Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, came into this world, to serve and not to be served. He came to live a blameless life; a life of righteousness. A life which was perfect in every way. And, through His perfection and Holiness, He conquered this world, and became the perfect sacrifice in exchange for our ransom. But Jesus' testimony here on earth-through His very life-was meant for more...Allow me to elaborate:
You see, the life led by Jesus, was an example for His children, His redeemed people, to follow. In other words, those of us who have accepted the gift of God's grace, and have been washed clean by the blood of the Holy Lamb, (a.k.a. Jesus), are called to live Christ-like lives. And as you read this blog post, you may be asking yourself: "What exactly does that mean anyway?" Well, it means we must to strive to live a life that mirrors, the character, and the actions of Jesus Christ during His 33 years-(prior to His crucifixion), and 40 days, (after His resurrection), of life here on earth. In practical terms, that means we are called to do the following:
(NOTE: The bible verses quoted below, were taken from the New Living Translation of the Bible)
1- Love God the Father, with all of our hearts, all of our souls and all of our minds.
"Jesus replied: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."
(Matthew 22:37-38).
2- Love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
"A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39)
3- Be humble.
"Therefore I [Paul], as a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle." (Ephesians 4:1-2a)
4- Be merciful and kind, patient, and compassionate towards others.
"Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, and patience."
(Colossians 3:12)
5- Genuinely forgive those who have offended and/or sinned against us, so that we might be forgiven by our Heavenly Father.
"If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6: 14)
6- Be tolerant and patient towards our brothers and sisters in Christ, and others. So that we might testify of Christ's work in us, through both our actions, and our reactions to the adverse circumstances around us.
"Be patient with each other, making allowance for each others' faults because of your love."
(Ephesians 4:1-2b)
7- To serve each other with gladness and wholeheartedness. Thus, serving the Lord Himself.
"Then the King will say to those on His right: 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me..." "And the King will say: 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!" (Matthew 25:34-36, 40)
8-To worship the Lord our God, in spirit and in truth. For He is Good! His love and mercy endure forever! We must worship the Lord our God for who He is-first and foremost-as well as, for what He has done, is doing, and will do for us! Amen!
"Shout to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues from generation to generation." (Psalms 100: 1-5)
It is imperative to note, and to emphasize the fact, that we must carry out the content of this admittedly incomplete guideline to leading a Christ-like life, placing equal importance, in each and every one of its commands. In other words, the order in which they are written here, should not be taken as a sign of orderly importance; for when it comes to obeying the Word of the Lord, each command, is just as important as the next.
It is my sincere and heartfelt prayer to God the Father, that every child of God, may flourish and grow in Christ, as they strive to live Christ-like lives, with the guidance, strength, and wisdom of God's Holy Spirit. So that those who do not yet know the truth, may come to find it, thorough the church of Christ Jesus. May we effectively fulfill our roles as ambassadors of Christ Jesus, for the glory of His Holy name. (Amen!).
May those who are not yet saved, see the difference that Christ has made in our lives, and seek the Fountain of Life and Truth for themselves as well. For it is our job to spread the word; but it is also our job to practice what we preach, so that the world may see its credibility in our lives. So that we, may not be called hypocrites, and thus, become direct contributors to unbelief and skepticism! May the Lord Himself guide, assist, and strengthen us in this everlasting endeavor!
It is in the Holy Name of Jesus-who is worthy of all praise, glory, and honor-that I pray,
Amen & Amen!
All glory, honor, and praise be to God! Both now, and forever!
Amen & Amen!
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