A study in Contrasts: The Old Adam and the New Adam

This is a helpful study based on Dr. Akin's "The Person of Christ" in his Theology for the The Church, page 499.

Philippians 2:5-11 presents Christ as the ultimate humble servant who did not strive to exalt himself but instead gave himself up for all of us, for God's glory and our salvation

Consider the work and attitude of Adam in Genesis 1-3: Adam was made in the divine image and was persuaded by the serpent's twisting of God's Word to grasp divinity as a prize. He spurned a life as God's servant and sought to be in the likeness of God. He, being found in fashion of a man from the dust, exalted himself. He reached up to a tree, taking what was not his, and became disobedient unto death. Therefore, Adam was condemned and disgraced and brought judgment on humanity.

Now, consider the work and attitude of Christ: Jesus was and is the very essence of God, the 2nd person of the Trinity but did not grasp after equality with God, having spurned and resisting the serpent's twisting of God's Word. He made himself of no repute and took on the form of slave, being made in the likeness of man. Being in the fashion of man, he humbled himself onto a tree, giving up all he had, and became obedient unto death. Therefore, Jesus Christ was highly exalted by God, given the position of Lord, and brought a way of salvation to humanity.