Christ-like.

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veteran

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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]



Eph 5:1
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
(KJV)

The KJV translators got it right, even though the Greek word for "followers" is 'mimetes' (imitator).

Even when a younger brother tries to imitate his big brother, it never means he can put himself in his big brother's place. That's the difference between us as followers of Christ and the pagan Gnostics who think to actually be their own Christ, thinking to save theirselves by their own hand.
 

Netchaplain

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It's not doing like Christ did. It's not us doing at all, but Christ doing everything in and by us!! Are the works we are doing originating from us or from God? It's not meant to be in this life, but the ideal situation is never doing anything God doesn't want us to do and doing everything He wants us to do. He doesn't want us to do it because He wants to do it.

A good example is like a puppet which can only do what the Master causes it to do and nothing else. This is our eternal-state-scenario because His Spirit will still be in us and we will not possess anything which will be adverse to God.

Our present encouragement is from remembering that our assurance and security is depending on God's grace and not our works. This isn't to belittle works because they are what glorifies God (Mat 5:16) and manifests His presence in our lives (3 John 1:1) but we're never to base our support on them. They are an effect of salvation, not a cause.
 

Axehead

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It's not doing like Christ did. It's not us doing at all, but Christ doing everything in and by us!! Are the works we are doing originating from us or from God? It's not meant to be in this life, but the ideal situation is never doing anything God doesn't want us to do and doing everything He wants us to do. He doesn't want us to do it because He wants to do it.

A good example is like a puppet which can only do what the Master causes it to do and nothing else. This is our eternal-state-scenario because His Spirit will still be in us and we will not possess anything which will be adverse to God.

Our present encouragement is from remembering that our assurance and security is depending on God's grace and not our works. This isn't to belittle works because they are what glorifies God (Mat 5:16) and manifests His presence in our lives (3 John 1:1) but we're never to base our support on them. They are an effect of salvation, not a cause.

Hey there Netchaplain,

You said this which caught my attention:

A good example is like a puppet which can only do what the Master causes it to do and nothing else. This is our eternal-state-scenario because His Spirit will still be in us and we will not possess anything which will be adverse to God.

I don't think you meant to communicate it this way. Let me explain. After we are born-again, we still have "free-choice". We were created as "choosing creatures", right? And after we are saved, we are still "choosing" creatures. A puppet cannot choose and it has no will of its own. For that matter it has not mind or emotions, either. A puppet is lifeless and if the Master moves it's arm, then the puppet will move it's arm regardless if it wanted to or not.

As children of the Spirit, we are called (commanded) to bring our will into harmony with the will of God. Now, a puppet does not have a will so it would not have to bear a cross or deny any flesh and even if it did, it could not "will to" since it has no will. Bearing your cross and denying self is an active and not passive action on the part of the Believer. A puppet is completely PASSIVE.

I don't think you are trying to promote passivity in the Christian and teach that we are "Automatrons" and we will automatically do what God wants us to do, but that is what your statement conveys to me and maybe others.

I have some syllogisms that help explain some popular thinking of select scriptures that will help all the "Readers" of this thread understand that we are called to be engaged in an active, cooperative relationship with the Lord.

These syllogisms that will help you see where men are deceived. It is important for our will to be free, because it is the governing "organ" of each person. Only Christ can really set a man free in his mind, will and emotions. A spiritual Christian is one who is free to exercise his will. Passivity will bring us into demonic oppression.

Man's will is brought into bondage by DECEPTION. And deception comes through mixture (Truth mixed with lies). Many are unaware they are propagating lies. So here are some examples:

SCRIPTURE: "Christ lives in me". Gal 2:20
WRONG CONCEPT: I do not live now at all.
RIGHT CONCEPT: I live by the faith of the Son of God.
PRINCIPLE: God does not require self-effacement for His life to be manifested. God does not require that your personality cease to exist.

SCRIPTURE: "I am crucifed with Christ". (Gal 2:20)
WRONG CONCEPT: I am dead and must practice death.
RIGHT CONCEPT: I died with Christ and am raised by his life to live.
PRINCIPLE: God's purpose for the Believer is not death but life.

SCRIPTURE: "God worketh in me". (Phil 2:13)
WRONG CONCEPT: I do not work, only surrender and God performs both the willing and the working.
RIGHT CONCEPT: Since I have His power in me, I can do all things through Christ.
PRINCIPLE: God never sets aside man's will. God never requires man to cease his activities before He can work.

SCRIPTURE: "those who obey Him (Holy Spirit)" (Acts 5:32)
WRONG CONCEPT: I must surrender my whole being to the invisible Spirit.
RIGHT CONCEPT: I will obey God the Father through the Spirit.
PRINCIPLE: The Holy Spirit will not think through my mind, nor feel through my emotions, nor decide through my will. The Holy Spirit guides by divine impressions upon man's spirit.

SCRIPTURE: "God's love...through the Holy Spirit" (Rom 5:5)
WRONG CONCEPT: I will not love. The Holy Spirit will give them God's love.
RIGHT CONCEPT: I will love them as the Holy Spirit has shown me God's love. (As you receive God's love you make a choice to love).
PRINCIPLE: To love is a choice. We choose to love as God has loved us.

SCRIPTURE: "In everything give thanks" (I Thess 5:18)
WRONG CONCEPT: I WILL accept all circumstances as the will of God.
RIGHT CONCEPT: I WILL SUBMIT myself to God in all circumstances.
PRINCIPLE: Submission to God and resistance to evil must work together. (James 4:7)

SCRIPTURE: "when I am weak, then I am strong" (2COR 12:10)
WRONG CONCEPT: I will to be weak so that I am strong.
RIGHT CONCEPT: The believer does not choose weakness, the weak believer shall have God's strength.
PRINCIPLE: God is sufficient in whatever state you may be.

SCRIPTURE: "Thy Will be done"
WRONG CONCEPT: God wills for me, I don't have to choose.
RIGHT CONCEPT: I choose to do His will.
PRINCIPLE: God never substitutes His will for man's.

GENERAL GUIDELINES REGARDING YOUR WILL
1. You do not submit to the Devil or wrong teaching. He will grind your will down to passivity.
2. Do not pray through for experiences and feelings.
3. The Bible teaches us to obey objective truth. Obeying God is not some "impulse".
4. God will not move until your will functions. He doesn't steamroll over you as if you are a puppet.
5. Don't be paralyzed by fear that you will miss God. Step out boldy, God will lead.
6. Join yourself unto God with one heart, committing your will unto Him and desiring His will. He will give you a strong inner conviction and a burning desire to serve Him.

God wants to bring us to a place of wholeness, where you can WORK and you can WILL. He wants you to be in control of your Mind, your Will and your Emotions.

I hope this benefits someone. These truths have helped me immensely in my walk with God.

Axehead
 

dragonfly

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This one strikes me as being pertinent to my own life at present - and for some time past. I've found it true.


'SCRIPTURE: "In everything give thanks" (I Thess 5:18)
WRONG CONCEPT: I WILL accept all circumstances as the will of God.
RIGHT CONCEPT: I WILL SUBMIT myself to God in all circumstances.
PRINCIPLE: Submission to God and resistance to evil must work together. (James 4:7)'
 

Netchaplain

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Axehead, I appreciate you stating your post the way you did and I understand what you mean by us not having our own will if we were like puppets.

The crux of my post is that as long as we're in these vessels we will do some wrong but not in the next life. The puppet analogy only involved us not being free from doing God's will because the good we do is because He causes (Phil 2:13) it to occur in our lives and as the master has complete control over the puppet, God's will is all we would do--in eternity, but not in this life because of the distractions of our old nature. The Lord can control me all He wants and it's good to be passive in yielding to to Him at all times, as a puppet yields to the strings.
 

us2are1

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Eph 5:1
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
(KJV)

The KJV translators got it right, even though the Greek word for "followers" is 'mimetes' (imitator).

Even when a younger brother tries to imitate his big brother, it never means he can put himself in his big brother's place. That's the difference between us as followers of Christ and the pagan Gnostics who think to actually be their own Christ, thinking to save theirselves by their own hand.

Amen veteran

There is no difference between imitating and following. Because if you do it either way. You will ask God and be filled with the Spirit of God. Then the Spirit of God is where all righteousness and salvation reside.
 

whitestone

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




How do you see being Christ-like do you personally try to reflect Christ and how or do you leave yourself in Gods hands trusting the Spirit to lead you?

i believe in the Holy Spirit the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the father and the son.

He leads us and teaches us in all truth, he guides and strengthens me in our daily lives and makes us more like Jesus.

Is is something only the LORD God can do by his Holy Spirit within us. The Holy Spirit does not speak of himself, he takes what he is given and gives it to us. I believe we cannot make the changes but like Christ we can be as he was by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The arm of flesh will fail you but the truth and the Spirit is how we are born of the true God..
True worshippers worship in Spirit and Truth.

Amen.

Only Christ being Christ within our temple body will cause us to think talk and act as Christ. But it isn't "like" Christ. It IS Christ in us. A big difference. That is why you don't see the term "Christ like" or "like Christ" or anything similar in the Bible.
It either is Christ, or it is a fraud the carnal mind is attempting to mimic.

Peace
 

Axehead

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Only Christ being Christ within our temple body will cause us to think talk and act as Christ. But it isn't "like" Christ. It IS Christ in us. A big difference. That is why you don't see the term "Christ like" or "like Christ" or anything similar in the Bible.
It either is Christ, or it is a fraud the carnal mind is attempting to mimic.

Peace

Amen and Amen, Whiteston.

Christ in US, the HOPE OF GLORY.

Col_1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

This is not a metaphor, this is REAL. It is impossible to imitate, mimic, copy, or emulate Christ. No man can live the Christian life in their own strength. It must be Christ in us. We were created to contain the Spirit of God, though many have made their temple a home for the Evil One.

Axehead
 

veteran

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It's not doing like Christ did. It's not us doing at all, but Christ doing everything in and by us!! Are the works we are doing originating from us or from God? It's not meant to be in this life, but the ideal situation is never doing anything God doesn't want us to do and doing everything He wants us to do. He doesn't want us to do it because He wants to do it.

A good example is like a puppet which can only do what the Master causes it to do and nothing else. This is our eternal-state-scenario because His Spirit will still be in us and we will not possess anything which will be adverse to God.

Our present encouragement is from remembering that our assurance and security is depending on God's grace and not our works. This isn't to belittle works because they are what glorifies God (Mat 5:16) and manifests His presence in our lives (3 John 1:1) but we're never to base our support on them. They are an effect of salvation, not a cause.

That may be the idea you intend, but we still must be careful to not misassign a title that creates confusion against our relationship with Christ Jesus as His followers, as God's children. The Gnostic doctrine of actually trying to assume the position of 'a Christ' has been around a long time, and it was allied with paganism then, and still is today.
 

AndyBern

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I don't see the phrase 'Christ-like' as relating to the office or function of Messiah (i.e. not 'Christ-same' or 'a Christ'), but as reflecting the character of Jesus the Christ. Most of the instruction given to us in the New Testament (such as 'pray without ceasing', and 'humble yourselves before the Lord') are calls to be like Christ. Perhaps 'Jesus-like' would be more acceptable, however when the New Testament writers called us to be like Jesus, they used the word 'Christ' many times, so I don't see anything wrong with the phrase 'Christ-like'. Some examples:

Colossians 3:13 "forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, ...even as Christ has forgiven you"

Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church..."

Philippians 2:5 "For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..."

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

1 Peter 2:21 "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps"

In each of these examples, we are called to be like Jesus Christ in some way.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 "And you became imitators of us and of the Lord"

These describe the way we are to live. The 'how' can only be answered by our humble submission to the power and leading of the Spirit of Jesus so that He does the work.
 

dragonfly

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The thing about the term 'Christ' is it is an allusion to the anointing that was upon Him.

If we claim to have the same anointing - the oil of the Holy Spirit - then Christ-likeness should be one of the results as we submit to Him.
 
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Axehead

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That may be the idea you intend, but we still must be careful to not misassign a title that creates confusion against our relationship with Christ Jesus as His followers, as God's children. The Gnostic doctrine of actually trying to assume the position of 'a Christ' has been around a long time, and it was allied with paganism then, and still is today.

Hi Veteran,

Can you clarify what you mean by "assume the position of "a Christ"". Would an example for instance be the Pope who says he is "Christ on earth", since the real Christ seems to be gone (but is not).

Of course this is not assuming a position of "A" Christ but rather assuming the position of "THE" Christ.

So, a little clarification and maybe some examples would be helpful. Like Sun Myong Moon, says he is also Christ on earth not "a" Christ. Ok? Thanks.

Axehead
 

Netchaplain

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Nice post A.B. and I agree with all of it, esp. understanding the idea, as you pointed out, not to be who He is but in the theme of as He is because, "As He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

I like John Gill's commentary here and its worth the lengthiness: "As He is, so are we"; as Christ (1 John 3:3) with respect to God; as He is the Son of God, so are they the sons of God--He by nature, they by grace and adoption. As He is loved by God with an everlasting and unchangeable love, with a love of complacency and delight, so are they loved by Him with the same kind of love, even while they are in this world. As He is the chosen of God, and precious, so they are chosen in Him unto salvation by Him.

The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, render it, "as He was": and the sense may be, as He was in this world, so are they which may regard not so much likeness in nature, though there is an agreement in that, excepting sin, but the sameness of state and condition--as He was a man of sorrows, attended with afflictions, loaded with reproaches, and followed with the persecutions of men, so are they. Nor need they wonder that they are the objects of the world's hatred and contempt, since He was also. As He was tempted by Satan, forsaken by His friends, so sometimes are they in this world. As He went through a variety of sufferings, so through many tribulations do they enter the kingdom. As He now is in heaven, so are they while in this world (Eph 2:6), even as He is in heaven. They are representatively in Him, while in this world and are righteous as He is righteous (1 John 3:7), being justified and acquitted from all the charge of sin.They should be holy as He is holy (1 Pet 1:15) and walk as He walked (1 John 2:6) particularly in love to one another, as He does (John 13:34; 15:12).

All this must be understood it is not of an equality to Him, but of a likeness in Him. The Arabic version reads the words conditionally, as "if as He was, we are in this world". The sense is that the saints shall have boldness in the day of judgment, provided they are in this world as Christ was.
 

JohnnyB

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Nice post A.B. and I agree with all of it, esp. understanding the idea, as you pointed out, not to be who He is but in the theme of as He is because, "As He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

I like John Gill's commentary here and its worth the lengthiness: "As He is, so are we"; as Christ (1 John 3:3) with respect to God; as He is the Son of God, so are they the sons of God--He by nature, they by grace and adoption. As He is loved by God with an everlasting and unchangeable love, with a love of complacency and delight, so are they loved by Him with the same kind of love, even while they are in this world. As He is the chosen of God, and precious, so they are chosen in Him unto salvation by Him.

The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, render it, "as He was": and the sense may be, as He was in this world, so are they which may regard not so much likeness in nature, though there is an agreement in that, excepting sin, but the sameness of state and condition--as He was a man of sorrows, attended with afflictions, loaded with reproaches, and followed with the persecutions of men, so are they. Nor need they wonder that they are the objects of the world's hatred and contempt, since He was also. As He was tempted by Satan, forsaken by His friends, so sometimes are they in this world. As He went through a variety of sufferings, so through many tribulations do they enter the kingdom. As He now is in heaven, so are they while in this world (Eph 2:6), even as He is in heaven. They are representatively in Him, while in this world and are righteous as He is righteous (1 John 3:7), being justified and acquitted from all the charge of sin.They should be holy as He is holy (1 Pet 1:15) and walk as He walked (1 John 2:6) particularly in love to one another, as He does (John 13:34; 15:12).

All this must be understood it is not of an equality to Him, but of a likeness in Him. The Arabic version reads the words conditionally, as "if as He was, we are in this world". The sense is that the saints shall have boldness in the day of judgment, provided they are in this world as Christ was.

This would be a nice commentary if it didn't contradict the Bible, when it says "As He is, so are we in this world" means exactly that. We have His divine nature.

2 Peter 1:4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

This is what it means "as He is, so are we in this world"
John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

We are His Body, He lives in us, doing His work through us - it is not "likeness", it is Him.
 

Netchaplain

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Hi JB! Good to see your reply and hope you have been doing ok!! Your correct in that it is He Himself in us.

I do not believe being partakers of the Divine nature is the same as "having His divine nature". To me, partaking of His nature does not mean possessing it but being beneficiaries of it, as in "the new man" or new nature, which I believe is the "seed" in us (1 John 3:9) and it is a divine nature because it "is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him" (Col 3:10).

"Not partakers essentially, or of the essence of God, this is impossible, for the nature, perfections, and glory of God, are incommunicable to creatures; nor, hypostatically and personally, so as the human nature of Christ, in union with the Son of God, is a partaker of the divine nature in Him.

But by way of resemblance and likeness, the new man or principle of grace, being formed in the heart in regeneration, after the image of God, and bearing a likeness to the image of his Son, and this is styled, Christ formed in the heart, into which image and likeness the saints are more and more changed, from glory to glory, through the application of the Gospel, and the promises of it, by which they have such sights of Christ as do transform them, and assimilate them to Him; and which resemblance will be perfected hereafter, when they shall be entirely like Him (a body like His) , and see Him as He is." -John Gill
 

JohnnyB

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Hi JB! Good to see your reply and hope you have been doing ok!! Your correct in that it is He Himself in us.

I do not believe being partakers of the Divine nature is the same as "having His divine nature". To me, partaking of His nature does not mean possessing it but being beneficiaries of it, as in "the new man" or new nature, which I believe is the "seed" in us (1 John 3:9) and it is a divine nature because it "is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him" (Col 3:10).

"Not partakers essentially, or of the essence of God, this is impossible, for the nature, perfections, and glory of God, are incommunicable to creatures; nor, hypostatically and personally, so as the human nature of Christ, in union with the Son of God, is a partaker of the divine nature in Him.

But by way of resemblance and likeness, the new man or principle of grace, being formed in the heart in regeneration, after the image of God, and bearing a likeness to the image of his Son, and this is styled, Christ formed in the heart, into which image and likeness the saints are more and more changed, from glory to glory, through the application of the Gospel, and the promises of it, by which they have such sights of Christ as do transform them, and assimilate them to Him; and which resemblance will be perfected hereafter, when they shall be entirely like Him (a body like His) , and see Him as He is." -John Gill
Our new nature is Jesus' nature, Jesus is divine, we have a divine nature. We are partaking - participating - with Him to do His will, that is the coolest thing we get to do!

The verse you have in your signature attests to this, yet you are preaching something contrary to what you have chosen to place there.

We are now able to do greater things than He because it is Christ doing it through us, with His divine nature in us.
 

Netchaplain

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I understand why you believe this considering the way 2 Peter 1:4 states it and this is an important issue which I think should be understood. I do not see a problem with believing His nature is our new nature because going further than this may not be necessary. I do not believe our new nature is exactly as His but regardless, God has made us to fellowship with Him through the Spirit using it.

Our new nature from Christ was created (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) and this is why it is said to be "new", because it has never been in existence. His is not a new nature because it has always existed and originates from Himself and our new nature does not originate from ourselves, but from His. Christ's nature resides alone but our new nature dwells within us along with our original nature.

As I have already mentioned, this could just be an unnecessary issue when considering it to be doctrine, but I think all issues concerning anything that has to do with Scripture can be useful for spiritual growth. After all, our sinful nature will be eradicated upon the first resurrection.
 

Prentis

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I understand why you believe this considering the way 2 Peter 1:4 states it and this is an important issue which I think should be understood. I do not see a problem with believing His nature is our new nature because going further than this may not be necessary. I do not believe our new nature is exactly as His but regardless, God has made us to fellowship with Him through the Spirit using it.

Our new nature from Christ was created (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) and this is why it is said to be "new", because it has never been in existence. His is not a new nature because it has always existed and originates from Himself and our new nature does not originate from ourselves, but from His. Christ's nature resides alone but our new nature dwells within us along with our original nature.

As I have already mentioned, this could just be an unnecessary issue when considering it to be doctrine, but I think all issues concerning anything that has to do with Scripture can be useful for spiritual growth. After all, our sinful nature will be eradicated upon the first resurrection.

If I understood you right, I would actually say this is of very high importance. It is the difference between believing that our old nature dies NOW and we live fully in him by the same nature, or believing that in a future event, beyond this life, it will happen.

We are not told that after our physical death, and after we have lived this whole life in a carnal nature, we will be changed because we 'believed in Jesus'. Rather we are told that if by faith we approach him now, he will lead us to the cross, and if we let him, he will crucify our old man now, that we might be raised in newness of life now. To claim we receive a new nature in Christ and in the same breath say it is not quite like Christ's is akin to saying God's work was imperfect or complete, and that he still stands powerless against the flesh. This is but another denial of the power.

This doctrine then denies the true new birth and the true power of resurrection which is able to make us overcomers and conquerors in this life.

It is more than crucial. It is the difference between faith, and a well masked unbelief. The difference between believing from the heart, or walking by sight.
 

JohnnyB

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If I understood you right, I would actually say this is of very high importance. It is the difference between believing that our old nature dies NOW and we live fully in him by the same nature, or believing that in a future event, beyond this life, it will happen.

We are not told that after our physical death, and after we have lived this whole life in a carnal nature, we will be changed because we 'believed in Jesus'. Rather we are told that if by faith we approach him now, he will lead us to the cross, and if we let him, he will crucify our old man now, that we might be raised in newness of life now. To claim we receive a new nature in Christ and in the same breath say it is not quite like Christ's is akin to saying God's work was imperfect or complete, and that he still stands powerless against the flesh. This is but another denial of the power.

This doctrine then denies the true new birth and the true power of resurrection which is able to make us overcomers and conquerors in this life.

It is more than crucial. It is the difference between faith, and a well masked unbelief. The difference between believing from the heart, or walking by sight.
Amen!

I understand why you believe this considering the way 2 Peter 1:4 states it and this is an important issue which I think should be understood. I do not see a problem with believing His nature is our new nature because going further than this may not be necessary. I do not believe our new nature is exactly as His but regardless, God has made us to fellowship with Him through the Spirit using it.

Our new nature from Christ was created (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) and this is why it is said to be "new", because it has never been in existence. His is not a new nature because it has always existed and originates from Himself and our new nature does not originate from ourselves, but from His. Christ's nature resides alone but our new nature dwells within us along with our original nature.

As I have already mentioned, this could just be an unnecessary issue when considering it to be doctrine, but I think all issues concerning anything that has to do with Scripture can be useful for spiritual growth. After all, our sinful nature will be eradicated upon the first resurrection.

It is only "new" because it has replaced the old, what else would you call it? The "other" nature? It is new to us, it is not new in the sense it was just created.

There are only two natures - Adam's and Christ's, we were born into Adam's and now we need Christ's. There is not more than one kind of new nature.

The Bible mentions nothing about a new nature coming to live and reside with our old nature, instead it says the new nature has replaced the old nature. If what you say is true, God would have said the new nature has come alongside the old nature and now a person has two natures, not replacing the old, but instead sharing of the two.

"Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?[sup] [/sup]Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
 

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I don't see the phrase 'Christ-like' as relating to the office or function of Messiah (i.e. not 'Christ-same' or 'a Christ'), but as reflecting the character of Jesus the Christ. Most of the instruction given to us in the New Testament (such as 'pray without ceasing', and 'humble yourselves before the Lord') are calls to be like Christ. Perhaps 'Jesus-like' would be more acceptable, however when the New Testament writers called us to be like Jesus, they used the word 'Christ' many times, so I don't see anything wrong with the phrase 'Christ-like'. Some examples:

Colossians 3:13 "forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, ...even as Christ has forgiven you"

Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church..."

Philippians 2:5 "For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..."

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

1 Peter 2:21 "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps"

In each of these examples, we are called to be like Jesus Christ in some way.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 "And you became imitators of us and of the Lord"

These describe the way we are to live. The 'how' can only be answered by our humble submission to the power and leading of the Spirit of Jesus so that He does the work.


Following our Lord Jesus and trying to do the things He did is still not the idea I'm talking about regarding Gnosticism, which assumes the titles of Christ upon oneself in the sense of being one's own 'Christ'.