“Have the desire to be in the likeness of Christ more than the desire to be blessed, safe or used by Christ”
It is the will of God for us to live in the likeness of Christ. In these days where people are praying and longing for blessings, protection and to be used by god, it is more important to live in the likeness of christ than to be blessed, safe and used by God. Don’t just be yourself, be something more, be like Jesus.
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him(Christ) in all things, which is the head, even Christ” - Ephesians 4:15
Apostle Paul quotes in Ephesians 4:15 that we have to grow up into Christ, here we bring three qualities a believer must have to grow up into the likeness of Christ.
LOVE
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love” - Ephesians 3:17
To grow up into Christ(Eph 4:15) you first have to be rooted and grounded in Love(Eph 3:17). And speaking of love the first place to showcase love is in the family and next comes your church and all other areas of your life. And you know what Jesus says in Matthew 5:44, he says “Love your enemies”. One of the major reason for the church not growing today is love is being weakened in many of us. In 1 Ephesians 13:1, Apostle Paul says “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” And if we go forward in that chapter, he also says that even the gift of prophesy, knowledge to understand all mysteries and sacrifices are all nothing without Love, even faith is nothing without Love.
HOLINESS
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” - 1 Peter 2:1-2
To grow into the likeness of Christ we must grow in Holiness. One of the major thing that leads us away from holiness is the desire of the flesh. The more desire and love we have for the flesh, the more we get away from holiness. Bible says in 1 Peter 1:16 “Be ye holy; for I am holy”. We serve a Holy God who expects us to be holy. In this era of Internet and Social Media, many believers these days are falling prey to evil and darkness through what they watch, so we need to be careful with our sight for the bible says in Matthew 6:22 that “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness”.
FORGIVENESS
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” - Ephesians 4:32
God has the heart of forgiveness, and to grow into the likeness of Christ we must also have the heart of forgiveness. It all once again begins in the family. We must have a forgiving heart towards everyone in our family and towards everyone in our life. Unforgiveness is the work of the devil. We can learn from the life of Jesus, how he forgave the people who were nailing him to the cross saying “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”(Luke 23:34). And there was also an instance where Peter asked Jesus how many times should he forgive his brother who has sinned against him to which Jesus replied “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” God wants you to forgive everyone and moreover you need to forgive because you also need to be forgiven.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us the ways in which we can grow into the likeness of Christ. Lord we pray that you will set our desires right and Lord, create in us a heart of Love and Forgiveness and help us to be Holy so that we can grow and live our lives in the likeness of Jesus Christ and do it all for your glory. Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ we pray, AMEN.
_ Content: Rev.Dr.D.Isaac
_ Courtesy Credit: Sharon Thalapally
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