THE LIFE OF CHRIST

     Besides the overwhelming importance of “THE DEATH” of Christ, being the sole and only reason why all our sins are successfully borne by Jesus, does not “THE LIFE” of Christ also have something equally important to say?

     For are His death and His life together — in combination — not the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and the Beginning and the End? (Revelation 22:13).

     For whilst, of “His death”, it is written: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24), when it comes to “His life”, is it not likewise written: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”? (John 14:6).

     And of the way and the truth of “His life”, does the inviolable Word of God not clearly state that we are TO PATTERN our own lives according to His example? Which is to not only live as He did, but also walk as He did. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us AN EXAMPLE, that you should follow His steps”? (1 Peter 2:21).

     And just WHY, then, is the example of His life so important for us to pattern ourselves after? For is the example of “His life” not as important, if not in some ways more important, than “His death”? For whilst our redemption “BEGINS” with our DEATH to sin, our redemption “ENDS” with LIVING unto righteousness (1 Peter 2:24). For as we die to sin through “THE POWER” of Christ, do we not come alive to “THE DIVINE NATURE”, which is righteousness? Which is so that in our own lives, just like in all of creation about us, we too may represent the invisible qualities of the Father — which are His “eternal power” and His “divine nature”? (Romans 1:20).

    And when it comes to “His life”, is it not written: “My food is to do THE WILL of Him who sent Me and to finish His work”? (John 4:24). And, as such, exactly WHY is the will of the Father so important? For is it not through doing THE WILL of the Father, that we come alive to righteousness?

     For is it not written, “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother”? (1 John 3:20).

     And if we only demonstrate “the power” of Christ through dying to sin, but not “the divine nature” by living unto righteousness, do we not remain incomplete, lacking something, rather than being without spot or wrinkle, lacking nothing?

     For a start, a major clue that tells us that the will of the Father is of paramount importance is that the very Son of God Himself, who became flesh and dwelt on earth amongst men, exhausted every living ounce of all that was His earthly life on the single-minded pursuit of fulfilling His Father's will. When it came to this deep-seated and unwavering personal priority, Jesus is famous for saying. "Nevertheless, not My will, but Your will be done." (Luke 22:42).

     This statement by Jesus is the profound distinction of both the inward hallmark of His heart (internal evidence), and the outward example of His life to all of man (external evidence). Nothing else took precedence for Jesus, either inwardly or outwardly. The life of Christ reinforces the Father's will that not only are we to LIVE in the Spirit (produce internal evidence) but we are to also WALK in the Spirit too (produce external evidence) - GALATIANS 5:25. In other words, we are to not be HEARERS only of the Word (the will of the Father), but DOERS too - JAMES 1:22.

     Every thought and action of Jesus, every heartbeat expired and second expended by Jesus, all converged on the frontline of fulfilling nothing but His Father's will, even at the expense of His own personal will.

     Placing the will of the Father before our own will is both the example we see in Jesus as the "living Word", as well as the message we hear in the "written Word". Where it states: "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." - MATTHEW 16:25, this scripture is our own personal call to also say, “Nevertheless, not my will, but Your will be done.” And such is the message of the life of Christ and all who follow in His footsteps.

     The priority of holding the “Father's will” as paramount is even ensconced right at the very beginning of the Lord's Prayer: "Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” - MATTHEW 6:9-10. For Jesus, the will of His Father was forever "first and foremost", and permanently "preeminent and prominent".

     And for this reason, it behoved God the Father to publicly declare from the heavens above, "This is My Son in whom I am WELL pleased." And for all those who pattern themselves after Christ, being all those who follow the example of “the life of Christ”, so too shall the Father declare that this is My son in whom I am WELL pleased.

     Oh that our lives may all culminate in hearing those precious words!