Philippians 2:5-11 sets forth Jesus as an example for us to emulate:
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Interestingly, Christ is also an example of how our obedience can be meritorious, that God rewards our obedience by glorifying us. Note the way the following versions render v. 9:
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and has graciously given (echarisato) Him a name which is above every name,” Complete Apostle’s Bible (CAB)
“Wherefore, also, God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name,” Concordant Literal Version (CLV)
“So Elohim also supremely exalted him and granted him charism – a name above every name:” exeGeses Companion Bible (ECB)
“For this reason, God also lifts Him up above (or: highly exalted Him; elevates Him over) and by grace gives to Him (or: joyously favors on Him) the Name – the one over and above every name! –”Jonathan Mitchell New Testament (JMNT)
“Wherefore God has also exceedingly exalted him, and favored him as a gift with a name above every name:” JuliaSmith Translation
“Therefore also God exalted him and graciously granted him the name above every name,” Lexham English Bible (LEB)
“And for this God highly exalted him, and graciously bestowed upon him the name which is above every name;” Montgomery New Testament (MNT)
“Therefore, God has highly exalted him and has graciously given him the name which is above every name,” Riverside New Testament
“Wherefore also, God, uplifted him far on high, and favoured him with the name which is above every name,––” Rotherham‘s Emphasized Bible
And here’s the definitions given for this key term according to the lexicons/concordances:
Strong’s Concordance
charizomai: to show favor, give freely
Original Word: χαρίζομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: charizomai
Phonetic Spelling: (khar-id’-zom-ahee)
Definition: to show favor, give freely
Usage: (a) I show favor to, (b) I pardon, forgive, (c) I show kindness.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 5483 xarízomai (from 5485 /xáris, “grace, extending favor“) – properly, to extend favor (“grace“), freely give favor to grant forgiveness (pardon).
5483 /xarízomai (“favor that cancels”) is used of God giving His grace to pardon. This is freely done and therefore not based on any merit of the one receiving forgiveness.
[5483 (xarízomai) literally means, “to exercise grace, freely show favor,” i.e. willingly (“graciously”) bestow.]
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from charis
Definition
to show favor, give freely
NASB Translation
bestowed (1), forgave (2), forgive (3), forgiven (4), forgiving (2), freely give (1), gave (1), given (1), graciously forgave (1), granted (4), hand (2), things freely given (1).
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5483: χαρίζομαι
χαρίζομαι; deponent middle; future χαρίσομαι (Romans 8:32; Lucian, d. mar. 9, 1, for which Greek writers commonly use the Attic χαιουσμαι (cf. WHs Appendix, p. 163f; Buttmann, 37 (32); Winer’s Grammar, § 15, under the word)); perfect κεχάρισμαι; 1 aorist ἐχαρισάμην; 1 aorist passive, ἐχαρίσθην (Acts 3:14; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Philippians 1:29 (cf. Buttmann, 52 (46))); future passive, χαρισθήσομαι with a passive significance (Philemon 1:22); (χάρις); often in Greek writings from Homer down; to do something pleasant or agreeable (to one), to do a favor to, gratify;
a. universally, to show oneself gracious, kind, benevolent: τίνι, Galatians 3:18 (others, (supply τήν κληρονομίαν and) refer this to c. below).
b. to grant forgiveness, to pardon: 2 Corinthians 2:7; with a dative of the person, Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; with an accusative of the thing, 2 Corinthians 2:10 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, § 39, 1 b. and 3 N. 3); τίνι τήν ἀδικίαν, 2 Corinthians 12:13; τά παραπτώματα, Colossians 2:13.
c. to give graciously, give freely, bestow: τίνι τί, Luke 7:21; Romans 8:32; Philippians 2:9; passive, 1 Corinthians 2:12; Philippians 1:29; where a debt is referred to, to forgive (cf. b. above), Luke 7:42f; τίνι τινα, graciously to restore one to another who desires his safety (e. g. a captive (R. V. grant)), passive, Acts 3:14; Philemon 1:22; or to preserve for one a person in peril, Acts 27:24; τινα τίνι, to give up to another one whom he may punish or put to death, Acts 25:11 ((cf. R. V. marginal reading)); with the addition of εἰς ἀπώλειαν, Acts 25:16.
Now I highly doubt any protestant would argue that God gave Jesus something he did not deserve or did not merit. Similarly, as in the case of Christ God rewards our works of obedience by exalting and glorifying us in his presence (Cf. Matthew 23:12; John 17:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:12; 1 Peter 5:6).
FURTHER READING
CHRIST’S FAITHFULNESS AS AN EXAMPLE OF SAVING FAITH
BIBLICAL VERSES ON FAITHFULNESS/OBEDIENCE
Answering Islam Blog 