All through the new testament there is a theme....
Rom 8:29; For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
We are supposed to be conformed into the image of Jesus... we are supposed to be like Him.
2 Cor 3:18; 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.
Col 3:10; and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—
This doesn't mean we become God, or the creator of the universe. We become more like Jesus in His actions,
His thoughts, His compassion.
1 Jn 2:6; the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
We should "walk" in the same manner Jesus did.
1 Cor 11:1; Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
We should be imitators of Christ.
Eph 4:24; and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
The word Christian means "follower of Christ". If Jesus is the Christ then we should be followers of Jesus.
We should do what He did, live like He lived. Obey like He obeyed. Love like He loved.
Jesus called himself the "son of man" more than any other name. Virtually everything Jesus did, He did in a way we could also do it. There were some godly things He did to be sure. But when it came to how to love people, have compassion for people, servitude, and obedience to the Father... we should be just like Jesus.
Jesus never sinned. That may be beyond most of us... but it is something to strive for. To be like Jesus, to be conformed in His image. To take of the "old self" and be "clothed with Christ". ( Gal 3:27; )
Believing in Jesus is one thing. It's a good start. You have to believe in someone before you start following them. (Otherwise, why would you follow them?) You have to know about them, what they did, how they lived before you can start doing the same things.
A relationship is important, if you don't really know Him. If you don't really know His heart, then how can you be like Him? The thing that was most important to to Jesus was honoring the Father, doing whatever the Father asked HImto, and whatever would give God the Father glory. I dare anyone to show me anywhere in the Bible where anything else was more important than that one thing to Jesus.
..and yet, we are supposed to be like Him. We are supposedly being "conformed" to His image.
We are supposed to "have the mind of Christ".
1 Cor 2:16; For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.
If we are supposed to be like Jesus.... loving others and having compassion for others. Obeying the Father no matter what and seeking to honor and glorify Him above all things... how are you doing?
Do you really meet the definition of the "Christian" (follower) or are you simply someone who "believes" in Jesus?
Rom 8:29; For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
We are supposed to be conformed into the image of Jesus... we are supposed to be like Him.
2 Cor 3:18; 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.
Col 3:10; and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—
This doesn't mean we become God, or the creator of the universe. We become more like Jesus in His actions,
His thoughts, His compassion.
1 Jn 2:6; the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
We should "walk" in the same manner Jesus did.
1 Cor 11:1; Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
We should be imitators of Christ.
Eph 4:24; and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
The word Christian means "follower of Christ". If Jesus is the Christ then we should be followers of Jesus.
We should do what He did, live like He lived. Obey like He obeyed. Love like He loved.
Jesus called himself the "son of man" more than any other name. Virtually everything Jesus did, He did in a way we could also do it. There were some godly things He did to be sure. But when it came to how to love people, have compassion for people, servitude, and obedience to the Father... we should be just like Jesus.
Jesus never sinned. That may be beyond most of us... but it is something to strive for. To be like Jesus, to be conformed in His image. To take of the "old self" and be "clothed with Christ". ( Gal 3:27; )
Believing in Jesus is one thing. It's a good start. You have to believe in someone before you start following them. (Otherwise, why would you follow them?) You have to know about them, what they did, how they lived before you can start doing the same things.
A relationship is important, if you don't really know Him. If you don't really know His heart, then how can you be like Him? The thing that was most important to to Jesus was honoring the Father, doing whatever the Father asked HImto, and whatever would give God the Father glory. I dare anyone to show me anywhere in the Bible where anything else was more important than that one thing to Jesus.
..and yet, we are supposed to be like Him. We are supposedly being "conformed" to His image.
We are supposed to "have the mind of Christ".
1 Cor 2:16; For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.
If we are supposed to be like Jesus.... loving others and having compassion for others. Obeying the Father no matter what and seeking to honor and glorify Him above all things... how are you doing?
Do you really meet the definition of the "Christian" (follower) or are you simply someone who "believes" in Jesus?