not imitating Christ but living Christ

Many people say “I can’t become a Christian because I can’t do all that the Bible says”, and “the Lord Jesus is a good model, but I can’t live the way He did”.  Also, many believers try to imitate Christ, striving to obey what the Bible says, and struggling to be good people/Christians.

Some even say: “If you are a Christian, you have to give up this and that (smoking, cursing, clubbing, vices and bad habits, etc)!”

What is the Christian life? It is a life lived together with Christ, as we mentioned before, and even more – it is Christ living in us!

When the Lord Jesus was on the earth, the Father confirmed: “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I delight” (Luke 3:22, after His baptism, before starting His ministry) and “This is My Son, the Beloved: Hear Him!” (Mark 9:7, on the mount of transfiguration, when Peter suggested that Moses and Elijah and the Lord are all on the same level/listen to all 3 of them).

Paul also said in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who lives but it is Christ who lives in me…” So, is it us imitating Christ outwardly, trying to do our best to do what the Bible says, or even asking God for more love, joy, peace, understanding, etc? No! It is actually seeing that Christ is in us and LIVES IN US!

It is not a matter of what we do/how we act, but who lives right now! We need to see that, as believers in Christ, we have been re-born with another life: the divine life. Christ is in us, and He wants to live in us.

When Christ lives in us, we are not “imitating” Christ, but we simply and spontaneously live Christ! And this is what God wants: Christ living again in His believers!

Hallelujah, Christ lives in me! Whenever I turn to Him and am one with Him (by eating Him & drinking Him, fellowshipping with Him, praying and calling on His name, etc), Christ in me lives the Christian life automatically! I don’t need to try to imitate Christ: I just need to stop and allow Him to live in me! Praise the Lord!