For a victorious christian life Jesus Christ is the only perfect example. Like Paul, a true christian will be able to tell others to follow me as I follow Christ (1 Cor 11:01). Jesus asked all His disciples to follow Him and learn from Him. To follow Jesus Christ, God gave us all the resources Jesus was having on earth. So no one can say to God on the final day that he/she did not have the resources and that is why I did not follow Jesus Christ. God loves all disciples in the same way that He loved Jesus (John 17:23). Just as the father sent Jesus, Jesus sent His disciples also (John 20:21). And as Jesus is, so also we are in this world (1 John 04:17). Jesus lived on this earth by doing His Father’s will perfectly by the power of the Holy Spirit and the same power of Holy Spirit is available for all the disciples.
2 Cor 13:04,05 “ 04 For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. 05 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. ” Crucifixion was the perfect plan of God for the redemption of mankind. Jesus completely and perfectly did His Father’s will always by rejecting His own will. For Jesus, the most difficult thing to accept was the separation from His father’s fellowship for three and half hours just before his death. As the penalty of sin for all mankind, Jesus accepted the will of His father. We can see this struggle in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46). So His weakness was in doing His own will. But God filled His weakness with God’s power. So Jesus lives by the power of God. This is the way for each and every disciple in Jesus Christ to live on earth. This is the way of faith. Apostle Paul is saying that they also lived by the same way and asks all the disciples of all time to examine ourselves whether we are in living by this way- living by faith. Paul is encouraging the disciples by reminding them of the fact that Jesus Christ is in us (2 Cor 13:05, Col 01:27). So this way of life of learning from Jesus and following Him is the way of faith. The Holy Spirit is asking us to examine ourselves whether we are in faith. Our faith is proved by testing. If we are not in faith then we will be disqualified.
1 Peter 01:04-09 ” 04 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 05 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 06 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 07 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 08 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 09 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” Every born again child has an inheritance reserved in heaven. But their faith has to be tested and proved. They are protected by God’s power through faith. So the testing of faith is very important in the life of a believer. Faith without testing is like a soap bubble. It may break at any time. Even though the testing of faith is difficult and is a struggle, the child of God can rejoice in it by depending on God. Being sure that he will obtain the inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, he can rejoice in all circumstances.
“This way of life of learning from Jesus and following Him is the way of faith.”
James 01:02-04 ” 02 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 03 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 04 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Every trial will make the child of God more and more perfect provided he faced it with the right attitude and with faith.
Heb 12:01,02 “ 01 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 02 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is our true example to follow.
May God help all of us to become victorious warriors of Lord Jesus Christ.
