Being Like Jesus and Living Like Jesus
God came to be with us in the Person of Jesus Christ, so He could reveal Himself to us and make a way for us to be like Him. John, the Baptist, made it plain to all that those who follow the Lord are to be different. He called for repentance from sins that led to a change of actions. Jesus preached the same thing. Jesus died and rose again, so that our sins could be taken out of the way, so we could have a relationship with God that would cause us to be like Him. He showed us who He was and how to live. He did not just preach it. He lived it. There is no greater example of this than in loving our enemies. (Matthew 5:44) If we belong to Jesus, we will love our enemies, because we are like Him, and it will come out in how we act.
Jesus loved sinners like prostitutes and tax collectors. He loved the Jewish leaders who hated Him and had Him crucified. He loved the people who spit on Him and nailed Him to the Cross. Then, He died for all of them in the greatest act of love in history. He did all of this because of who He is. He is love. Now, when we come to know Jesus, we have His Spirit living in us, so we have His love. We are like Him, so we are able and responsible to live like Him. We won't do that if we are following the flesh, our human nature, but we will, if we are walking in the Spirit. When we walk in the Spirit, we are walking with God every day, like Adam and Eve did in the garden before they sinned. That is why Jesus came.
Now, we are to be like Jesus and to live like Jesus. Too many people try to live like Jesus without being like Him. It won't work, unless we are born again, and we are new in Christ. Then, we can and we will love our enemies just like Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, and just like He did every day He was on earth.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 6-8.
Jesus loved sinners like prostitutes and tax collectors. He loved the Jewish leaders who hated Him and had Him crucified. He loved the people who spit on Him and nailed Him to the Cross. Then, He died for all of them in the greatest act of love in history. He did all of this because of who He is. He is love. Now, when we come to know Jesus, we have His Spirit living in us, so we have His love. We are like Him, so we are able and responsible to live like Him. We won't do that if we are following the flesh, our human nature, but we will, if we are walking in the Spirit. When we walk in the Spirit, we are walking with God every day, like Adam and Eve did in the garden before they sinned. That is why Jesus came.
Now, we are to be like Jesus and to live like Jesus. Too many people try to live like Jesus without being like Him. It won't work, unless we are born again, and we are new in Christ. Then, we can and we will love our enemies just like Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, and just like He did every day He was on earth.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 6-8.