Walking in Christ’s Image in a World of Poor Reflections

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

What is Christianity without Christ? True Christians should strive to draw others to God, walking in Christ’s image.

Introduction

We’re living in a moment of rebuke today, where God is asking:  Are we walking in Christ’s image?  Many around us, understandably so, are also rebuking “Christianity” because of the continued efforts of bad-faith actors who proclaim Christ, but their works say antichrist.  So, this is a very important moment for Christianity.  How will we, the true Christian, respond in this moment of rebuke?  

Be Imitators of Christ

In his letter to the Ephesian church, we will see where Paul rebuked the Ephesian church.  

Paul called on the church to be “imitators of God” as dear children.  As Paul called on the Ephesian church to be imitators of God, the Lord desires for all of His children to imitate Him.  I believe His rebuke today is a reminder that we ought to be imitating Him.

To imitate means to follow as a pattern, model, or example.  In this case, the child of God, as dear children, ought to be following the pattern, model, and example set by God.  

To imitate also can mean to be, or to appear like, or to resemble.  Again, in this case, the child of God ought to be striving to be, to appear like, or to resemble God.

Lastly, to imitate can also mean to produce a copy of or to reproduce.  I want to provide you with the best definition that I can of imitation because we, Christians, ought to be living in a Christ-like manner.  A Christian is one who faithfully moves in a Christ-like manner.  

To properly imitate God, we must understand His pattern, which, again, has certainly been set for us.  The pattern that has been set for us by God is a love and grace-based pattern.  

Jesus told Nicodemus that God loved the world and gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16).  I want you to keep in mind that God loved a world when it was, much like today, lost in sin.  Such love was a show of God’s grace and mercy rather than condemnation.  God certainly could have condemned the world a long time ago, yet the world is still spinning.

Then, through Christ, God in the flesh, the truth was preached to mankind.  A truth that all should repent from the wickedness of their way.  In the preaching of this truth, Christ preached God’s forgiveness and salvation– deliverance from sin.  Christ set the example of ministering the truth, no matter how hard it may be for one to hear, to receive, and to accept.

Christ then laid down His life for us, becoming the firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18).  In the giving of His life, Christ set the example of one choosing to live in submission to the Lord’s will.

So, I repeat, the pattern, the model, and the example have clearly been set for us.  The question that one who claims faith must answer is whether or not they will follow the pattern.  Will you follow Christ’s pattern, choosing to live in submission to God’s will, or will you choose to do your own thing?

A Poor Reflection of Christ

Paul rebuked the Ephesian church because it had become a poor reflection of Christ.  In Ephesians 4:20, Paul said to the church, “You have not so learned Christ.”  You cannot walk in the image of Christ, imitating Him, if you have not learned His pattern.

This was a much-needed rebuke for the Ephesian church, as it had become so divided that it was cannibalizing itself.  The Jewish believers in the church looked down on the Gentile believers, treating them as “less than”.  Does that sound like something that Christ ever did?  Nowhere in scripture will find Christ treating others in such a manner.

The division in the church is why Paul called for unity of the Spirit in the church (Eph. 4:3).  In Revelation 2:1-7, Jesus also rebuked the church for having abandoned its first love.  The first love of every church and every believer is Christ.  

The Ephesian church collapsed because it had left its first love, and therefore, serves as a grave warning.  You see, when God rebukes, He always reveals harsh truths that we must not avoid any longer.  I believe that in the rebuke of today, God is pulling off the veil of “Christianity”.  

There is a “Christianity” present in the world today that is not of God, and God is rebuking it.  This manmade “Christianity” lacks Christ, and therefore, it is nothing but a religion, a poor reflection of Christ.  We know that this manmade “Christianity” is not of Christ because its actions are the opposite of the pattern set by Christ.

In His work, Christ elevated those around them, regardless of who they were.  Christ elevated the disabled man at the pool of Bethesda, whom nobody would help (John 5:2-9).  Christ elevated the sinful woman who came to the Pharisee’s house and washed His feet with her tears, when the Pharisee would do nothing for her (Luke 7:36-50).  

When He was going to the Gadarenes, Christ elevated the man who was possessed by Legion, when the people had kicked him out of the town (Mark 5:1-20).  Christ elevated fishermen to being spiritual leaders when their society saw them as too illiterate to be more than lowly fishermen.

In His work, Christ elevated.  In His work, God is still elevating!  If God supports and elevates, shouldn’t those who would dare take on His name do the same?

God’s rebuke of “Christianity”

Manmade “Christianity” is in serious trouble today as it has drawn the ire of God and His rebuke.  Manmade “Christianity” has not learned Christ, forgotten its first love, and therefore, doesn’t move like Christ.  Rather than love, this manmade Christianity has a history and a present-day work of demeaning, degrading, and dehumanizing others.

Moreover, in its work, manmade “Christianity” has self-righteous indignation, moving in the image of the scribes and Pharisees.  Many so-called Christians are moving as the ones who despised Christ and sought His death!  They may preach Christ, but by their fruit, we see that they actually despise Him. 

In Matthew 23:3, Jesus warned that one ought not do as the scribes and Pharisees do.  Jesus said not to do as they do because the scribes and Pharisees laid heavy burdens on the shoulders of others, with their laws, and wouldn’t help others to carry those burdens (Matt. 23:4).  

Here we are today, the scribes and Pharisees of this land are hard at work laying heavy burdens on the shoulders of others, saying, pick yourself up without offering a helping hand.  Frankly, it is foul what we see coming from those who would go sit in a church on Sunday, post Bible quotes in their social media, but will move with the utmost hate towards others.

Those who are of this manmade “Christianity” have chosen to live in submission to the will of a demon of a man rather than the Lord.  Let’s be clear that choosing to live in submission to another goes against the command to love God wholeheartedly (Matt. 22:37).  Going back to the Ten Commandments, God makes it clear that He does not want for man to have any other gods before Him (Ex. 20:3).

Those who have willingly chosen their master to be a man, we should understand, are committing idolatry.  Manmade “Christianity” is in serious trouble today because it has chosen idolatry, a truly great sin against God.  To be clear, manmade “Christianity” has chosen blasphemy, encouraging others to follow along in their great sin!  

Don’t you follow them in their great sin!  I don’t care how much they say that you aren’t a Christian because you’re not part of their political party, don’t follow them in their great sin.  I don’t care how much they speak against you because you vote a certain way or feel a certain way about evil spirited people, don’t follow them!

The oldest game that the devil loves to play is to tell believers how to be a believer.  Imagine taking advice from the devil on how to be a Christian.  Don’t listen to the devil’s advice, heed God’s rebuke!

How to Stand in Christ’s Image

To stand and walk in Christ’s image, the Christian ought to heed Paul’s advice to the Ephesian church.  

Put off the old and put on the new

In Ephesians 4:22, Paul encouraged the Ephesian church to put off their former conduct, which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts.  The old man was carried away in a spirit that is all about oneself.  Lust is a self-serving, evil kind of spirit that can turn a caring heart into an apathetic (uncaring) heart!

The selfish heart is what fills our land and manmade “Christianity” today.  In this land, many choose not to care about the plight of others as they focus on “I” and “me”.  The selfish heart that is enticed by lust is a heart that cannot stand in Christ’s image.  The one who desires to be a Christian must put that heart behind them– throw it away!

In Ephesians 4:23, Paul told the Ephesian believers to be “renewed in the Spirit”.  The renewing of the Spirit is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Some of us wonder how we can put off our former conduct?  Well, that is what the Holy Spirit is for!  

The Holy Spirit’s role, I remind you, is to lead and guide us in all truth.  If you listen to the voice of the Spirit, He will direct your paths in the path of righteousness.  So, we must heed the voice of the Spirit so that we may be led away from the voice of our old, sinful self, in the path that is holy (Gal. 5:16).

In Ephesians 4:24, Paul told the Ephesian believers to “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”  Putting on the man created according to God is one choosing to live in submission to God’s will.  This is one who is choosing to no longer dwell as a sinner but as a holy person of God.

Christ set this example for us to follow!  Christ lived in submission to the Father’s will, choosing the plight of others over self.  When He prayed in the garden,  Christ said, “Not my will, but yours, be done (Luke 22:42).”  The Lord’s will is for all who receive Christ to be raised at the last day.

Christ did not have to get on the cross.  In fact, Christ even said, in that same prayer, “If it is Your will, take this cup away from Me.”  The only begotten Son could have gone on to do His own thing.  Yet, Christ drank the cup because He submitted Himself to the Father’s will and chose to lay down His life for us.

If we are going to be Christians today, the true Christian must be willing to live in submission to the Father’s will.  The true Christian, like Christ, will put the plight of others over oneself!  You see, God’s desire is for us to help save souls by leading and guiding them.  God has no desire for falsified Christianity that pushes souls away from Him.

Put away the lying tongue

The true Christian ought to live honorably and with integrity.  In Ephesians 4:25, Paul wrote, “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.”

The lying tongue ought not be a part of the Christian nor should we support the lying tongue.  As Proverbs 6:16-19 makes very clear, the lying tongue is an abomination to God, as it is one of the six things God hates.  Christ did not set the example of being a habitual liar, so why should we move in such an example and think it is OK?

Going back to the Ten Commandments given to the children of Israel, God told them not to bear false witness against their neighbor (Ex. 20:16).  Yet, we live in a period of time where making up lies and conspiracies about our neighbor is a laughing matter.  How is it Christ-like to have no problem with bearing false witness or supporting one who does?

The lying tongue, as James said, sets fire the course of nature (Jas. 3:6).  Proverbs 10:11 tells us that the lying tongue sows discord and violence, whereas the tongue of the righteous is a wellspring of life (Prov. 10:11).  With the tongue, we ought to be inspiring, encouraging, uplifting, and giving life (hope) to those who are around us.  That is the way of Christ; therefore, that is the way of a true Christian.

Live without wrath

The true Christian must not live with wrath dwelling in them. Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers, “‘Be angry, and do not sin’”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil (Eph. 4:26-27).”  

The Ephesian believers let anger fester inside of them, so much so that it took them away from the path of Christ.  In today’s world, the devil is doing his best to move us away from Christ with all of his atrocities.  The devil desires for anger to sit and fester in us, because anger that festers will boil over into wrath.

The wrath of man cannot produce the righteousness of God (Jas. 1:20).  The true Christian must learn to let go of anger and not let it fester.  We don’t need to give place for the devil to enter and make a dwelling place inside of us, polluting and corrupting our souls.  So, let us turn our anger over to the Lord so that we may continue to walk in Christ’s image.

Impart grace, walking in love

The true Christian learns to impart grace as they go about.  Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”  This is the complete opposite of manmade Christianity, which is spouting the most vile and hateful rhetoric you will ever hear.

Again, I say to you, true Christians are to uplift, encourage, and give hope!  Even more, Paul would call on us, as he did the Ephesian believers, to “Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us (Eph. 5:2).”  This is the opposite of the selfish nature of manmade “Christianity”.

True Christians don’t see others as less than, but as their neighbors.  Neighbors are supposed to be loved.  We are to live in submission to the Father’s will, as servants to our neighbors, helping, supporting, and assisting them.  Such work can help us greatly today in overcoming the efforts of the wicked.  

This is truly a serious moment we’re living in today, and I don’t say that as hyperbole.  No, this moment is truly serious and we must rise to meet this moment of rebuke head-on.  To meet this moment, the true Christian must be devoted to Christ-like living, rather than doing their own thing.  You see, choosing to do our own thing is why this land, and the world itself, is in the trouble that it’s in today.

Yet, I truly do believe, and have the hope, that we can turn things around.  I believe because all things are possible through Christ!  This is how true Christians oiught to be living today.