Stop Trying to Be Like Jesus
Embrace your new creation identity.
When will we Christians realize that we can’t continually strive to be “like Jesus” or become “more like Jesus”?
Did the clay strive for years to become a vase?
Striving to imitate Jesus through our own efforts often leads to frustration, disillusionment, and a profound sense of inadequacy. And that is the proper way to feel in strife.
This fundamental misunderstanding of becoming like Jesus has persisted for centuries and is a recipe for a miserable Christian experience as some of you may know.
The essence of Christian faith lies in recognizing that the Christian life is not about imitating the historical Jesus through our best efforts and performance.
It’s more about allowing the risen and living Lord Jesus to manifest Himself through us, and understanding that we are also in Christ, creating a unified new creation. We can’t become like Him. So, we rest in Him, no striving required.
Embracing this new identity leads to deep contentment and lasting joy because the 2 HAVE become one being.
Embrace the Living Christ Within
Ever since the new covenant began, Christians have been tempted to reduce their faith to a set of performances and moral examples. This tragic misrepresentation of the gospel has turned a dynamic, living faith into a series of acts and rituals.
Paul’s question to the Corinthians remains relevant today: “Do you not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?” (II Cor. 13:5).
Many Christians today would have to answer, “No, we do not recognize that Jesus lives in us.” This lack of recognition points to a significant issue in how the Christian faith is taught and understood.
Pastors and teachers often fail to convey that Christianity is about the living Lord Jesus being alive in His people today. Jesus is not merely a historical figure, a moral teacher, or a doctrine. He is the living Savior who desires to live out His resurrection life in a loving relationship of love, respect and, loyalty with us.
The Unity of Christ and Believers
The Christian journey is not about striving to be “like Jesus” or to “live for Jesus.” Instead, it’s about allowing Jesus to live His life through us and recognizing that we are in Christ as well.
This union with Christ means that the two have become one new creation. As believers, we are not separate from Christ but are integrally connected to Him. And each other! The living Lord Jesus is fully capable of being and doing whatever He desires as He resides within us, and we are empowered by being in Him.
I hope this perspective is challenging the traditional performance-based approach to Christianity. Believers can embrace a faith that is vibrant, dynamic, and rooted in the presence of the living Christ. Living out the reality that Christ is in us and we are in Christ. We are a new creation that embodies His life and character strife free.
The Path to Lasting Joy
Trying to live like Jesus through our own efforts is not only impossible but also leads to a disheartening and unfulfilled Christian experience. True joy and deep contentment come from embracing our identity in Christ and allowing His life to be lived through us. This shift from performance to presence transforms our faith into a source of genuine happiness and peace.
Experience the Living Christ as only the New Creation Can
Are you ready to move beyond a performance-based faith and experience the true essence of Christianity? Reflect on Paul’s question to the Corinthians and examine whether you recognize Jesus Christ living within you and acknowledge your place in Him as a new creation.
PS: Talk to God about it. He’s got your back, it’s his back too afterall!
