One of the core messages of The Gospel is to follow the ways of Christ. And while there may be a collection of directional instructions found within the pages of the Bible, I find others constantly question: “Is becoming like Jesus unrealistic?”
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
1. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” –1 Corinthians 1:11
2. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” –Ephesians 5:1-2
3. “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” –Matthew 5:48
4. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” –Romans 3:23
5. “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” –1 John 1:8
There is a noticeable difference between the first three verses when in comparison to the last two. It’s almost as if Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8 completely throw away any hope of becoming a true reflection of Christ. Why? Because Jesus was blameless, we are not.
SO, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?
Although we will never be able to become a perfect reflection of Christ in this life, this is not to deter us from seeking the perfection and blamelessness that he exudes.
DOES THIS MEAN I SHOULD GIVE UP?
Of course not! In our strive for perfection and righteousness, we will find ourselves becoming more like Christ and less like our carnal beings. His likeness is attainable, and following the teachings of Jesus is how we attain it. Paul explains this in 1 Corinthians 1:11.
WHAT’S NEXT?
If you think you’ll never live up to the life that Jesus reflected during his time here on earth, you’re probably right. But guess what? If Jesus was small enough to perfectly mimic, he wouldn’t be big enough to call LORD. Becoming like Jesus is attainable, but becoming Jesus is not. To the best of your ability, seek to live out a righteous reflection worthy of His name. Failure is inevitable, but progression is always possible. If we were flawless, we wouldn’t have a need for a perfect savior.
