by: members of 4th watch
Christ likeness means "resembling or showing the spirit of Christ". Being a person who has qualities like Jesus Christ. Paul said "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son..."(Romans 8:29). God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, on earth to make it possible for goodness to be replicated. The Holy Spirit empowers the believers in doing good.
When Jesus Christ went back to heaven, He said to the first 12 apostles to teach "them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Mat 28:20 NIV). He sent them as light and salt of the world. "Everyday they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah" (Acts 5:42). When Apostle Paul was sent, he has "not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God" (Acts 20:27). The life of Christ that was multiplied in the lives of the early apostles continued to be multiplied to the people of the Church.
The sent ones have the task of preparing the Church for perfection. If we follow them, how can we be sure that our lives will be like that of Christ?
The Pattern
The primary desire of the Lord's sent one is to know Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3:8 Paul declared, "I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." For them it is Christ or nothing.
The lives of the sent ones are the perfect examples of what God can do to those who believes. They are examples of following the whole counsel of God. Through their lives, others can view the life of Christ. That is the reason why Apostle Paul explicitly said, "Pattern yourselves after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah)" (1 Corinthians 11:1, Amplified Bible).
The Process
Paul wrote to the Philippian brethren, "practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it" (Philippians 4:9). They taught everything needed for life and holiness. They gave their lives for the Lord. They speak God's pure and unadulterated word. They showed the way to the Father. And they lived lives worthy of the gospel.
These things they did, we should copy. We should remain steadfast to the apostolic teachings. We must also give our lives to the Lord and to the sent ones (2 Corinthians 8:4). We must always do what we heard from them (James 2:25). We should follow their steps. And we must partner with them in living the good news.
The Product
It is the desire of the sent ones of God "that you be perfectly united in mind and thought" (1 Corinthians 1:9). With this we will be assured that we are doing God's will. It also means we will be changed from glory to glory. We will continue until "all attain oneness in the faith in the comprehension of the full an accurate knowledge of the Son of God" (Ephesians 4:13)
In the end-time church, God called and sent the Goodman of the House to watch for the return of Christ. He continues to proclaim the real Jesus Christ "admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ" (Colossians 1:28)
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| Perfectly united IN MIND and thought |
When Jesus Christ went back to heaven, He said to the first 12 apostles to teach "them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Mat 28:20 NIV). He sent them as light and salt of the world. "Everyday they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah" (Acts 5:42). When Apostle Paul was sent, he has "not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God" (Acts 20:27). The life of Christ that was multiplied in the lives of the early apostles continued to be multiplied to the people of the Church.
The sent ones have the task of preparing the Church for perfection. If we follow them, how can we be sure that our lives will be like that of Christ?
The Pattern
The primary desire of the Lord's sent one is to know Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3:8 Paul declared, "I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." For them it is Christ or nothing.
The lives of the sent ones are the perfect examples of what God can do to those who believes. They are examples of following the whole counsel of God. Through their lives, others can view the life of Christ. That is the reason why Apostle Paul explicitly said, "Pattern yourselves after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah)" (1 Corinthians 11:1, Amplified Bible).
The Process
Paul wrote to the Philippian brethren, "practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it" (Philippians 4:9). They taught everything needed for life and holiness. They gave their lives for the Lord. They speak God's pure and unadulterated word. They showed the way to the Father. And they lived lives worthy of the gospel.
These things they did, we should copy. We should remain steadfast to the apostolic teachings. We must also give our lives to the Lord and to the sent ones (2 Corinthians 8:4). We must always do what we heard from them (James 2:25). We should follow their steps. And we must partner with them in living the good news.
The Product
It is the desire of the sent ones of God "that you be perfectly united in mind and thought" (1 Corinthians 1:9). With this we will be assured that we are doing God's will. It also means we will be changed from glory to glory. We will continue until "all attain oneness in the faith in the comprehension of the full an accurate knowledge of the Son of God" (Ephesians 4:13)
In the end-time church, God called and sent the Goodman of the House to watch for the return of Christ. He continues to proclaim the real Jesus Christ "admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ" (Colossians 1:28)
