Saturday, July 15, 2017, 8:41 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Oh, To Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer.”
Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read several scriptures (ESV) on the
subject of Christ-likeness.
Image of Christ
(Ro. 8:29; 2 Co. 3:18 NASB)
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.”
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from
glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
The goal of our faith in
Jesus Christ is not merely to be free from the penalty of sin (eternal
damnation), and to have the promise of eternal life with God in heaven. God’s
purpose in saving us is that we might be conformed to (to be consistent with)
the image (likeness, pattern, character) of Jesus Christ. When Jesus died on
the cross for our sins, he died that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness; that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave
his life up for us. In fact, His grace, which brings salvation, instructs us to
say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled,
upright and godly lives while we await Christ’s return.
So, what does this look like?
What was/is Jesus Christ like? Well, he is God, and he is perfect (sinless),
and he is holy and righteous and just. He is also kind, compassionate, loving
and forgiving. He is also unselfish, and giving of himself to us to meet our
legitimate needs. He doesn’t always give us what we want, but he provides for
our needs. Yet, his kindness and compassion is based in his justice, in his
righteousness, and in his love for us. In other words, if we are Christ-like,
we won’t placate (appease) sin in ourselves or in others, and we won’t lie to
others just to make them feel good about themselves while they are engrossed in
their sinful practices. But, we will be honest with ourselves and we will speak
the truth in love to others, too.
Also, we will walk (conduct
our lives) according to (in agreement with) the Spirit of God, and not walk
after the flesh, to please our sinful passions. God, who saved us and who called
us to a holy calling, is in the process of transforming us, who have died with
Christ to sin, into the image of Christ. Some people refer to this as the
process of sanctification. Yet, our salvation is also a process, for we are
saved (past), we are being saved (present), and we will be saved when Christ
returns (future), and our salvation is complete.
Like Him in Death (Phil. 2:5-8; Phil. 3:10)
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in
Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality
with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a
servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he
humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a
cross.”
“That I may know him and the power of his
resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
When Jesus walked the earth,
he told those who would come after him that they must deny themselves, take up
their cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) him. He said
that if they held on to their old lives (of living for sin and self), they
would lose their lives. But, if they would lose their lives (die with Christ to
sin), they would gain eternal life with God (Lu. 9:23-25). And, the Apostle
Paul reiterated Jesus’ words when he said that if we walk (in lifestyle)
according to the flesh, we will die (in our sins), but if by the Spirit we are
putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we would live (with Christ for
eternity) (See: Ro. 8:1-14; cf. Ro. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24).
So, becoming Christ-like
means that we are becoming humble, unselfish, obedient to Christ and his Word, and
that by the Spirit we are putting the deeds of our flesh to death, so that sin
does no longer reign in our bodies. It means that “I” am crucified (put to
death) with Christ so that “I” no longer live, but that Christ lives in me to
his glory and for his purposes. And, now I live by faith in Jesus Christ,
meaning I now allow Christ to rule and reign supreme in my life, instead of me
still having control over what I do or don’t do. I listen to his Word, I do what
it says, and I follow Christ with my life. Yet, this is not saying we will
never sin (See: 1 Jn. 2:1-2), but that we should no longer walk in darkness
(sin), but we should walk (conduct our lives) in the light (righteousness,
truth, the gospel, Jesus Christ).
Imitators of Christ (1 Thess. 1:6-7; 1 Pet. 4:1-3)
“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for
you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so
that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”
“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm
yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh
has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no
longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past
suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality,
passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.”
We are to be imitators of
Christ, not in the sense of a performance or a mockery of someone, but in the
sense of following him, being his disciples, doing the things he did, saying
the things he said, and taking on his character, morals, values and attitudes
and actions, making them our own. When we do this, people will think us
strange, out of touch with reality, crazy, or hyper-religious, because this is
not the norm, not even among those who also claim to be followers of Christ, at
least not in America.
Some of them will say we are
too serious, and we need to lighten up, or we need to chill (relax) and enjoy
life the way they do. They may think it odd that we do not join them in their
reckless, wild living, and they may heap abuse on us (1 Pet. 4:4). Yet, we are
not to fear what others think of us.
As imitators of Christ, we
should arm ourselves with the same attitude Christ had about sin. He gave his
life up for us so that we could go free from slavery to sin, and so we would be
free to walk in his righteousness. And, we should lay down our lives by dying with
him to sin so that we might live with Christ to his righteousness and holiness.
We should no longer live to fulfill the desires of our flesh, but we should live
to please God with our lives, and to do his will. Sensuality, adultery,
fornication, lust, gossip, gluttony, lying, cheating, stealing, idolatry,
perjury, and deceit, etc., should have no place in our lives. We should not
think and act like the world. And, we should be set apart (unlike, different)
from the world, because we are becoming like Jesus.
Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Thomas O. Chisholm / W. J. Kirkpatrick
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s
treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh, to be like Thee! full of
compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the
fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy
love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like
Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy
fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
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