Annihilation

"Have between you the dispositions that are in Christ Jesus - he who was truly divine, he did not avail himself of a rank of equality with God, but emptied himself by making himself a slave, Becoming like unto humans." Philippians 2: 5-7 (New American Standard Version)

The annihilation of the Son of God is a mystery that no one will ever thoroughly investigate. What exactly does this word "annihilate" cover ? Theologians have been debating it for centuries. For some of them, it means that the Son, by becoming man, has renounced his divine attributes and "emptied" of his divinity. On the contrary, our faith maintains that Jesus Christ is and remains "the same yesterday, and today and forever" (Heb 13: 8). In him lived and still dwells "all the fullness of the deity corporeally" (Col. 2: 9). The voluntary annihilation of the Son means above all that Jesus renounced his personal privileges and the glory which surrounded them ; He was just as God as before he incarnated himself; But, in becoming incarnate, he decided to put himself in a position of submission and dependence ; He became servant (slave !) To accomplish the work that the Father had entrusted to him.

These considerations lead us to adoration; but not only. They also allow us to better imitate Jesus in order to have the "same thought" as he does. We are no more able to renounce our human nature than Jesus was able to renounce being God. But we can also give up our legitimate rights and take a position of humility, submission and dependence when it is profitable for our service to God and to others. It is by freely renouncing ourselves that we will lead a fully fulfilled and useful life.

Because Jesus accepted this stripping, God has clothed him with the greatest imaginable glory. If we follow the same path, God will one day reward us. And today, instead of losing our lives by refusing to renounce ourselves, our rights, our prerogatives, we will gain them (see John 12: 23-26).

Source (To pleasing the Lord)