Day 22: Created to become like Christ

..::*+ Small Talk +*::..

I'm not idiot >.<

Check check...
*What are you doing now, Qi Hao?*
**Imma good boy young man today!**
*Good good*
**Thank you!**

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Day 22: Created to become like Christ

A long journey I had, I would say. And now, I'm at the 22nd Chapter. And it tells me the 3rd purpose of life - you were created to become like Christ.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..
Genesis 1:26

Image? Likeness? Like how? We do not know all, but there are some aspects that we know:
1. Like God, we are spiritual beings - our spirits are immortal and last eternally.
2. We are intellectual - We can think, reason and solve problems.
3. Like God, we are relational - We give and receive love
4. We have a moral consciousness - We differentiate right from wrong.

And all of these link to one - It looks like Jesus Christ! God wants His children to bear His image and likeness. We know we will never become God. But many still fall for this cliché sweet words of Satan's. This was what happened in Garden of Eden.

God does not want you to become a god; He wants you to become godly - taking on His values, attitudes and character.

You were taught, with regards to your former way of life, to put off your old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24

Our ultimate goal for life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow to be like Christ. It does not mean loosing your own personality, but about transforming your character, not your personality.

Christlikeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality.
Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Life

God wants us to develop the beatitudes of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit, Paul's great chapter on love, and last but not least, Peter's list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life.

Life is supposed to be difficult. So don't complain so much, but instead be happy of it, for it is what enables us to grow. Earth is not heaven!!

Jesus did not promise a life of perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of your dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer. Forget not that God is not your servant. And Life is about God. We exist for His purpose, and this is not vice versa.

Why would God provide heaven on earth when he's planned the real thing for you in eternity?
Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Life

God's Spirit working in you

Holy Spirit has the job to produce Christlike character in us.

... until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13

Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the changes God want to make in our lives. You yourself are not able to do so on your own. When talk about Holy Spirit, many of us will think of miraculous signs and wonders and intense emotions. But most of the time Holy Spirit works in a gentle whisper.

Christlikeness is not produced by imitation, but by inhabitation.
Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Life

How? Through the choices we made. We choose to do the right thing in situations and then trust God's Spirit to give us what He think we deserve to have. We are always available for these asking, since God's Spirit lives in us.

Thus, we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work. A clear thing in the Bible is that, the Holy Spirit releases His power the moment we take a step of faith. There are lots of examples of this. And remember, obedience unlocks God's power. Just do it. Act first. Don't wait until you feel powerful or confident. Take along your weaknesses and move ahead, do the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops.

The Bible compares spiritual growth to a seed, a building, and a child growing up. Each metaphor requires active participation: Seeds must be planted and cultivated, buildings must be built - they don't just appear - and children must eat and exercise to grow.
Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Life

Effort has nothing to do with your salvation, but you spiritual growth. Paul in Ephesians 4:22-24 explained 3 responsibilities to become Christlike:
1. Choose to let go of old ways of acting.
2. Change the way we think.
3. "Put on" the character of Christ by developing new, godly habits.


God uses His Words, people and circumstances to mold us. God's Words provide the truth we need to grow, God's people provide the support that we need to grow, and circumstances provide the environment we need to practice Christlikeness. Bible study and prayer alone is not enough. And for people like us, we are more convinced through testimonies rather than a book, no?

So we must learn to be around with other people and interact with them. Be part of church and community. Why?

Because true spiritual maturity is all about learning to love like Jesus, and you can't practice being like Jesus without being in relationship with other people. Remember, it's all about love - loving God and other people.
Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Life

Becoming Christlike is a long, slow process of growth. God is far more interested in building your character than he is anything else. Becoming like Him is a process that will take your entire life on earth. Jesus did not lie on the cross so just that we could live comfortable, well-adjusted life. He wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven. Our privilege, our immediate responsibility, and our ultimate destiny.


Vincent