Part 77 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series 

David Pawson tackles Philippians’ “controversial” passage in this study – Scholars debate: How much of God did Jesus empty himself of when he became a man? David declares “The things he gave up were not of his nature but of his privileges.” He says that the passage in question is not about theology but about ethics – it is “about Christ’s attitudes and his choices”.  Paul said: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” David also warns that we need to take note of the conditions attached to promises of God. Regarding the letter to Philemon, David says that, though it is very short, it is important. It is private correspondence about a runaway slave. David answers the question: Why was it put in the Bible?  He shows that when we are converted, rather than running away from our past, we should put our past right. The story in Philemon is a perfect picture of our salvation.