To unbelievers, becoming Christlike seems like an impossibility. To true believers, who have become new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17) and have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), their very lives testify to the fact that they are in the process of becoming Christlike. Being imperfect humans, not perfect like God and Christ, we will occasionally mess up, sin, and have the need to pray for forgiveness. But overall, as we grow to spiritual maturity, we will develop, with the Holy Spirit's help, a Christlike attitude.
Ephesians 1:17, 18 tells us: (17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: (18) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,"
The above 2 verses are all about getting to know Jesus better, to have wisdom thereby, and to understand spiritual things. This takes much prayer and Bible study. We learn about Jesus' character and attributes by reading the Holy Word. That in turn teaches us how to follow Him and to imitate Him as best we can.
They say you are what you think about. I like what Proverbs 23:7a tells us:
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he;"
In other words, if you are filling your mind and heart with godly things, reading and memorizing Scriptures, and are constantly in prayer, you will quite naturally begin to reflect Christ in your life and speech and conduct. To put it another way, if you think in your heart that you are Christ's, and seek that He shall come in and abide with you, then the victory is being won, and Christ will come and claim you for His own. You will begin to bear "fruit".
Jesus speaks of this at John 15:16 , "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you."
This reminds me of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22,23: (22) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
All of the above mentioned fruit Christ had super abundantly, and as we grow towards spiritual maturity, we may exhibit them in our lives as well.
It is the law of human nature that whatever we habitually, intelligently, and lovingly contemplate gives a color to our minds, and affects our character for good or evil. When Christ is viewed lovingly, the viewer becomes Christlike. If we would be transformed into the image of Christ, we must associate with Him, must take Him as our constant companion. Remember how often He said, "Follow Me". We must live with Jesus.
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me." John 15:4
To abide in Jesus is the law of the Christian life, and the way by which we become Christlike.
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 3:18
One commentator tells us the following: "There is a Greek fable that tells us of a very remarkable temple erected to the honor of a certain idol, and it says that those wishing to enter it had first to look at themselves in a glass placed at the entrance, and that this mirror was so constructed that at first the beholder only saw his own natural image, but that by degrees his countenance was changed into the form of the idol which he worshiped. Paul, when he wrote 2 Corinthians 3:18, apparently knew of this story, and he gave it a spiritual meaning of absolute truth. He writes to the Corinthians, who knew all these stories very well. They were the learned people of the N.T. whom he wrote to, full of Greek myths, Greek history, and Greek idols until now, but they had cast them away."
Paul says then that the gospel, the grace of God, is that mirror which they who desire to enter the temple of heaven must look into first. They begin well by looking into the gospel, into the character of Christ, and then, as they continue to look into it, Christ's image is so impressed upon them that it becomes prominent in their character and conduct. That is the idea which he puts forward.....that we all with unveiled faces reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same image.
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me." John 15:4
To abide in Jesus is the law of the Christian life, and the way by which we become Christlike.
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 3:18
One commentator tells us the following: "There is a Greek fable that tells us of a very remarkable temple erected to the honor of a certain idol, and it says that those wishing to enter it had first to look at themselves in a glass placed at the entrance, and that this mirror was so constructed that at first the beholder only saw his own natural image, but that by degrees his countenance was changed into the form of the idol which he worshiped. Paul, when he wrote 2 Corinthians 3:18, apparently knew of this story, and he gave it a spiritual meaning of absolute truth. He writes to the Corinthians, who knew all these stories very well. They were the learned people of the N.T. whom he wrote to, full of Greek myths, Greek history, and Greek idols until now, but they had cast them away."
Paul says then that the gospel, the grace of God, is that mirror which they who desire to enter the temple of heaven must look into first. They begin well by looking into the gospel, into the character of Christ, and then, as they continue to look into it, Christ's image is so impressed upon them that it becomes prominent in their character and conduct. That is the idea which he puts forward.....that we all with unveiled faces reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same image.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
I mentioned the above Scripture, without quoting it, at the beginning of this post. It deserves our attention here because it stresses that if you are a true believer in Jesus, then you are like a new creature. The old is gone; the old will is gone; whatever had been worldly and carnal is now new and spiritual. When you are truly converted, everything should change dramatically. Nothing is new physically; he is the same person, he has the same faculties: but all things are new qualitatively: he is renewed in the spirit of his mind. Where the new creature is, there all the saving graces of the Spirit are, as a pledge and an earnest of glory and happiness.
Beware of only repeating a previously prepared "sinner's prayer" or making a head decision to follow Christ. That doesn't save you. Only a true repentance and faith and belief in Jesus as your Savior; a sincere prayer for forgiveness, and a true "about face" change in a surrendered life to the Lord; wanting His Will above your own.....all this is a heart change, a radical makeover, so to speak.
Now is the time to make that decision for Christ if you haven't already. We are living in the last hour of the last days; Jesus could come for true believers at any time to Rapture them to heaven to be with Him. Those left on earth will face the horrific 7 year Tribulation. Turn to the Lord now before it is too late.
He loves you !
He will hold you tight in protective arms of love and forgiveness if you turn to Him now in repentance.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:1-2
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:1-2
"(For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" - 2 Corinthians 6:2
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