Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
Written by:
Rev. Dr. Anthony Tudela
11/1/2023
Is it possible to be like Jesus?
Many over the centuries have questioned themselves, and the Church. Is it really possible to mature into Christ as Jesus did? Well, many doubt this possibility: Ministries, Christian Institutions, and many Christian Educators as well. Several have theoretical and academic rebuttals. They even have scriptures that they claim to be proof.
To get to the truth about this question, we first must establish as to what does it means to be like Jesus. When we look at the Pattern Son Jesus, the Father reveals that Jesus came to bring many Sons to the same Glory He attained.
Heb. 2:10 ..…by whom are all things, in bringing many Sons unto Glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
1John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God.
The first thing Jesus had to do to bring about this calling given to Him by His Father was to “Take Away the Sin of the World!” With a better priest and better sacrifice than the Old Covenant is where we begin.
The Old Covenant was not able to take away our sinful nature passed down from Adam; the sins committed were only forgiven.
Rom. 5:19 For as by (Adam) one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
1John. 3:8 …..For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy
the works of the devil.
Many Christians from the second century till today have the mindset of thinking of the Old Covenant of just being forgiven and not fully cleansed from the Nature of Adam. This is where the Cross and the Preaching of the Cross are the power of God unto Salvation, 1Cor. 1:18. What Christ Jesus did on the Cross is that He crucified all of us together with Him and nailed it to His Cross. Thereby opening the prison doors and setting the captives free.
This is where precious faith comes into action.
Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Do Christians truly believe that Jesus is the Christ?
Then why do many hesitate to believe what He did on the Cross for us?
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
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.
5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6. Knowing this, that our Old Man (Adam) is Crucified with Him, that the Body of Sin (Nature) might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8. Now, if we are dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
To believe in Jesus as the Son of God is to say one believes what He taught and did equally to who He said he was!
1Joh. 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is Born of God:
Luk. 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Now that the scriptures conclude, Jesus did a marvelous work that puts us in Him to complete the work the Father gave Him to do, and that is to bring us to maturity.
Eph. 4:11 And he gave some, Apostles; and some, Prophets; and some, Evangelists; and some, Pastors and Teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
1Joh. 3:2 Beloved, now are we the Sons of God!
Rev. Dr. Anthony Tudela
