Becoming Like Jesus: Five Biblical Paths to Christlikeness

God’s ultimate purpose is not only that we receive answers, opportunities, and material progress, but that we continually conform to the image of Christ. Drawing from Romans 8:29–30, Galatians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Colossians 3:9–11, Ephesians 4:13–15, and 1 Peter 2:21–24, this message explores five biblical expressions of Christlikeness. You will be encouraged to allow God’s Word to transform you, form Christ within you, renew your mind, establish you in spiritual maturity, and help you follow the example of Jesus.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:27

His ultimate purpose is that the life and character of Christ become increasingly visible in you. Good morning and welcome to this expression of igniting your day. There are seasons when we come before God carrying questions about our progress, our opportunities, our expectations, and the things happening around us. We ask, Lord, I know you are with me, but why is this happening? Why has that not happened? How should I navigate this season? Over the past few weeks, I have brought several of those questions before the Lord. Sometimes I came to express how I felt, other times it felt almost like I was protesting certain situations around me. Yet, whenever I prayed about those matters, one response remained consistent. I know how you feel, but that is not my ultimate purpose for you. I know how you feel, but that is not my greatest plan for you. Those things are not big enough when compared with my purpose for your life. Leave them for now and continue conforming to my image. In all honesty, I struggled with that instruction for a while. I understood that God wanted me to conform to the image of Christ, but I asked, Lord, how? Teach me. What does it mean for me to conform to your image? Then the Lord drew my attention to Romans chapter 8, verse 29 to 30. The Bible says there, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. In this passage, I saw that conformity to the image of Christ is central to God's purpose for the believer. God has a glorious destiny for you. He has a glorious destiny for me. He has a glorious destiny for our children. He has a glorious destiny for our spouses and for everyone who has received the life He gives through Christ. But the passage begins by showing us God's purpose that we should be conformed to the image of His Son. I do not know what is happening around you today. I do not know the complaints, requests, expectations, disappointments, or preferences you may be carrying. Perhaps you are concerned about the results of an examination. Perhaps you have invested effort into something, but the expected results have not come. Perhaps you are searching for a new job or trusting God for progress in a particular area. I empathize with you. Those matters are real and they can affect the quality of your daily life. However, there is a central truth God wants us to understand. His ultimate purpose is that we continually conform to the image of his son. In simple terms, this means Christ-likeness. God wants you and me to become more and more like Christ in every area of our lives. I may not know exactly what conformity to Christ looks like in every profession. I may not know all the Christ, all that Christ-likeness requires of a soldier defending a nation, of a medical doctor caring for patients, a teacher standing before students, or a person serving in another field. Yet, scriptures revealed clear ways through which Christ-likeness is developed in us. Yes, the scripture reveals clear ways through which Christ-likeness is developed in us. I see five biblical expressions of conformity to the image of Christ. Number one, the Bible says, be transformed into Christ's image. 2 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 18. It says, 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. This passage reveals both what we are now and what we can become. We are transformed as we behold the Lord. As we look steadily into the counsel of God, the Holy Spirit changes us into the image we are beholding. This is important because transformation does not happen merely through human effort. It happens as we continually expose our hearts and minds to God's truth and allow the Spirit of God to work in us. The counsel of God may come through the written word, and it may also come through a specific truth God reveals and applies to our present situation. As we continue to behold that truth, meditate upon it, return to it, and allow it to fill our minds, we are gradually transformed. We become increasingly shaped by what we consistently behold. Why don't you therefore declare this morning that as you relate with the Word of God, you are transformed into the image you behold? That as you meditate upon God's counsel, it fills your mind and shapes your life. That you become inseparable from the word in your home, in your work, in your movement, and in every area of your life. Speak over your children as well. Yes, that they do well in everything concerning them, that they become inseparable from the word of God. Declare that technological advancement will never separate them from God's truth. Technology may change, technology may evolve. We pray the methods through which the scripture is assessed in the name of Jesus, no matter how it evolves, we declare their love for God will continue to remain strong in the name of Jesus. Secondly, the Bible talks about Christ being formed in you. Galatians chapter 4, verse 19 says, My little children, Apostle Paul speaking, of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you. In this context, false teachers were persuading the Galatian believers that faith in Christ was not sufficient. They were being drawn away from dependence upon Christ and back into religious bondage. Paul had already challenged them earlier in the letter. They had begun in the spirit, but they were being pressured to continue by the flesh. Therefore, Paul expressed a deep pastoral burden here, saying, I labor again until Christ is formed in you. The Galatians were facing strong external influences. Paul's response was to pray for a deeper internal formation of Christ. This teaches us something important. When external influences are growing stronger, we should pray for Christ to be formed more deeply within us. The stronger the formation of Christ within a person, the greater that person's capacity to recognize and resist influences that contradict them. This may be your prayer that the child needs. This may be the prayer rather that your child needs. This may be the prayer that you need for yourself. That the formation of Christ in you will not be slow. That the formation of Christ in you will not be weak. That the formation of Christ in you will not be superficial. Declare this morning in the name of Jesus that you enjoy deep and accelerated work of Christ within your heart in the name of Jesus. Amen. Number three, the Bible also talks about putting on the new self. Colossians chapter 3, verse 9 to 11 says, Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. One of the believers' greatest advantages is that the new person in Christ is continually renewed. The new self has the capacity for renewal. Romans 12 2 gives us the same principle where the Bible says, and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. Now, because the mind can be renewed, no human being can accurately determine the upper limit of what God may accomplish through a surrendered life. No one can definitely tell how far you can go, how much you can grow, or what your highest expression in Christ may become. The new self is continually renewed through the increasing knowledge of God and continued exposure to his counsel. This means that as you keep appearing before God, remaining attentive to his direction and listening for what Christ requires of you in each season, renewal continues. Matthew chapter 4, verse 4 says, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. We live by the continuing counsel of God. Why don't you declare this morning that I have put on the new self? My mind is renewable. My understanding can be renewed. My life can be upgraded by divine counsel. As I receive the word of God, renewal begins within me. I will not remain trapped in an outdated version of myself. I continue to grow into God's purpose. As long as you remain committed to renewal, my friends, no one can accurately predict how far God can take you. Colossians 3.11 continues. It says, Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. This verse reveals that our identity in Christ is not controlled by the limitations associated with our human classifications. Where you were born, how you were born, your nationality, ethnicity, social background, or former condition must not become the final definition of your future. In Christ, these things are not the ultimate determining factors. Christ is all and in all. Why don't you declare this morning, whatever holds people back because of their background will not hold me back. I refuse to be limited by race. I refuse to be limited by ethnicity. I refuse to be limited by nationality, social status, or biological background. Christ is all and in all in the name of Jesus. Speak the same over your children, that nothing in their background will prevent them from fulfilling the purpose of God. Their nationality will not limit them. Their ethnicity will not limit them. Their biological background will not limit them. Christ is their defining reality. Hallelujah. The Bible also talks about growing into the fullness of Christ. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 13 to 15 says, Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine. Verse 15 continues by teaching us to speak the truth in love and grow up in all things into Christ who is the head. One of the marks of conformity to Christ is spiritual maturity. As we grow into the fullness of Christ, we become more and more stable. Yes, we are no longer easily carried away by every new teaching, persuasive voice, spiritual trend, or deceptive influence. Generation of preachers may come and go. The language and presentation of Christ's teaching may change with time. Revelation may be communicated in ways that help people understand how to live faithfully in their generation. However, the enemy is not on holiday. We must therefore continue growing in the word so that we do not remain spiritually childish, vulnerable to manipulation, deception, or every changing wind of doctrine. Why don't you declare this morning that as you grow in Christ, you become spiritually mature? You will not be tossed to and fro. You will not be carried away by every wind of doctrine. You will not fall victim to the trickery of men or deceitful plotting, that you are becoming rooted, stable, discerning, and established in Christ in the name of Jesus. Amen. And number five, follow Christ's example. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. Christ did not only save us, he also left us an example. Conformity to the image involves following his steps. We follow his example in righteousness. We follow his example in integrity. We follow his example in humility. We follow his example in restraint, in obedience, in endurance and trust in the Father. There may be environments where you do not have visible examples of Christ-likeness living around you. Perhaps the place where you walk does not provide many people whose conduct you can imitate. Even then, you are not without an example. As you look into the word of God, you can see Christ. In Scripture, his pattern remains visible and available to you to follow. Why don't you pray this morning? Say, Lord, wherever I go, do not allow the example I need to be hidden from me. Let me see Christ clearly in your word. Give me the grace to recognize his pattern and follow his footstep in the name of Jesus. In summary, dear friends, we have seen five ways the scripture describes conformity to the image of Christ. Number one, being transformed into Christ's image. Number two, allowing Christ to be formed within us. Number three, putting on the new self. Number four, growing into the fullness of Christ. And number five, following Christ's examples. These different expressions make conformity practical. Whatever your present context may be, there is something within these five expressions that you can begin to practice. You can behold Christ in the word. You can pray for Christ to be formed in you. You can put off the old self and walk in the renewed life. You can pursue spiritual maturity. You can follow Christ's example. There is something here that is possible for you. There is something here that is necessary for you. There is something here that can begin today. My dear friends, I believe you have been blessed and touched by what you heard this morning. And I'm wishing you today and I'm using the ahead. God bless you.