TO BE LIKE JESUS
                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                             By W. G. Guy
 
          God’s plan for all of mankind is to be fully restored to Him as His divine children.  This is why Jesus came and became our redeemer, (our restorer), bringing us back into a relationship with God the Father as a son or child of God.

1 John 3:1-2 –  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

          He is Holy, sinless and pure, and His blood cleanses us from all sin and unrighteousness making those who have believed and accepted Him as Savior and Lord are also made clean and holy washed in His blood.

1 John 3:3 –  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

Romans 8 is all about believers being conformed to the image of Christ as becoming the sons of God the Father, and loved by Him.

Romans 8:28-29 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.   For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

          This is also what the apostle Paul was endeavoring to do as he wrote to the church of the Galatians.

Galatians 4:19 – My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

          Those who accept by faith what Jesus has done for us are the Sons of God, His beloved children.
John 1:12 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his
name:

          We are born-again into His family as His children: this is the adoption process that God ordained to restore mankind to the place God originally planned for mankind.

Romans 8:14-16 – For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.   For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.   The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

          We need to take this information to heart and live accordingly brining honor to our Heaven Father and our LORD Jesus Christ for His great love for us.  Because: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God”; so should we not live like it?