Humility of Christ and the Humility of Man (Philippians)

"who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped"~Philippians 2:6

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own."~Philippians 3:12

There is no doubt that Philippians chapter 3 is outlining the narrow road that a believer must walk to attain salvation. It is intimidating to read that Paul himself, one of the most amazing men ever to walk the earth, did not consider himself to be at the point that he had attained salvation. The road he outlines sounds very much like a works based salvation and if Paul had not achieved this security by the time he was thrown into prison and wrote the letter to the Philippians, who can have any security that they have attained the gift of eternal life? Might I suggest that you can?

The other day as I was reading through Philippians in my ESV Bible, after having read chapter 2 and continuing onward to chapter 3, I noticed something that I had never noticed before. There was a parallel between the position of Christ to God, in chapter two, with the position of mankind to Christ in chapter 3. 

The verse I have listed above, Philippians 2:6, is saying that Jesus did not exercise his full authority as God while he walked among his disciples and this was considered an act of humility on Jesus' behalf. After that, it states what Jesus did to fulfill his obedience to God including his becoming a man, becoming a servant, and suffering to the point of death.

Philippians 3 starts off with Paul outlining some points of which he could boast but quickly transitions to how he considers these qualifications as rubbish in comparison to the glory of knowing Jesus Christ. This glory that Paul describes that mankind works to attain is parallel to the glory described in chapter 2 that Christ attained through his obedience to the Father. Our obedience, likewise will aid us in attaining an incredible glory in our resurrected state.

Now, what I am observing is not that the resurrection is something that must be earned but the degree of glory that brings us closest to God in the resurrection. Where do I get that from?

Philippians 3:12 ends by stating that Christ Jesus has made Paul his own. Verse 16 states that we ought to hold on to what we have attained. Where Jesus did not hold his position as God over us, we as Christians are not to hold the status of being a Christian as a means of righteousness for ourselves. 

Before God, we are made righteous in Christ. He has already paid our debt. But as grateful servants of Christ, we are to live our lives as people who joyfully desire to repay our debt to God despite the fact we can never repay it. Let me reiterate what I am trying to say:

Though being gifted with the Holy Spirit, we ought not count the Spirit as our own righteousness. Instead, we should regard ourselves as nothing, owing God everything for the all surpassing glory that is guaranteed to the servants of Christ. So that on that day, we would not live in God's presence merely because we confessed our sins, but that we lived a life of full repentance and righteousness as though it was our debt and entry fee to heaven. Praise God, through Jesus Christ, that we can already claim sonship through his sacrifice. 

Let me know your thoughts.