Christ-Like?

[MindTwister]

Yesterday I had a long conversation with a friend of mine.
It started off by him saying that he does not like the word "Christian" and prefers the word "Believer" because he feels saying "Christian" has become like a password/blanket statement to most people. That when people hear/say "Christian" they expect and only think about the front stage/apparent behavioral aspect of it but not about the belief part. He says that when he hears "Christian" he sees a religious thing, not convictions...

He went on to ask what does it mean to be "Christ-like"? He asked if we can really be LIKE Christ and then said that we are all humans and will never be like Christ.
I told him that I don't think we are called to BE perfect that as Christians we should try our best to be like Christ. We all fall down but we ask God through the power of the Holy Spirit to help us move forward and be better.
He said "what's the point of saying "Christ-Like" if we can't be like Him? He also asked if being "Christ-Like" means to resemble Christ as closely as we can? Is it about trying? Finally he said that if it's about trying then we are not really in God's image...

So ladies what would you have said to all this? Are we called to perfection?
I don't believe so and believe that if it was the case we might as well give up because I do think we will never be perfect like Christ...
Anyways I'd love to know what you would have answered to his questions

 

[pebbles]

Yesterday I had a long conversation with a friend of mine.
It started off by him saying that he does not like the word "Christian" and prefers the word "Believer" because he feels saying "Christian" has become like a password/blanket statement to most people. That when people hear/say "Christian" they expect and only think about the front stage/apparent behavioral aspect of it but not about the belief part. He says that when he hears "Christian" he sees a religious thing, not convictions...

He went on to ask what does it mean to be "Christ-like"? He asked if we can really be LIKE Christ and then said that we are all humans and will never be like Christ.
I told him that I don't think we are called to BE perfect that as Christians we should try our best to be like Christ. We all fall down but we ask God through the power of the Holy Spirit to help us move forward and be better.
He said "what's the point of saying "Christ-Like" if we can't be like Him? He also asked if being "Christ-Like" means to resemble Christ as closely as we can? Is it about trying? Finally he said that if it's about trying then we are not really in God's image...

So ladies what would you have said to all this? Are we called to perfection?
I don't believe so and believe that if it was the case we might as well give up because I do think we will never be perfect like Christ...
Anyways I'd love to know what you have answered to his questions

I once read somewhere that if you cannot see Christ in a Christian life, that Christian is a spiritual failure. I understand what your friend is saying. There are many people who claim to be Christian, but they do not live the life of a believer, and if you look at their everyday life, no where is Jesus Christ evident.

God, Himself, is a Holy God with no darkness or unrighteousness to be found in Him. 1 John :5 "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all."

We are called to be holy before God. Leviticus 19:2 "You shall be holy", says the Lord, "for I the Lord your God am Holy."

As you said, God doesn't expect us to be perfect. He made us and knows our limitations, so He gave us Jesus Christ, whose shed blood covers our sins before the Lord, and allows us to make honest mistakes and pick ourselves up and keep striving to be Christ-like.

Being Christ-like is a tremendous challenge. The first order of business in being Christ-like is found in John15:12: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

If one understands the depth of love Jesus had for us, to give His own life for the sins we committed so that those who believe in Him might have eternal life, this first command is a very tall order. I don't think humans can love on the level of the Lord. I'm trying, but I haven't mastered this yet. And I don't know anyone who has. I consider all Christians a tremendous work in progress.

 

[MindTwister]

I once read somewhere that if you cannot see Christ in a Christian life, that Christian is a spiritual failure. I understand what your friend is saying. There are many people who claim to be Christian, but they do not live the life of a believer, and if you look at their everyday life, no where is Jesus Christ evident.

God, Himself, is a Holy God with no darkness or unrighteousness to be found in Him. 1 John :5 "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all."

We are called to be holy before God. Leviticus 19:2 "You shall be holy", says the Lord, "for I the Lord your God am Holy."

As you said, God doesn't expect us to be perfect. He made us and knows our limitations, so He gave us Jesus Christ, whose shed blood covers our sins before the Lord, and allows us to make honest mistakes and pick ourselves up and keep striving to be Christ-like.

Being Christ-like is a tremendous challenge. The first order of business in being Christ-like is found in John15:12: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

If one understands the depth of love Jesus had for us, to give His own life for the sins we committed so that those who believe in Him might have eternal life, this first command is a very tall order. I don't think humans can love on the level of the Lord. I'm trying, but I haven't mastered this yet. And I don't know anyone who has. I consider all Christians a tremendous work in progress.

Love you Pebbles, you articulated really nicely what I think and I agree with you.
One of the questions I asked him and I think everyone who says to be Christian (myself included) should ask themselves is: how does faith in God, your beliefs and your love for Him translate into your actual/practical life?
It's a question I'm asking you ladies who are willing to answer

Also his statment "if it's about trying then we are not really in God's image" makes me ask: what exatly does it mean that Man was created in God's image?
Looking forward to any input on this one also

 

[pebbles]

Love you Pebbles, you articulated really nicely what I think and I agree with you.
One of the questions I asked him and I think everyone who says to be Christian (myself included) should ask themselves is: how does faith in God, your beliefs and your love for Him translate into your actual/practical life?
It's a question I'm asking you ladies who are willing to answer

Also his statment "if it's about trying then we are not really in God's image" makes me ask: what exatly does it mean that Man was created in God's image?
Looking forward to any input on this one also

Great question!

I think one of the greatest challenges for believers on this walk of faith is putting our total trust in the Lord, for all things. I know it was a challenge for me, and at times it still is. Sometimes I want God to do things as I tell Him to.

But my latest prayer has been for God to make me totally submitted to Him. That He would give me a spirit of total submission to His Will.

I love the Lord. I want to love Him more and more each day. And every day, I want the Lord to draw me closer to Him. The trouble is dealing with the world around me.

I've found that standing up for God's truth makes you unpopular. If you don't conform to what the world wants of you, you are outcast. What was once wrong is now right, and what was right is now wrong. People just don't want to hear about Jesus Christ. I've noticed that you can mention any other religious figure, and folks are fine. But name the Name of Jesus Christ, and you've started a riot. Good grief! So much of the world hates the mention of Jesus Christ!

I don't care. This is how it has to be. Jesus said so. I live my life according to His word, each day trying harder to perfect my walk with Christ. I fail regularly, but God's Grace sustains me. Did I answer your question? Let me know if I missed it!

As to the second part of your friends question, remember that God is not a person, He's a spirit. When we were made in His image, God meant that we should be morally like Him, without sin. With the help of the devil, Adam and Eve messed that part up. Thus to redeem us, God sent Jesus Christ to die for us, so that all those who believe in His sacrifice might be reconciled back to God.

Shimmie, correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[CaramelMiSS]

If you believe in Jesus you will do or at least make an effort to do what he did and walk in his shoes. And for your friend who asks how can we be "Christ-like" , I would tell he to read the first 4 books of the new testament then come and talk to me about it.

 

[ritzbitz78]

Great questions and answers ladies...

We ARE made in God's image in these ways: we have choice, we are able to create, we are able to make moral decisions... intelligence (capacity to have it)

Animals weren't created in the image of God, so we can compare how humans are different from animals.

I believe that Christ was perfect. He didn't sin once in His life. I believe Christ Jesus is 100% human AND 100%God. God clad in human flesh... (John 1:14)

God's standard for us is Jesus, which is essentially PERFECTION...

BUT we all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

But Jesus died to take the penalty for us messing up, AND to give us grace to live in OBEDIENCE to him, not to continue in sin.

God's standard for us has not changed, HE still CAN NOT stand sin, it is against His very character, but He loves us, and provided us with a solution, Jesus.

Many of us today, think that we can live with selfishness, lust, envy, jealousy etc, and still be 'cool' with God... But Jesus didn't die to save us in sin, but FROM sin...

As we draw closer to Jesus, all sin will (SHOULD) repulse us and we will choose not to partake in it, and his grace and blood will cleanse FROM all unrighteosness. For it is sin the killed our Savior.


In Jude 24 it says about Jesus: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you "FAULTLESS" before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy

Lets start a list of the one sin, God is going to allow into heaven:

1.
2.
3.

(I can't think of any)

 

[pebbles]

Great questions and answers ladies...

We ARE made in God's image in these ways: we have choice, we are able to create, we are able to make moral decisions... intelligence (capacity to have it)

Animals weren't created in the image of God, so we can compare how humans are different from animals.

I believe that Christ was perfect. He didn't sin once in His life. I believe Christ Jesus is 100% human AND 100%God. God clad in human flesh... (John 1:14)

God's standard for us is Jesus, which is essentially PERFECTION...

BUT we all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

But Jesus died to take the penalty for us messing up, AND to give us grace to live in OBEDIENCE to him, not to continue in sin.

God's standard for us has not changed, HE still CAN NOT stand sin, it is against His very character, but He loves us, and provided us with a solution, Jesus.

Many of us today, think that we can live with selfishness, lust, envy, jealousy etc, and still be 'cool' with God... But Jesus didn't die to save us in sin, but FROM sin...

As we draw closer to Jesus, all sin will (SHOULD) repulse us and we will choose not to partake in it, and his grace and blood will cleanse FROM all unrighteosness. For it is sin the killed our Savior.


In Jude 24 it says about Jesus: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you "FAULTLESS" before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy

Lets start a list of the one sin, God is going to allow into heaven:

1.
2.
3.

(I can't think of any)

That's because there aren't any. There can be no sin where a Holy God resides. Thank God for The Blood!

 

[*ElleB]

Great questions and answers ladies...

We ARE made in God's image in these ways: we have choice, we are able to create, we are able to make moral decisions... intelligence (capacity to have it)

Animals weren't created in the image of God, so we can compare how humans are different from animals.

I believe that Christ was perfect. He didn't sin once in His life. I believe Christ Jesus is 100% human AND 100%God. God clad in human flesh... (John 1:14)

God's standard for us is Jesus, which is essentially PERFECTION...

BUT we all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

But Jesus died to take the penalty for us messing up, AND to give us grace to live in OBEDIENCE to him, not to continue in sin.

God's standard for us has not changed, HE still CAN NOT stand sin, it is against His very character, but He loves us, and provided us with a solution, Jesus.

Many of us today, think that we can live with selfishness, lust, envy, jealousy etc, and still be 'cool' with God... But Jesus didn't die to save us in sin, but FROM sin...

As we draw closer to Jesus, all sin will (SHOULD) repulse us and we will choose not to partake in it, and his grace and blood will cleanse FROM all unrighteosness. For it is sin the killed our Savior.


In Jude 24 it says about Jesus: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you "FAULTLESS" before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy

Lets start a list of the one sin, God is going to allow into heaven:

1.
2.
3.

(I can't think of any)

Very well said! You are preaching!

 

[MindTwister]

wow thanks Pebbles & Ritzbitz for your replies, u sure are saying very valuable things that I agree with