Recent Consideration

I deeply value life-change, but not just for the sake of change. I eagerly want to become more like Jesus. I realize it is a lifetime ambition. But, if I’m not being changed into His likeness, I realize I’m fossilizing, which is only a shell of what once was.

In processing the idea of changing into His likeness, I’ve had to wrestle with exactly what might His likeness actually looks like. After referencing God’s design for how believers grow spiritually, Paul wrote, “And so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God; we shall become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ’s full stature.” Ephesians 4:13 (TEV) “…For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…” Romans 8:29 (ESV) This begs the question; what might be the common definition of what “the very height of His full stature” or “the image of his Son” looks like in real time? Is it similar to the old familiar phrase “What would Jesus do” which is subject to the perspective the person quoting it might have of Jesus? If they envisioned Jesus as being very tolerant, they might say He wouldn’t mind me committing adultery or stealing because He would want me to be happy.

To have an accurate definition of the “full stature” and “image” of Christ, we must find a dependable source that isn’t determined by human opinion or fantasy. To do this, we would need to examine the values, attitude, character factors He displayed and/or also found in His teaching while living on this earth. I started listing a few such characteristics that would be consistent with those factors. Here is my starting list. You can add to it or subtract from it. A growing apprentice of Him would continually increase in having…

• A spirit with the likeness of Jesus’ passionate spirit for His Father
• His passionate spirit became clear in how He restricted His own desire to the point He did ONLY what He saw (or otherwise sensed) His Father do. (Jn. 5:19)
• He disciplined Himself to get up before dawn to talk with His father. (Mk. 1:35)
• He obeyed to the point of allowing Himself to be crucified. (Phil. 2:8)
• Asking instead of telling, which shows respect for the rights of others to choose to follow Jesus and grow into His likeness on their own. (Mt. 10:21)
• Self-sacrificing perspective of life. (Jn. 10:11, 15)
• A relationship with Christ that reflects a deep conviction and confidence in who they are and what they are doing. (Jn. 13:3)
• Trust/confidence in the voice of the Spirit and the Bible instead of logic or emotion or others. Or perhaps it could be said, His apprentice would not try to counsel God but listens and obeys Him. (Jn 8:26)

It is not just about doing what He did, it is about being the person He was. Considering this, you can also contemplate Jesus’s other defining characteristics. He was gentle rather than harsh. In the Sermon on the Mount, He taught about the characteristics He himself embodied.

Defining characteristics Jesus Christ lived out makes my aspirations feel more tangible. I have a clear target of what I am aiming at and can tell how much closer I’m getting to the bullseye. This helps me to see if I am growing or fossilizing. How might it affect you?

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