What does it mean to be Christ-like (for you)?

[karen freeinchristman]

Thought this might be interesting to discuss!
I'm not posting my view yet though, need to think...:idea:

[Fish and Bread]

Love God and love one another.

John

[higgs2]

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive........

I'm not very good at it.

To hang out with the least and the lowly, the lonely, the outcast, the oppressed. ANd to love them without reserve.

I don't really do much of that either.

To be a servant.

nope, I suck at that too.

I have a lot of room for improvement, thank God He's patient.

[Eby]

To Love God and give everything I am too him.
To love everyone including my 'enemies',
and to forgive.

[CSMR]

To will all things as God the Father wills.
To be both God and man.
To atone for sin.

That is to be Christ; to be like Christ I should say two out of the three are necessary.

[Naomi4Christ]

...what everyone else has said :amen:


I think that trying to be Christlike is behaving as Christ taught us - so, for example, following his teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.

I think some key things are to do what you are doing for God and not to impress other people ("you will get your reward in full"), not to be a hypocrite, and to do things with a good heart (all these things are connected, of course).

Also, you are clearly blessed with the Fruits of the Spirit. :)

[Naomi4Christ]

To be both God and man.


That's a bit hard to pull off! :)

[karen freeinchristman]

What lovely and succinct answers! Our faith doesn't have to be complicated!
I believe that becoming more Christ-like is the heart of our commitment.

"Becoming" is an on-going, continual process; one which we will never fully arrive at in this life (you are not alone, Higgs2!). But if our intention is to be genuinely willing to be shaped by God in this way, we are fulfilling our part of the deal, in my opinion.

[Naomi4Christ]

We also have to trust in God

[Lel]

Often I must pray, as best as I can, Lord, make me willing to be shaped more like You.

[xristos.anesti]

Theosis/Deification.

[karen freeinchristman]

Theosis/Deification.
I'm sorry, can you say that in plain English, please? Do these words mean becoming God-like? As you have stated them, does it mean that to you, this is what being Christ-like is? Just wondering if you could explain this a little, please!

[xristos.anesti]

I'm sorry, can you say that in plain English, please? Do these words mean becoming God-like? As you have stated them, does it mean that to you, this is what being Christ-like is? Just wondering if you could explain this a little, please!

This (http://www2.orthodoxwiki.org/Theosis) is from the Orthodox Wiki.

But really, for me, it is the very purpose of being Christian. It is the purpose of creation, with or without fall. It is why we are here. It is what everyone came for.

These words do mean becoming God-like (not by essence but by adoption).

Many years.

[Naomi4Christ]

Theosis/Deification.

Come again?

[xristos.anesti]

Come again?

Theosis/Deification.

^_^

[karen freeinchristman]

This (http://www2.orthodoxwiki.org/Theosis) is from the Orthodox Wiki.

"Theosis, meaning deification or divinization, is the process of man becoming holy (http://www2.orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Holy&action=edit) and being united with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the resurrection (http://www2.orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Resurrection&action=edit). Theosis is the content of salvation from sin, is premised upon apostolic and early Christian understanding of the life of faith, and is conceptually foundational in both the east and the west.

Alternative spellings: Theiosis, Theopoiesis"- (taken from the site that xristos.anesti has put in as a link.)

I'm not really sure what to make of this. I can't seem to argue with it, as it is written that we are a holy priesthood... and we obviously look forward to the day of our own resurrection...can't argue with salvation from sin, as given to us by Jesus on the cross. However, xristos.anesti, I guess what I am trying to ask via the OP is what does it mean for us now, here on this earth, in this life
- how do you feel it should be manifested in YOUR life?

[xristos.anesti]

...what I am trying to ask via the OP is what does it mean for us now, here on this earth, in this life
- how do you feel it should be manifested in YOUR life?


That is a very fair question (or couple of questions).

The way I look at it goes something like this:
When God created a man and a woman, He created them for the union with Himself. The purpose of creation was Theosis, that is - the purpose of life was for us to become like God, or become God-like.

What that meant? Well, the purpose of our being is to be in being with God (without reaching the essence of God - for IT is unreachable), the communion, the relationship with Him (Them - Mostholy Trinity).

When we fell, there was placed a chasm between God and us; chasm of our creation, the opposite of creation - uncreation. We acted (using our free will) in a way of separating ourselves from Him.

So, there was a need (God's choosing) to re-create tha un-created, to re-make the unmade, to correct.

The action of Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High on the day of incarnation was, in a sense, this corrective action. Logos came to do what He "needed to do" (for He loves us so much, it was act of love, not of need, but need of love - He did not have to do it - He chose to do it) to place us back into that union that we came out of on the "day of the fall".

So, theosis is this living with God. It is the re-made unity, communion with God. It is corrective action, a synergy of two wills; will of God and a will of a Man.

In Christ, these were incarnated so that we can enjoy the reality that is new creation, this situation of Lord Christ, the God Man, the lover of humans, the Saviour... OUR GOD.


How does this all play out in reality that is called our life?
When fallen nature of our will becomes enlightened by the corrective power of Most Holy Trinity; we change (we are changing). That is, we start going where we were supposed to be going from the start, from the day of creation. It is a healing from the sicknes of our will, plague of our nature, our sin, our lives, or being. We are changed, changed into eternity.

Because God is always beyond us, we will always be in a need of growth, that is the process of eternity, the start of the end that has no end.

The eternal life.

It starts here and now, and it goes forever, and blessed are those who say yes, blessed are those who grab the straw of salvation.

There are ups and downs, we are very sick but we have a help, help of the One who won over the enemy and his biggest weapon, death.

He resurrected on the third day and smashed was the state of the devil, his empire. Death was defeated by the death of the One that died for all.

As old Adam divided, the New Adam united.



Our fall brought death, his death brought fall to our fall. The synergy is uneven, it is majority of action from God, but our action is needed, it is our faith and actions of that faith (call it works of faith), it is action of a new man, new creation.

Theosis is this process that starts now... and it never ends.

Many years.

[Naomi4Christ]

But what is the difference between you, the Christian xristos, and you if you were not a Christian? What would a casual observer see?

[xristos.anesti]

oBut what is the difference between you, the Christian xristos, and you if you were not a Christian? What would a casual observer see?

People are easily impressed and cheated. Especially casual observers.

Am I a better man that before... before now? No. I am even worse.

Is my change to the better? No, but for the worse.

I have developed my old evil tendencies to the new levels and developed some new ones. I am a poor example of anything, and a good example of what we should not be.

Other than that, as far as I am concerned, Lord have mercy. Truly.


But, it works with those who choose to suffer for His sake. I, on the other side, love myself to much to work with God.




I am a bad person.



To tell you the truth... sometimes I think that if I enter the heaven so will devil.


Lets not talk about me.

[CSMR]

People are easily impressed and cheated. Especially casual observers.
:D

You have some good things to say xristos.anesti

[Naomi4Christ]

Hope we haven't embarrassed you, XA, by putting you on the spot. We all fall short of the glory of God.

Perhaps we can encourage one another to all lead better lives.

[xristos.anesti]

Hope we haven't embarrassed you, XA, by putting you on the spot. We all fall short of the glory of God.

Perhaps we can encourage one another to all lead better lives.

:thumbsup:

[karen freeinchristman]

We are all in the same boat, and hoping we don't drop the oars!

:)

[SeenAndUnseen]

To tell you the truth... sometimes I think that if I enter the heaven so will devil.


:help: I often think the same thing of myself. I'm not completely sure it is utterly impossible that God might redeem the devil at the end of eternity, so there is hope for us yet! :cool: