Imitation or Santification

Should we imitate Christ?

There is an answer I am sure that most of us would give.

A resounding YES!

We must do our very best to act like Christ! We have to show others how we live just like Him!

But, beloved…the answer is NO.

We are setting ourselves up for utter failure if we think we must imitate our Savior. Of course we do want to be more like Him each and every day, but it is not dependent on our own efforts and what we can do.

We should not imitate Him, we should SURRENDER to Him and sanctification takes place. We must get out-of-the-way so that He can live His life through us. Sanctification is an ongoing process for as long as we are on this earth.

Friends, we cannot keep this up. We cannot keep up the imitation gig up! I know, I tried and tried. I failed eventually. I hit rock bottom and found myself joyless. I did not understand that my peace, joy and life could only be fulfilled if I gave it up.

A performance based person is the one trying, plying, working, and constantly aware of the way in which you should act. It can be done, for a while…but you will wear out folks! Trust me.

Oswald Chambers from MY UTMOST TO HIS HIGHEST July 23:
“The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you . . .” (Colossians 1:27). It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification— imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word?”

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27