Kenosis Love

With committing Himself to successive covenants with Israel, we see an unlimited God limiting Himself. With Abraham, with Moses, with David, the Lord makes these covenants to which He is bound to this people. The idea that a God who cannot be bound by anything in the entire universe (since He created it) would purposefully and humbly choose to be bound in such a way is pretty incredible.

With this new covenant we find ourselves in, this same Lord chooses to limit Himself even more, completely emptying Himself of all power, subjecting Himself to weakness and shame, even unto dying on the cross. The Greek word that is used here for the concept of "emptying" is kenosis. The place in Scripture that is most famous for this term is Philippians chapter 2:6-11, which is often called the Kenosis Hymn:

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied (kenao) himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, 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.

 The love of God compelled Him to empty Himself of all things. This is agape love--self-sacrificial, unconditional love that puts the needs of others before oneself. Jesus Christ became empty of all but love in order to save us. And it is through this emptying that He became exalted in glory.

Similarly, we are called to the same sacrificial, self-emptying love. Like Paul exhorts us: "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." We are called to pour ourselves out in love in the name and example of Jesus Christ. And in this we might find glory. This is the foolish logic of love, that by giving everything away we can then gain everything, that by dying we can find life, that by losing our life we can find it.

It does seem foolish, doesn't it? Because this kind of love is going to force us into weakness. It is going to cause people to take advantage of us. It is going to strike a blow at our pride. But it is only through this emptying, the pouring out of ourselves for the sake of God and others, that we can truly come to know the heart of God. No amount of studying theology or the Bible will get us to this intimate knowledge of the Lord. But only by becoming like Him in His love will we truly come to know Him.

We must become empty in order for the love of God to fill us. Let us follow in the example of the Lord Jesus, in Spirit and in Truth, to let the power of love show forth in our weakness. And in this we will find unity with God.

"By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, 'I abide in Him,' ought to walk just as he walked."
- 1 John 2:5-6