Being a Christian means doing what we can to be like Jesus. We will never be perfect and without sin as Jesus was, of course, because we have our human nature to contend with. But as Jesus’ followers we are supposed to try to resemble Him in the way we live our lives and interact with others. To “be like Jesus” means trying to live according to Jesus’ teachings and example. It means applying our faith to the everyday events of our lives. It means doing our best to align our thoughts, our attitudes, and our reactions with His. It means looking to Jesus’ instruction and example before drawing conclusions or making decisions. It means pausing fromour own activities and thought processes in order to enter into His Spirit, so He can live in, guide, and work through us. It means following in the footsteps of the Master, doing our best to be like Jesus in every area of our lives. Being like Jesus goes deeper. It’s more than merely copying His “style.” It involves Jesus living in us, and us living in Him. He told His followers, “Abide in Me, and I in you. … I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” So to be a fruitful Christian is to live in Jesus and to allow Him to live in us. We partake of Jesus’ divine nature through developing and maintaining a deep relationship with Him, absorbing and applying His Word, and looking to Him for guidance and instruction. When we do these things, our thoughts and actions will be aligned with His. The apostle Paul talked about having the “mind of Christ,” which implies thinking, reacting, and acting like Jesus would. The more we “abide in Jesus,” the more of our nature we relinquish and the more of His nature we take on, the more His thoughts, His attitudes, His actions and reactions will become our own. We will take on more of His characteristics, more of His love, kindness, meekness, and all the other fruits of the Spirit. We will do as He would do. We will be more like Him. — John 3:30 ESV - He must increase, but I must decrease. John 15:12 ESV - This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Ephesians 5:2 ESV - And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 12:55:19 +0000
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