1 Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1. What does it look like to be like God? What does it mean to do as Jesus did? Do we grow a long beard or grow long hair? do we throw away all our clothes and get white robes? Do we trade in our shoes for only sandals? These things may make us look physically like Jesus but that will not make us like Jesus. You can look like someone but not be like them. If you are in a play, and you have to play a king or something like that, and even though you look the part but act like the jester or the knight it doesn't make you the king in the play just because you look the part. when playing the part, you have to act not just look like the king in this example. Same thing if we were to play Jesus is a play, not only would we have to look like Him, but act like Him. The same way we would in a play be and act like Jesus, we need to do it in real life.
We need to act the part not just look the part but how do we do that. For this, we will look at the Bible not what he looked like physically but how He acted. For to be imitators as the verse says we need to act like Him. 21 For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps, 22 He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:21-24
Let's unpack these verses, the first verse talks about this is an example so we will follow Him in His footsteps. The next verse 22 says He who committed no sin or deceit was in His Mouth, we are to be like that and have no sin or deceit in our mouth. we are to strive to be like that because we know that we fall short of the glory of God. When being like him we will be mocked and abusively insulted but just like the verse say we are not to do that in return just like Jesus didn't return those things. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic from him either. Luke 6:29. If people hurt you, we are to return the favor or return what they have done to us we are to give them the other Cheek or tunic like the verse says. Just like Jesus did not repay evil for evil. We are not to repay evil for evil, we are to forgive just like Jesus forgave. Jesus was Beaten and had every right to do harm to those who hurt Him because He had done nothing wrong but we didn't He prayed for them. [But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” ] And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves. Luke 23:34. Jesus prayed for them in the midst of all that was happening to Him. Let that sink in as we leave it there for today.
Have a blessed day!!!!!
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
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