Ep 255: Philippians 2:5-11 and Christology, Politics, and Ethics

April 7, 2026
Protestant Libertarian Podcast

In this episode I take a first extended look at Philippians 2:5-11, the famous Christ hymn in which Paul exhorts his audience to embody the “attitude of Christ” by emulating his sacrificial disposition. In the hymn Paul explains how Jesus did not selfishly hold on to his divine status but sacrificed himself twice, both in the incarnation and on the cross. Paul maintains that it was the humility of Christ which led to his exaltation at the right hand of God, because of which everyone will someday acknowledge his universal lordship. This passage has massive implications for Christology, Christian political theology, and ethics, and it is one which every believer should take seriously. I explain how believers should adopt the sacrificial mindset of Jesus, completely reframe the way we think about the nature of political power, and how Paul, only a few years after the resurrection of Jesus, believed in the incarnation. It’s an important passage!