Jesus Christ is the Son of the heavenly Father, from all eternity. He is in the Father and the Father is in him (John 14:10). Before his incarnation, before becoming human through Mary, he already was the Word of God, already one of the Triune God, with the Father and the Holy Spirit (John 1:1-14). With the Father and the Holy Spirit, there was a perfect Communion, perfect communication, listening and obeying each other (John 11:49-50). In his incarnation, the Word became flesh. In Jesus, God became human, demonstrating that a human could be perfectly united with God, that God could be perfectly united to humanity, a perfect communication and perfect communion. At the end of his life on earth, Jesus Christ accepted fully to die for our sins, to offer his human life as a sacrifice for our failures to remain in communion with God. He then ascended to heaven, and intercedes for us. He sent the Holy Spirit to reproduce in each willing human this perfect union with God that was in him. This union is manifested by love, an obedient love, a joyful love (listen to Romans 5:5).
The picture of Jesus kneeling and praying reminds us of two things. First, by kneeling, that when he came on earth he humbly relinquished his divine power so that all he would do on earth could be imitated by his disciples, so that he could show a way that all humans after him could follow, that is why one of his names is ‘the way' (John 14:6). He did not come as a master but as a servant, even washing the feet of his disciples.
Second, he is praying, interceding for us, so that we find this way to be delivered from death and separation from God, so that we taste and see the eternal joy of continual fellowship with God. This wonderful work of love is communicated to us through the Holy Spirit that he sent on earth on the day of Pentecost, and the Holy Spirit is still here to accomplish in us the holy transformation Jesus demonstrated.
Jesus is the living proof of the amazing possibility for any human on earth to be united with God, to receive fully God’s love and respond by loving God with all our heart, soul and strength. This was the commandment of God already at the time of Moses (Deuteronomy 6:5).
Yet, how can we learn to love God if there is not two-way communication? Jesus did not do anything without the Father showing him what to do (John 5:19-20). Jesus did not say anything without the Father telling him what to say (John 12;49-50).
Do we need more guidance than Jesus, or less guidance?
Christlikeness will necessary imply to learn to walk in the presence of God - in Spirit, as Jesus did, and very frequent dialogs with God.
Without frequent messages from God to us, at best it is a dedication, like the dedication to a noble pursuit, but we cannot speak of a real love. The capacity to love God became fully available in Jesus Christ, and now through faith in Jesus. This is the foundation of the wonderful message Jesus came to teach us on earth, the good News. We don’t need anymore to be enslaved to death, through sin - this breaking of our communion with God. Since eternal life is in God, by remaining in communion with God through obedience and love, death loses its power over us. This power was fully broken through Jesus’ atonement, so that Jesus’ life would defeat death, so that he could preach the Good News of this victory through his life, through his death on the cross, and through his resurrection.
Yet, how can we learn to love God if there is not two-way communication? Jesus did not do anything without the Father showing him what to do (John 5:19-20). Jesus did not say anything without the Father telling him what to say (John 12;49-50).
Do we need more guidance than Jesus, or less guidance?
Christlikeness will necessary imply to learn to walk in the presence of God - in Spirit, as Jesus did, and very frequent dialogs with God.
Without frequent messages from God to us, at best it is a dedication, like the dedication to a noble pursuit, but we cannot speak of a real love. The capacity to love God became fully available in Jesus Christ, and now through faith in Jesus. This is the foundation of the wonderful message Jesus came to teach us on earth, the good News. We don’t need anymore to be enslaved to death, through sin - this breaking of our communion with God. Since eternal life is in God, by remaining in communion with God through obedience and love, death loses its power over us. This power was fully broken through Jesus’ atonement, so that Jesus’ life would defeat death, so that he could preach the Good News of this victory through his life, through his death on the cross, and through his resurrection.
This victory, this good news, is available to each of us, the good news of the kingdom. Because of Jesus sacrifice for us on the cross, we can be delivered from the life of sin and separation from God and holy love. We can again be united with God, his pure love and eternal life, and walk with Him in the same way Jesus walked, because Jesus is the way, the life and the truth (John 14:6).
The devil, the father of lies, tries to enslave humanity through fear, through the fear of death (read Hebrews 2:14-15). Yet, these lies have been defeated through Jesus' life, through his death, through his resurrection, and through the power of transformation and purification made available by the Holy Spirit.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Do you believe that it is possible for you to be united with God, following the way Jesus opened to all humans? Do you believe that through God’s power and love you can be free from sin and death, no more missing the goal of your creation?
If it is the case, I invite you to repent (see article on Repentance), to put your trust in Jesus, to learn listen to him and follow him (see article on Listening to Jesus), so that you learn from him, so that you learn with him to love God and to love your neighbor.
In this way, the power of Jesus’ atonement (see article on Atonement) is released in you and you can joyfully understand why Jesus’ message is called the Good News.
In this process, reading the Bible will be of great help, as you discover in many stories of the Bible how God calls us humans to a life of freedom in him, a life of love and communion with him. In this process, you need to have other fellow pilgrims, walking with you on this holy and joyful path, the path of Jesus Christ.
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