Who Will We Become?

Who Are We Imitating?

If a person does not want to quit drinking, smoking, using drugs, lying, or stealing, then it does not matter what he tries to do to help, as he will never stop.

You must have a real desire to change your life.

If anyone desires to live a Godly life, they must plan it.

1 Timothy 4:7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself rather unto godliness.

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

We must make up our minds. We will not drift into sanctification; we will not drift into godliness; we will not drift into holiness; we will not drift into self-denial and placing Christ first. We must be determined to do these things; they will not just happen. We must make up our minds to develop, change, and grow, then follow through with a plan.

We must decide what we will do with our bodies, minds, and our lives. The habits we engender in our life now will either bless us or haunt us all of our lives.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15

Do we desire to be Christlike in our actions?

If so, how does Christ want us to treat our parents, obey our parents, work for our employer, treat our employees? How does Christ want us to use our time?

If we have no desire to become Godly, then we never will. If we have no desire to be taught, it does not matter how good our teacher is, as we will never progress.

Matthew 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the Word and at once with joy receives it.

The parable provides a sober reminder that even the most enthusiastic outward response to the gospel offers no guarantee that one is a true disciple.

Only the tests of time, perseverance under difficult circumstances, the avoidance of the idolatries of wealth and anxiety over earthly concerns, and above all the presence of appropriate fruit (consistent obedience to God’s will) can prove a genuine profession.

Who Have We Chosen As Our Model?

Paul always encouraged new believers to follow his example as he followed Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore I beseech you, be you followers of me. 11:1 Be you followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Philippians 3:17 Brothers, be followers together of me, and mark those who so walk, as you have us for an example.

There is a major problem in our culture, and even in the church, concerning good models to follow. There are fewer and fewer good models to be found. The kinds of things that in another generation were sometimes picked up almost by osmosis, today you have to search out and think through to achieve the same result.

“What am I copying or learning from?

Who am I copying or learning from?

What is the model of maturity that will be mine?

The question is not whether or not you will copy someone or something. All of us will copy something or model and learn from someone. The question is:

Who we will learn from and emulate, and will we be intentional in what or who we will copy?

Any Model We Follow Produces Outcomes & Consequences—Good or Bad

2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

It has become clear in the last ten years that the secular culture in America hates Christians and what they stand for. We should not be surprised when persecution against us increases.

While we especially have joy through our relationship with Him, and confidence that God is in control, give up any illusions that the world is getting better. This is a damned world—we learn that in God’s Word. Increasingly, anything that challenges a secular world attitude will be attacked—gender choice beliefs included.

Philippians 4:1b stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

Are we preparing our lives now, or have we been preparing our lives, so when intense persecution arrives, we will stand strong, and not turn our backs on Christ or what is right?

Who is our model? Christ Himself. But we also learn from others: Do our models follow Christ? How much time are we training in order to be Godly?

Each of us will become what we train for,
and we will imitate the models we follow.