Living like Christ
As a people who confess faith in the Son of God, Christians are to live their lives in such a way that will demonstrate to the world the immense power and grace available in Christ Jesus. On the day we confessed Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were marked (invisibly) by the cross and separated from the rest of the sin-loving world; however, there are still many Christians are out there who live their lives and conduct their affairs in an ungodly manner as if they still belonged to the world.
Some of the time, Christians let their flesh rule over them. They become carnal and so easily give in to anger, malice, envy, lust, greed, strife, division, gluttony, bitterness, hatred and the likes (See Galatians 5:19-21). When God’s people [who are called to saints] live their lives this way, they bring a reproach to the name of Christ and also the church at large. The grace and privilege we’ve been given gets dragged in the mud and trampled on by ignorant folks.
But God’s single solution to this problem of being ruled by the flesh remains steadfast and unchanging; and it is that His people must allow their carnal self [which is given to sensuality, controlled by animal appetites, governed by human nature] experience the death of the cross. It is only those who ‘die’ continually at the cross that will both have and exhibit the life that is in Jesus. There is no other way to be free from the controlling power of the flesh except the way of the cross; the Word of God tells us this:
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 NKJV
The Son of God didn’t suffer and die on the cross because He wanted to be a hero or beat an existing record and put His name in the Guinness World Records book. Rather, He died to make a way for humanity to be from the controlling power of the flesh (and the devil too). When we walk in the way of the cross and continually give up our self-will, sins, and animalistic appetites for crucifixion, then we will experience begin to experience transformation and receive the life of Jesus – His divine nature – in our hearts (See 2 Corinthians 4:10,11). We can only live like Christ and give expressions to His divine nature when we understand the power of the cross!
After all, our job description as Christians is to demonstrate to the world the nature, character, & power of Christ. We have been called to be His earthly ambassadors and it our responsibility to ensure that we do not allow our flesh/carnal nature to rob us of the prestigious position we have been given from heaven. The world is getting darker and darker; and we as God’s people are light and must shine bright enough to draw/rescue others from the darkness.