eiknosen ekenosen & the Secret of Christianity

 "THE sum and the substance, the beginning and the ending, the all in all, of the faith of Jesus is in the following statement of scripture: — “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of

God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2: 5-11). 

 
The Revised Version of the phrase translated “made himself of no reputation,” is “emptied himself.” This is in truth the literal meaning of the Greek word eiknosen ekenosen, from ktnous keno-o “to empty out.” It is the same word which in Romans 4:14 is translated “made void,” in the words: “For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect;” and also translated “made void,” in 1 Corinthians 9:15.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who ... emptied himself.”

This—the emptying of self—is the secret of all Christianity; for it is the exaltation of self that has made Christianity necessary.

It was through self-exaltation that sin entered the universe; for, of that “anointed cherub,” Lucifer, who sinned, and in whom iniquity was first found, it is written:
“Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness” (Ezek. 28:17).

Being “perfect in beauty,” he looked at himself instead of to him who gave him this perfect beauty, and began to contemplate himself, and to admire himself. 

Then, as the consequence, he grew proud of himself, and began to think that the place he occupied was too narrow for the proper, profitable, and full display of the ability which he now gave himself the credit of possessing. He concluded that the place he occupied was not fully worthy of the dignity, which now in his own estimation merged in him." A.T. Jones