Christ-like

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”  Ephesians 5:1-2  (NASB)

“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.”   Ephesians 5:1-2  (The Message)

A child will show himself to be a son or daughter by wanting to grow up like their parents. In the same way, God’s precious children will be eager to copy him, as he enables them. But how is it possible for us? In our own strength, it is clearly not, but God has given us His Holy Spirit to enable us to fulfill His purpose. William Temple used to illustrate the point this way: “It is no good giving me a play like Hamlet or King Lear, and telling me to write a play like that. Shakespeare could do it; I can’t. And it is no good showing me a life like the life of Jesus and telling me to live a life like that. Jesus could do it; I can’t. But if the genius of Shakespeare could come and live in me, then I could write plays like his. And if the Spirit of Jesus could come and live in me, then I could live a life like His.”

God’s purpose is to make us like Christ by the Holy Spirit. Here at Menno Simons Christian School we truly believe that we are living a Christlike life as the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and lives.