Jesus Our Example

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 19, 1864

Jesus Our Example.

RELIGION is constantly suffering from the conduct of its professors. They do not put off the old man with his deeds, neither do they put on the new man, which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness. They profess to look to Christ as a Saviour, but they do not take Christ for their example. But these things must not be divided. He who died for our sins, set us also an example that we should follow in His steps. Christ alone should be our standard, and likeness to Him should be our aim. We are only so far Christianized as we are like Christ. He says,

"Learn of me." Not only learn by my teaching, but learn by my life. Do as ye see me do; act as ye see me act. The life of Jesus is the model after which the Holy Spirit works. As the Spirit of Christ, His work is to conform us to Christ. And under His teaching and assistance, it should be our daily aim to resemble Christ in our temper, disposition, and general deportment. Am I called to suffer? Let me ask, "How did Christ suffer?" and then seek grace to suffer just as He did. Am I called to work for God? Let me ask, "How did Christ work?" and then pray for grace, that I may work just as Jesus did. And so of all the rest, that my life may be a reflection of the life of Christ, and that in my conduct I may in some degree reproduce the conduct of the Lord Jesus. No one can tell how nearly he may be conformed to the life of Jesus, if he makes this his constant prayer and habitual aim. Grace can do wonders, and God giveth more grace. We are not now what we were once, and we may become very much more like to Jesus than we are now. Holy Spirit make us just like our beloved Lord.