was born in a manger, not a place where the rich would be born. When he came to die, the only thing he owned, as a man, were the clothes on his body. But, more than these instances of poverty, his becoming human was in itself an act of becoming poor.

Jesus certainly identified with the "poor" and was often condemning the vices and sins of the worldly rich. But, it was not merely the materially poor but the spiritually poor in spirit that Jesus more particularly identified with, and to whom he promised the "true riches" of those who "inherit eternal life."

"For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. " (II Corinthians 13: 4)

So, the theme continues, and we may say, based upon the above words, that "he who was all powerful became weak in order that those who are weak may become strong."

In the New Testament, one of the terms used to distinguish Christians from non-Christians, or saved people from lost people, was the word "strong." Those who are saved are the "strong," and those who are not saved are the "weak." Further, this designation is not as the world would designate them, for the world "calls evil good, and calls good evil," and "put light for darkness," and "put darkness for light" (Isaiah 5: 20 KJV), and so here they would call believers in Jesus "the weak" and the ungodly as "the strong," much the same way as did the Greeks and the Nazis.

Christ "became" subject to death in order that the dying sinner might live forever and never die. It was part of Christ's weakness and poverty to die, but it is through these that the Christian becomes the powerful and the rich, and heirs of eternal life and immortality.

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (II Corinthians 5: 21)

In order for the sinful creature to be made sinless, Christ must take his place. So, we may say, in furtherance of our theme, that "Christ became sinful in order that the sinful might become sinless (or righteous)."

So, let us list the manner in which Christ has "become" what he was not in order that sinners might "become" what they are not (naturally)."

1. Christ died in order that sinners might live.
2. Christ became man (human) in order that man might become god (divine).
3. Christ became poor in order that the poor might be made rich.
4. Christ became sin in order that sinners might become sinless (and became filthy in order that the filthy might be made clean).
5. Christ became weak in order that the weak might become strong.
6. Christ became unhappy (bore the griefs of others in his person) in order that the unhappy might become happy (in eternal glory).
7. Christ suffered that others might become free of suffering.
8. Christ came down from heaven so that others might go up to heaven.

Truly these are great stories of "reversal of fortunes."

Because Christ changed his fortune in glory to become a man to suffer and die, he reversed the fortunes of sinners who believe in his saving work.