We preach and teach about looking like Jesus, but, many times, we don’t fully explain the significance of looking like Jesus!
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Jesus accepted us the way we were, and His blood washed away our sins. Looking Like Jesus is not a prerequisite to going to heaven; otherwise, the thief who was crucified along with Jesus would not have had a chance to be with Jesus in paradise.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29
Clearly, the above scripture tells us that it is the Lord’s design and desire for us to look like Jesus, but why is this important!?
First, if we are followers of Christ, we are called to a life of sanctification. That means we continually respond to the Lord by putting away dead works, behaviors, and attitudes of the old nature in order to take on the new nature that Jesus bought on the cross for us.
Second, as we walk through the process of sanctification, we are delivered from sin, unrighteousness, and unclean spirits. We begin to be freed up from the shackles of the past and the false identities taken on over the years.
Third, we begin to be transformed in our minds, and we develop a Kingdom mindset. This also changes our priorities and the things that we are important to us. We also begin to see the world system for what it is and choose not to go along with it any longer. Our soulish desires begin to fade away, and Godly desires replace them.
Fourth, this continual growth in the image of Jesus allows us to enjoy the benefit of our salvation, and the promises of scriptures come alive to us. Faith continues to get stirred up, and we begin to have new appreciation for the things of God. This also gives us the strength not to fall prey to the enemy’s temptations. The things that so easily and quickly entangled us in the past, don’t have that kind of hold on us any longer.
Fifth, over time, we begin to develop love for others. We want to be a blessing to others as God has used other people in our lives to encourage us in our walk with the Lord .
Finally, we capture the vision of fulfilling the Great Commission. In order for us to effectively reach a lost world, we need to have a heart and mind like Jesus. This is the only way we can reach the lost with His love. The more we look like Jesus, our words and our actions will be in congruence. We don’t get impatient with people who don’t see it our way. Instead of people seeing a hypocrite or someone trying to jam Christianity down their throat, they will see people whose lives speak of God’s love and their words match up with their lifestyle. People will be drawn to us because of Jesus in us.
Let’s pray for ourselves and the body of Christ that we are willing to go through the process of looking more like Jesus as there are so many lives at stake. When we are willing to be formed in the image of Jesus, we bring hope to a hopeless world! The world needs us to look more like Jesus!