How can I become more Christlike?

Answer

Becoming more like Christ is the desire of every believer, and it is encouraging to know that God has the same desire for us. In fact, the Bible states that God “predestined [believers] to be conformed to the likeness of his Son” «For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. », (Romans 8:29). Transforming us into Christlikeness is God’s work, and He will see it through to completion «being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: », (Philippians 1:6).

However, the fact that God will shape us into Christlikeness doesn’t imply we can relax and be carried to heaven “on flow’ry beds of ease.” The process requires our willing cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Becoming more Christlike necessitates both divine power and the fulfillment of human responsibility.

Three factors contribute to our progression towards Christlikeness: our surrender to God, our liberation from sin, and our spiritual growth.

1) Growing more Christlike stems from surrendering to God. Romans 12:1-2 teaches that worship entails complete self-dedication to God. We offer our bodies as “living sacrifices,” and our minds are renewed and transformed.

When Jesus said, “Follow me,” Levi abandoned his money tables immediately «And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. », (Mark 2:14); likewise, we willingly surrender all we possess to follow the Lord. As John the Baptist stated, “He must become greater, and I must become less” «He must increase, but I must decrease. ».

eater; I must become less” «He must increase, but I must decrease. », (John 3:30), so we focus more and more on Jesus and His glory, losing ourselves in His will.

2) Becoming more Christlike is the result of freedom from sin. Since Jesus lived a sinless life, the more we consider ourselves “dead to sin” «Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. », (Romans 6:11) and live a life of purity, the more like Jesus we will be. As we offer ourselves to God, sin is no longer our master, and we are more clearly identified with Christ (Romans 6:1-14).

Jesus invites us to follow Him, and we have His example of obedience «If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. », (John 15:10), sacrificial love (John 15:12-13), and patient suffering (1 Peter 2:19-23). We also have the example of the apostles, who modeled Christ «Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. », (1 Corinthians 11:1).

When it comes to restraining sin in our lives, we have divine help: praise the Lord for the Word of God «Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee. », (Psalm 119:11), the intercession of Christ (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25), and the power of the Spirit who indwells us (Romans 8:4; Galatians 5:16)!

3) Becoming more Christlike is the result of Christian growth. When we are first saved, we are immature in wisdom and knowledge and inexperienced in grace and love. But then we grow. In each of these things, our charge is to become stronger—and more Christlike. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” «But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.», (2 Peter 3:18). “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else” «And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: », (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

Right now, God works in us: “We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord” «But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.», (2 Corinthians 3:18). One day, however, the process will be complete: “When he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” «Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. », (1 John 3:2). The promise of being fully Christlike in the future is in itself.Motivation for striving to be more like Christ today: “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure” «And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. », (1 John 3:3).