Christ-like.

One way of being Christ-like is in character: living in a holy, righteous, loving, merciful, etc way. But while I believe being Christ-like includes this, if it were only this, it would be no different than just being 'godly'.

To be Christ-like is more about being like Jesus when He walked this earth. This includes (among other things) denial of self, humble submission to God, serving others, and (most importantly) being filled and led by the Holy Spirit just as He was.

As NetChaplain said, this can only happen if Christ lives His life through us.

The phraseology of "Christ-like" is not Biblical. It suggests an idea that is beyond the best of what God allows us to be.

We are to be followers of Christ Jesus, if we claim Him as God's Promised Saviour. As we follow our Lord Jesus Christ and do what He told us to do, and stay in His Word, we then become His disciples, but never our own Christ or "Christ-like".

The idea of one being their own Christ comes from the pagan fraternities of initiation which teach that our Lord Jesus was actually one of their 'Adepts'. They try to separate the idea of Christ as a force in the universe which anyone can 'attune' to, and become their very own Christ. Some of them call that force "Christ Consciousness". This they claim that even our Lord Jesus did, attuning to the 'Christ Spirit' to become Christ. All that is wholly a false doctrine of the Devil.

The idea of The Christ is not about some super-force of the cosmic each person can attune to like what Oprah would preach from her obvious association with the occult mystery schools of initiation. The Christ is about God Himself having been born through a virgin in the flesh as Jesus Christ in order to defeat death and the devil by His Perfect Sacrifice upon the cross. And by that singular act, Christ Jesus has offerred all that will come to The Father through Him Eternal Life. No occultic initiatic fraternity could ever match that.

The meaning of Christ-like can vary but I see it to mean like or as Christ, by attempting to live as He lived (1 John 2:6). After all, man was created in God's image and after His likeness: God's image meaning that our physical body to look like His spiritual body with head, arms, etc.; His likeness meaning like Him with autonomous ability (Gen 1:26). Christ-like can also mean "as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

Since Christs' ascension, it involves more than discipleship as in following Him. It the difference from being with Christ to being in Christ. Much of what He taught preparatory and wasn't suppose to come to fruition until His ascension because His instructions to us requires the indwelling of the Spirit to live by them. This is the variance between Christ-like (pre-ascension--with Christ) and Christ-life (post-ascension--in Christ). It's not us living our life in us but Christ living His life in us. (Gal 2:20).

NetChaplain said:

Hi Faithful and God's blessings to your Family! It helps to realize that we cannot live the Christ-life but Christ Himself must live His life in and by us--through the Spirit, as you have noted. "No longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 5:20; NKJ).

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"No longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" !!!

I love that scripture. That is my sole motus operandi

Excellent verse to illustrate the only way we can be the Living Body of Christ Netchap, and thank you for the welcome

Whitestone

(Rom 6:4)

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

NetChaplain said:

The meaning of Christ-like can vary but I see it to mean like or as Christ, by attempting to live as He lived (1 John 2:6). After all, man was created in God's image and after His likeness: God's image meaning that our physical body to look like His spiritual body with head, arms, etc.; His likeness meaning like Him with autonomous ability (Gen 1:26). Christ-like can also mean "as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

Since Christs' ascension, it involves more than discipleship as in following Him. It the difference from being with Christ to being in Christ. Much of what He taught preparatory and wasn't suppose to come to fruition until His ascension because His instructions to us requires the indwelling of the Spirit to live by them. This is the variance between Christ-like (pre-ascension--with Christ) and Christ-life (post-ascension--in Christ). It's not us living our life in us but Christ living His life in us. (Gal 2:20).

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I really think you mean well, but the association of such terms with mystical movements went on before you and I were born. And I realize not that many of my Christian brethren are familiar with such terminology originating from the mystical pagan crept in unawares within the Church. Most historians point to 2nd century Gnosticism when those ideas began, but actually, the idea that one can attain godship through the flesh by becoming perfect in the flesh is a very ancient idea that began with "that old serpent" tempting Eve in God's Garden. Simply, we do not become 'Christ-like' by following our Lord Jesus' commandments. We become His servants and disciples, "sons of God" in contrast to Him as The Son of God.

One of the results of being Christ-like is that others can look at you (what you do, not what you say) and come to a greater understanding/appreciation of who Christ is.

Faithful, I wanted to point out that Christ actually was good in Himself, from birth to ascension and unlike us, needed not to be born again or regenerated, because even though He took on a corruptible physical body, His spiritual body was the Word of God, which "became flesh and dwelt among us". This is how God is with us--through Christ. ". . . they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

When Jesus was baptized by John, the Holy Spirit landed on Him (Mat 3:16), not to be baptized of the Spirit which He did not require, but to be led of the Spirit (Mat 4:1; Luke 4:1) and it testified to us that we will need the Spirit's baptism. He was always without sin (Heb 4;150).

Vet, you're correct in that I mean well and I appreciate your mentioning it. I've also perceived the same for you but we often misunderstand one another. My replies concerning being like God are in reference to our son-ship relationship with God, not us becoming gods, as in obtaining deity, but like Him in image and autonomy, unlike the animals. You in Christ means "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27).

Faithful said:

Morning Veteran,


I believe that is the human part of the flesh reasoning because man is taking the human view point that Christ was perfect and man cannot be as he was.

Christ said:- " Take my yoke because it is light." We know that Christ was not good of himself but rather being born of the Holy Spirit and the power of the most high, he was Holy by nature and by actions.
"My words are Spirit and they are life." it is not I who do the works but rather my Father who is in me does his own work. through me." Isn't that the same for all believers? Is it not how we listen and how we understand that makes the difference?

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That still does not mean we become our 'own' Christ, which is actually what the Gnostic style titles are trying to represent. A more modern view of it is contained within books like The Da Vinci Code, and earlier like The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis, considered by many in the Church a spiritual treatise, yet it borders on ideas of Gnosticism and is even recommended reading in some Gnostic New Age circles. Loving our Lord Jesus and obeying Him is one thing, but any idea that assumes we can be just like Him is another.

To put on Christ is to believe what he taught us. To be born of Spirit and Truth as he was through the power of our heavenly Father. Christ was the first born of many of us.

As for being beyond the best God allows us to be how are you measuring that or how can you sustain that belief in scripture?

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The answer to that is easy. Galatians 3:22, The Scripture has concluded all... under sin, so the Promise by Faith on Jesus Christ might be to them that believe. Obviously, our Lord Jesus, even in the flesh, was not concluded under sin, for He had no sin. Know anyone else capable of that, literally like Jesus when He was here on earth?

Gnosticism believes it is possible for all in the flesh, which is the idea of self-salvation, not Salvation through the Blood of Jesus Christ by Faith. The eastern pagans added to that idea the concept of reincarnation and release from the wheel of Karma rebirth, becoming literally perfect in the flesh to become a type demi-god. Those kind of ideas do not belong to Christian Doctrine per The Bible, and our Lord Jesus never taught those ideas.

If Christ was without sin and was sacrificed in our place. What is the best we can be in grace and truth?
Surely we will be all that God has ordained us to be in the Spirit?

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Not "If Christ was without sin", He was... without sin as written. How can anyone else match that? It's vain to think any of us could ever match that. Otherwise His Sacrifice would no longer be a covering for the sins of those who believe on Him.

So the best we can be during this flesh existence, is to repent to Him of our sins, asking forgiveness, and get back to serving Him and doing the work He set out for us as His stewards. When we do that, then we are counted... as 'perfect'. That's different than actually being 'perfect' and without sin like He was in the flesh, for we all fall short of the glory of God as written. So being counted as perfect when we stay in Christ is the best we can be today, and that working is... by walking in The Spirit.

Sounds confusing...Faith, hope and love. The greatest is love. If all the law and teachings of the Prophets are summed up in two commandments. And the only way to love Christ is to obey these two commandments. Then how do you stay in his word any other way? Can you really be Christ-like or have a Christ-like outside these things?

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We cannot be our own Christ, period. We can be His disciples, His stewards, His servants, "sons of God" which means God's children, but not God ourselves. Gnosticism believes one can become their own God by being 'Christ-like'.

I have never heard of such a thing. Can anything about Christ or being Christ-like come from the world or outside the body of Christ and God the Father and Holy Spirit?

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Might want to read up on the subject of 2nd century Gnosticism, and their early attempt to infiltrate the Church. The early Church fathers like Irenaus wrote a whole lot about their ideas, as did others, all as a warning to Christian brethren. That warning is still in effect for the Church today, since the Gnostic movement is still going on today.

A mystery: there's only 2 basic principles involving the idea of Salvation. There's true Salvation only through... Faith on The Saviour Jesus Christ through His Blood shed upon the cross; and then there's the old tempting by Satan for one to think to become their own god. Christian Doctrine is of the first, but pagan doctrine is of the latter. All pagan doctrine of mythology, the ancient 'mystery schools', eastern and western mysticism, etc., are of the latter principle originating from the temptation in God's Garden. Even the orthodox Jews have a branch of this later paganism with the various Kabbalistic movements of history, which goes back to the pagan Canaanites who crept into Israel's stay early per Bible history.

You see to obey the Laws and the Prophets in full in the old covenant resulted in life. To obey Christ in full the two commandments results in life. So what doctrines could you possibly be referring to?
Useless arguments or false thoughts of Christ-like is a deception. There is only one way to God and that is Jesus Christ.
What other doctrines can there be?

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We well know Israel under the Old Covenant was not able... to obey, showing the need for The Saviour and His New Covenant.

I think I've made it well clear what false doctrine I've been referring to that goes against The New Covenant Jesus Christ. If you think for one minute this is a useless argument, revealing the Gnosticism movement that still tries to pry it's way into Christian Doctrine then you're mistaken. And by remaining ignorant of the enemy's devices, Gnostic ideas being one them, is to be open to their evil designs against the Church. That the early Church fathers also confirmed.

With respect, I for one have no idea of these things you speak about. Nowhere in the bible the old or new testament does it say that God was made flesh. John clearly makes this clear in his letters.

1 John 4:2

King James Version (KJV)

[sup]2 [/sup]Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

Jesus Christ came in the flesh. So where do you get the teaching that God came in the flesh. Rather than God spoke through Christ?

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1 Tim 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
(KJV)

I think you might want to try again with that.

Christ like ? a worn out and overused phrase in modern christian culture when one considers some of the things Christ did....he threw the money changers out of the temple while we invite them in,buy their books,tapes,cd's...attend their feel good pep rallies and follow their self help purpose driven philosophies and condemn anyone who dares to exercise biblical discernemnt by pointing out their lies and unbiblical behaviour.

Christ said repent or perish,we say that's not loving enough...most want to do the things that Christ did that will make them accepted and popular and want little to do with the things he did that sent him to the cross.

I will never be Christ--like. I am not qualified , nor will I ever be.

Quite frankly I feel it is absolutely degrading to insinuate that any of us could even come close to having the attributes of Jesus

It tends to drag him down to a very low level.

We are the recipients of what He has done , we cannot be Like--Him.

We are the sheep , we are not the shepherd ,.

To find how please Christ . a good place to look is the 7 letters to the 7 churches in Revelation. Make a note of what pleased Jesus , and try to duplicate.

I am sure Christ--would--like--that

Best wishes.

Strat said:

Christ like ? a worn out and overused phrase in modern christian culture when one considers some of the things Christ did....he threw the money changers out of the temple while we invite them in,buy their books,tapes,cd's...attend their feel good pep rallies and follow their self help purpose driven philosophies and condemn anyone who dares to exercise biblical discernemnt by pointing out their lies and unbiblical behaviour.

Christ said repent or perish,we say that's not loving enough...most want to do the things that Christ did that will make them accepted and popular and want little to do with the things he did that sent him to the cross.

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I gotta' agree with that. No way for a true believer on Jesus Christ to remain standing in Him in these final days without understanding that.

Faithful said:

I think there is an easier way of looking at this.

Christ said: " Why do you call me good, only God is good."
Is good to mean without sin? The bible tells us that Job was a good man.

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
The bible says that Job was perfect and upright.

So good can mean many things. Why was Enoch taken directly to heaven? So Christ was sinless did that make him God or like God? The Angels are sinless who did not leave their estate and so they are good. Does that make them God?
I think we can see that Good does not mean one thing. His Words were Spirit and they were life.
His words were what God put into his mouth. The Word of God has always come unto flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Peter himself stateing this.
Deuteronomy the teaching of Moses in Chapter 18 telling us that God was putting his own words in the mouth of Christ.
Christ confirming his words came from the Spirit.





John baptised with water not the Holy Spirit.
[sup]11 [/sup]I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
[sup]13 [/sup]Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
[sup]14 [/sup]But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
[sup]15 [/sup]And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
[sup]16 [/sup]And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

John already had the Holy Spirit so the baptism from Christ would be unto repentance.


[sup]15 [/sup]For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

We need to take in all that is taught in the NT because sometimes teachings are not in line with the NT taught bhy others.
John was already filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. So what baptism could Christ have performed but the baptism of John?










Ye are all gods....

Psalm 82:6

King James Version (KJV)

[sup]6 [/sup]I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

The bible tells us that there is one God. Not made or created and all powerful. No human being is like the real God.
The only true immortal and only true pure and good God. Sometimes like our Lord Jesus we need to focus on God our heavenly Father. Being good or sinless does not make us God in the sense that God is who he is.
It simply makes us God-like because we obey our heavenly Father. Probably the reason we say Christ-like rather than God-like.

As God himself put his own words in the mouth of Christ then surely God was with us.

Deuteronomy 18.

I think it is important to know what we believe and understand why.

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We are not even "God-like".

We are children of God, "sons of God", not even little gods. The 'Ye are gods' quote from Ps.82 has another part to it many leave out...

Ps 82:6
6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
(KJV)

The word "gods" is Hebrew elohiym which is also used of magistrates or judges. It's in connection with the "sons of God" phrase.

Strat said:

Christ like ? a worn out and overused phrase in modern christian culture when one considers some of the things Christ did....he threw the money changers out of the temple while we invite them in,buy their books,tapes,cd's...attend their feel good pep rallies and follow their self help purpose driven philosophies and condemn anyone who dares to exercise biblical discernemnt by pointing out their lies and unbiblical behaviour.

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agreed .... but amongst "them" are some decent (modern day) preachers and travelling preaches who do it right .... and they should be supported.

Trouble is how to know (in advance) who is who. Some churches screen very well , and do very well when bringing in speakers.

I happen to attend a church who do not import anything. The good stuff seems to pop up from within. Hope it continues.

The genuine article is still here .

It troubles me deeply some of the nonsense that takes place under the Christian banner. I think it is correct when we object.

Much better that letting secular media do it.

Faithful said:

I think there is an easier way of looking at this.

Christ said: " Why do you call me good, only God is good."
Is good to mean without sin? The bible tells us that Job was a good man.

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
The bible says that Job was perfect and upright.

So good can mean many things.

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good points .... and just a quick personal thought from me (regarding Job)

when I read about Job .... and everything he went through .... and when God was defending Job ..... it boiled down to the fact that through all that , Job never once cursed God.

Maybe I missed something , but it appears that is how God defended Job to Satan.

I find great comfort in that. I have done many things wrong , but have never cursed My Lord.

Except for the few hundred times I hit my thumb with a hammer and used his name in vain

Does that count ?

Arnie Manitoba said:

I will never be Christ--like. I am not qualified , nor will I ever be.

Quite frankly I feel it is absolutely degrading to insinuate that any of us could even come close to having the attributes of Jesus

It tends to drag him down to a very low level.

We are the recipients of what He has done , we cannot be Like--Him.

We are the sheep , we are not the shepherd ,.

To find how please Christ . a good place to look is the 7 letters to the 7 churches in Revelation. Make a note of what pleased Jesus , and try to duplicate.

I am sure Christ--would--like--that

Best wishes.

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Ummm, Paul must be degrading. :| I like Paul. Don't take him out of the Bible please?

[color=#5C749A !important]11[/color] And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, [color=#5C749A !important]12[/color] for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, (maturity comes through works, not study.) to the building up of the body of Christ; [color=#5C749A !important]13[/color] until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man,(or perfect man in most translations. Look the word up before you react please, in Greek.) to the measure (If christ's Spiritual maturity was "measured" as how full a glass was, ours would be just as full.) of the stature (if Christ's spiritual maturity were an 8 ounce glass, ours would be the same size glass.) which belongs to the fullness of Christ.(Just in case we missed the picture, he says it plainly, to the fullness of Christ, not the half full.)f[color=#5C749A !important]14[/color] As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; [color=#5C749A !important]15[/color] but speaking the truth in love,we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.

Now, I don't claim to be there. But I will defend that scripture says what it says. And what this one says is pretty overly redundantly clear. What is it, like 5 reinforcements of the claim to be as mature/perfect as Christ? Now, that's another thread for sure, but I wanted to point out this segment that perhaps you hadn't considered before. There are a lot of fun tangents in this study.

Christ like,.....

cliche.

Scripture says that you are to be changed to be as Christ was, not just an imitation.

God does the changing, not us, so why we couldn't be changed into that, I don't know. God is omnipotent, right?



1 john 3:6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
1 john 4:16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has ]for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

There are two expectations from John on what one is to be like. And Christ commanded the love in matt 5:48 was to be as complete as God's is.

I can't do either of those. But I run the race trusting Him to finish the change if He wills it. It's not for me to proclaim I'm called, that's His province. But, I know where I'm not, so at least I know to keep running.

We are to be a mirror image of Christ at maturity. MATURATION, not SALVATION. Don't forget we are saved for a purpose. It may be free,but it has expectations with it.

Xian Pugilist said:

Ummm, Paul must be degrading. :| I like Paul. Don't take him out of the Bible please?

[color=#5C749A !important][font=trebuchet ms']11[/font][/color][font=trebuchet ms'] And He gave some [/font]as[font=trebuchet ms'] apostles, and some [/font]as[font=trebuchet ms'] prophets, and some [/font]as[font=trebuchet ms'] evangelists, and some [/font]as[font=trebuchet ms'] pastors and teachers, [/font][color=#5C749A !important][font=trebuchet ms']12[/font][/color][font=trebuchet ms'] for the equipping of the[/font][font=trebuchet ms'] saints for the work of service, (maturity comes through works, not study.) to the building up of the body of Christ; [/font][color=#5C749A !important][font=trebuchet ms']13[/font][/color][font=trebuchet ms'] until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the [/font][font=trebuchet ms'] knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man,(or perfect man in most translations. Look the word up before you react please, in Greek.) to the measure (If christ's Spiritual maturity was "measured" as how full a glass was, ours would be just as full.) of the stature (if Christ's spiritual maturity were an 8 ounce glass, ours would be the same size glass.) [/font][font=trebuchet ms']which belongs to the fullness of Christ.(Just in case we missed the picture, he says it plainly, to the fullness of Christ, not the half full.)f[/font][color=#5C749A !important][font=trebuchet ms']14[/font][/color][font=trebuchet ms'] As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness [/font][font=trebuchet ms'] in deceitful scheming; [/font][color=#5C749A !important][font=trebuchet ms']15[/font][/color][font=trebuchet ms'] but [/font][font=trebuchet ms'] speaking the truth in love,[/font][font=trebuchet ms']we are to grow up in all [/font]aspects[font=trebuchet ms'] into Him who is the head, [/font]even[font=trebuchet ms'] Christ. [/font]

[font=trebuchet ms']Now, I don't claim to be there. But I will defend that scripture says what it says. And what this one says is pretty overly redundantly clear. What is it, like 5 reinforcements of the claim to be as mature/perfect as Christ? Now, that's another thread for sure, but I wanted to point out this segment that perhaps you hadn't considered before. There are a lot of fun tangents in this study.[/font]

Christ like,.....

cliche.

Scripture says that you are to be changed to be as Christ was, not just an imitation.

God does the changing, not us, so why we couldn't be changed into that, I don't know. God is omnipotent, right?



1 john 3:6 [font=trebuchet ms']No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or [/font][font=trebuchet ms']knows Him.[/font]
[font=trebuchet ms']1 john 4:16 [/font][font=trebuchet ms']We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [/font]][font=trebuchet ms']for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms']There are two expectations from John on what one is to be like. [/font][font=trebuchet ms']And Christ commanded the love in matt 5:48 was to be as complete as God's is.

I can't do either of those. But I run the race trusting Him to finish the change if He wills it. It's not for me to proclaim I'm called, that's His province. But, I know where I'm not, so at least I know to keep running. [/font]

[font=trebuchet ms']We are to be a mirror image of Christ at maturity. MATURATION, not SALVATION. Don't forget we are saved for a purpose. It may be free,but it has expectations with it. [/font]

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Scripture nowhere says we will become our own Christ. That's Gnosticism making that false statement.

Since God indeed is Omnipotent, He could also change a grasshopper into a cow, right? Since that ought to be easy for Him, then making each believer their own Christ would be no big thing, right? It's better to stick to what He said... He is going to do, instead assigning all sorts of things to Him that He never declared He would do. Making us into our own Christs is something He never declared. Instead, Jesus and Apostle John showed how those who claim to be The Christ are instead "antichrists". So there's a very specific Bible teaching on this point that's hard for a believer to miss. Yet a Gnostic believer will simply disregard it.

Love perfectly, as we were created to do. Only justification (experiencing God's love and forgiveness) and sanctification (learning from the Holy Spirit how to return God's love to Him and our neighbor without fear) leads to the ability to love perfectly, like Christ.

Faithful said:

What does it mean to be Christ-like? How can you be Christ-like.

Amen.

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Following Christ's teachings, imitating His life and living the way he did and taught is being Christ like.

Christ is the Way, The Truth, and the Life. literally.

Ephesians 5
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
Matthew 10
25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.
Matthew 10
38[background=rgb(246, 246, 152)] And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. [/background]