There is an intended parallel between Philippians 2:6,7 and 3:20,21

indicated by the words 'being', 'form', 'fashion' and 'humble'.  Christ was

originally in the form of God, the citizenship of the believer abides from

the beginning in heaven.  This persistent state is expressed by huparcho.

Christ was in the 'form' of God and took upon Him the 'form' of a servant.

The believer desires to be conformable unto His death and looks forward to a

body that shall be conformed unto His glorious body.  This conformity and

form is expressed by morphe and its variants.  Christ was found 'in fashion'

as a man, the transfiguration of the believer 'fashions him anew'.  This

is expressed by the Greek schema.  Christ 'humbled' Himself; the believer who

is made conformable to His death will realize that he has now a body of

'humiliation'.  This is expressed by the Greek word tapeinosis.  Like Him in

humiliation, like Him in glory.  This is the fulfilment of Paul's desire that

he might attain unto the out -resurrection and obtain the prize.  Our walk

and our conversation therefore should reflect our calling, the sphere of our

blessing, our relationship to Christ, our recipience of unmerited grace.  Our

conversation should manifest the new man, and be as it becometh those saved

by grace and predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son.

Our 'way' leads us home.  Our 'walk' should make it manifest that we

have a heavenly calling, but we are left here for a time, and left for a

blessed purpose.  One of the reasons for our stay in this life instead of

being taken straight to glory, is that God has condescended to use 'earthen

vessels', to save men through 'the foolishness of preaching', to allow the

redeemed the unspeakable privilege of being associated with His Word and

Gospel here in this life.  There is but one Greek word in the New Testament

for the English word 'witness' namely martus, which is taken bodily over into

English and appears as the word martyr.  In Revelation 1:5 Christ is said to

be the 'faithful witness' ho martus ho pistos.  In Revelation 2:13 identical

words are translated 'faithful martyr'.  The two 'witnesses' of Revelation 11

were 'martyrs' (Rev. 11:7 -9), and the only remaining passage which speaks of

'witnesses' refers to 'the blood of the martyrs' (Rev. 17:6).  Those who live

and reign with Christ for the Millennium, number among them those who were

'beheaded for the witness (marturia) of Jesus' (Rev. 20:4).  Those who

overcome through the blood of the Lamb, do so also through the word of their

testimony (marturia), and it is written, 'they loved not their lives unto the

death' (Rev. 12:11).  Modern English limits the word 'martyr' to those who

have either suffered for the faith, or were willing to do so, or who suffered

but were too young to have any will in the matter.  Stephen was a martyr in

will and deed; John was willing but Divinely delivered, and there are the

innocents who had no will in the matter at all.  The Scriptures use the word

in a somewhat different sense.  It is doubtful whether the innocent babes who

were massacred by order of Herod were 'martyrs', for the word is essentially

associated with bearing a witness or testimony.  The Scriptural concept is

rather one who bears a testimony, and bears it in such degree and manner that

he would if need be bear that testimony even unto death.  From the Scriptural

point of view, the great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1) not only included

Abel, whose blood was shed, but Enoch who was translated that he should not

see death.  Sarah and Rahab also are included in this noble band.  While

therefore we may and do give all honour to those who ended their testimony at

the stake, God Who knows the heart and judges the hidden motives, will reckon

many of His children as martyrs who have died peacefully in their beds.

John the Baptist was a forerunner, a voice crying in the wilderness,

one who was sent in the spirit and power of Elijah.  He was also pre -