Being Like Jesus 1 John 3:2 by Dr. Paul Chappell

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Being Like Jesus

by Dr. Paul Chappell

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.

1 John 3:2

Thomas Chisholm was twenty-seven years old when he trusted Christ as his Savior in a revival near his home in Kentucky. Chisholm would go on to write a large number of hymns, but one of his earliest, which is still sung today, was written not long after he was saved. It is titled “O To Be Like Thee.”

O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer;
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee!
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

We know that God's ultimate purpose for us is to be like His Son, and one day in His presence that goal will be accomplished. “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” (Romans 8:29). But we must not be content to know that we will eventually be made in His image. It should be our purpose and goal every day to be more and more like Jesus.

We cannot make any progress toward this task in our own strength, but we do not have to. God has given every one of His children the Holy Spirit, who lives within us. As we yield to Him, He will guide us to conform to Jesus' likeness. We cannot spend time with Him without it being apparent to those around us. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Today's Growth Principle:
Everyone who knows us should be aware from our lives that we are spending time with Jesus.