Such a question seems to have an obvious answer. I doubt that a single reader of this paper would answer with a confident "not me!" What person, who want to do right, would not want to be like Jesus? He is the epitome of righteousness.

All who are Christians (disciples of Christ) are called by His name. Christian simply means adhering to or following Christ. Adhere means to stay attached; stick fast; cleave; cling; to be devoted in support or allegiance; to be attached as a follower or upholder. The faithful Christian is stuck to Christ in support and allegiance to Him.

Sometimes our actions do not show our support and allegiance. Even the apostle Peter had trouble with this at times. Remember the occasion in which Peter flatly denied the Lord three times (Matt. 20:69-75)? Jesus had been brought before Caiaphas the high priest, and the scribes and elders assembled seeking false witness against Jesus. Peter certainly did not support Christ on this occasion, denying Him and even to the extent of saying he did not know Him. Is there an application for us in this account of Peter's actions? Although we will never be questioned about physically being with Jesus, we will have many opportunities to stand up for Jesus and answer for our relationship with Him. Rather than cowering away in shame and embarrassment, we should gladly show our support for Him and speak of our kinship with Him. What if Jesus, when faced with that terrible persecution and knowing that He was about to be nailed to a cross, had said it's no use, I just can't go through with such pain. We would have been left to wander aimlessly through this life with NO HOPE. Thank God that Jesus did not run from His obligations to us and to His Father. Thsi is the One who gave His life for us! When so much love has been extended to us, how can we justify any less than total conformity to Him?

So, who want's to be like Jesus? We often sing songs in which we proclaim our desire to be 'More Like Jesus.' In fact, that is the very title of one such song. The words are as follows: "I want to be more like Jesus, and follow Him day by day; I want to be true and faithful, and every command obey. (chorus) More and more like Jesus, my Savior Who died for me." (This song was written by J.M. Stillman). Do you want to be more like Jesus? Do you want to be true and faithful and obedient to every command? This what Jesus is like. Even when facing death on the cross, He prayed to the Father saying: "Thy Will be done" (Matt. 26:42). While praying in Jno. 17:4, Jesus said: "I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do." Jesus had left nothing undone that the Father expected of Him. That is faithfulness. Phil. 2:8 says: "...He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death even the death on the cross." Jesus, although being God, had the choice of whether to obey or not The text says that He humbled Himself and became obedient. In spite of all the hardships that He faced, He chose faithfulness and obedience. We may think that because He was God, He was automatically obedient and faithful to the Father. But the Scriptures indicate that "the child (Jesus) grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit," "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Lk. 2:40,52). As Jesus grew up physically, He grew spiritually as well; and He always did what was right (Heb. 4:15).

As we sojourn in this physical life, we are wise to meditate continually upon the life of Jesus and mirror Him in our lives. He is our friend, our High Priest, our Mediator, our King, and our Savior. He is our example that we should follow in His steps (1 Pet. 2:21). "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also to so walk, even as He walked" (1 Jno. 2:6). (We are told in 1 Jno. 3:1-3: "Behold what manner of live the Father has bestow-ed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did nto know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

This is an indication that we should spend all of our lives here upon this earth becoming more and more like Jesus every day. So when He comes again we will be as much like Him as we truly can be. Then we will be prepared to go and be with Him in heaven.

By David Sandlin and is found in Exhortation, Vol. 1, No. 6, June 2011