Roots by the River

The last nine posts have been scriptures that require us to imitate God. The imitation requires an act of the will on our part. It may not be done by will-power. It requires our will, but not our power. The same goes for many commands that seem to be over the top. They require an 'aye, aye sir,' but not our power. The teaching in this post does not require an 'ayye, aye sir,' or any kind of power, ours or His. This is just so. It is already done. We can accept it and thank God. There is no obedience and no imitation involved. This is basic truth. “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:2b) “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (Romans 6:5-6) “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, ...

Concerning my last few posts, I would like to know which of you seriously would like to be more like Jesus. Do you think I could be of some help in this journey?   I do not wish to impart more knowledge of truth. I would like to teach how to 'obey everything Jesus commanded his apostles.' I do not think I have arrived. I am willing to be a pace setter.  

Do you want to be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect?   Do you want to be holy because He is holy?   If there is no desire for holiness it will not happen. St. Paul said it this way: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14) “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” (Colossians 3:10)

“Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved .” (1 Corinthians 10:32-38) “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) Before we can imitate we must be close to the one we are imitating. In each of the eight clear examples study Jesus so much we cannot help imitating.

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example , so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:21-28) “ Likewise , wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the impe...

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) Even as I have loved you. We imitate Jesus in loving our brothers.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32-5:2) Be imitators of God just like children imitate their fathers. Just as God in Christ has forgiven you. Just as Christ loved you and gave Himself up for us. See how Jesus did and imitate Him.

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ʻYou shall be holy, for I am holy.ʼ” (1 Peter 1:14-16) But like the Holy one who called you, be holy in all you do for He is Holy. Just like the Lord Jesus in everything.

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11) “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” We are told to imitate Jesus in an attitude which he had. He voluntarily made himself low, lower and lowest. Because of this he was elected to the highest place. Jesus said the same truth several times. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who hu...

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church.” ( Ephesians 5:25-29) We are to imitate Jesus in our relationships with our wives and for the same reason: to present her to ourselves in glory, “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless.” You may say, “I cannot do that.” No, but we are still told to do it 'just like Jesus.' We should spend the rest of our lives studying how Christ loved the church and then do it. I will not go into detail but I started this study in 1956. We ...

You probably know that example is the best means of teaching and imitation is the best way of learning. Did you know that we have been told to imitate God, several times? 1. Loving our enemies 2. Loving our wives 3. Humility 4. In everything. 5. In love 6. Loving the brothers 7. Wining an unbelieving husband. Let's look at them. “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:44-48) Jesus tells us to love our enemies then he teaches us how: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (verse 48). We ...

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9-10) All of the words are great words but I want to emphasize the word mouth . The mouth says what the heart believes. “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45) Out of the heart the mouth speaks. There is many “a Christian” who believes the gospel in his heart but is afraid to say it with his mouth. Jesus calls it being “ashamed of me and my word” (Luke 9:26). “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) “Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been w...

Here are a lot of “ be ” commands. These “ be ” commands always precede the “ do ” commands. These commands determine what you are . “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45) Be joyful – 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Be kind – Ephesians 4:32 Be prayerful – Matthew 5:48 Be self-controlled – 1 Peter 1:13 Be holy in all you do – 1 Peter 1:15 Be holy because I am holy – 1 Peter 1:16 Be transformed – Romans 12:2 Be joyful in hope – Romans 12:12 Do not be proud – Romans 12:16 Be willing to associate – 12:16 Do no be conceited – 12:16 Be careful to do what is right – 12:17 Be devoted to one another – 12:10 Never be lacking in zeal – 12:11 Be adopted – Ephesians 1:5 Be to the praise of the glory of His grace – Ephesians 1:6 Be to the praise of His glory – Ephesians 12 Do not let yourself be burdened – Galatians 5:1 Be reconc...

Again, these next few posts are written because I am finding many Christians to whom they apply. If they apply to you, fix it. That is, confess the sins and then obey. You know that taking offense is sin. You do not seem to know that giving offense is the greater sin. “Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God , just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1) “And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ .” (1 Corinthians 8:11-12) “If my conscience is clean that does not make me innocent .” (1 Corinthians 4:4) Our conscience is not absolute on right and wrong. In my short acquaintance with you it seems that what you think, you also say – and you think that what you...

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32) The key words in verse 31 are “Get rid of all” . This is a command, an imperative. It is not an order. What is the difference? A command is something to be obeyed right now in the right way. “About Face.” “Forward March!” “Halt!” There is nothing “iffy” about a command. If it is not obeyed right now it is disobedience. An order still has to be obeyed, but it might take some time and may be done in different ways. “Invade and occupy Europe.” “Get rid of all” is a command. If it is obeyed there will be no bitterness, rage, anger, brawling and slander, or malice by tomorrow. If any of these attributes are still here tomorrow, “Get rid of all” was not obeyed. We see this command again in Colossians 3:8. “But now you must also rid yourselve...

One time, many years ago, I was on the telephone. I got off the phone to tell the kids to hold down the noise. When I finally got off the phone a neighbor kid said to me, “Mr. Wilson, you think this was a fight? Come over to our house.” Ever since then I have found that it was considered normal for siblings to fight and husbands and wives to fight. I encounter it almost daily. This is in Christian families. I grew up in a family of six sons. I can remember two squabbles; one was recorded with a switching on our bare legs and the other with a razor strap. (The other function of a razor strap was to keep a straight razor sharp.) I never heard my parents fight or talk with raised voices. This does not mean it did not happen but it was not apparent to the kids. Here in Moscow I have three sons with their wives, their children and their children’s children. I have not heard, or heard of, a fight in parents, children, or grandchildren, or cousins. I am not saying that they are sinless. I am...

Over my years of ministry across several denominations, states, and nations, I have encountered Christians with sound doctrine but not a sound Christian life. “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16) Some of these encounters have taken place after a tragedy has happened, in which case everyone know about the unsound, sinful life. In many cases, few other people know about the inconsistency between the person’s life and doctrine. The local church might not know. In every case the person with the sin does not get easily fixed. Some Christians seem to watch their doctrine more closely than they watch their lives. They have adjusted to their own lives. Here is a little open-book quiz. It is self-graded, or better yet, God-graded. Use a 3 x 5 index card. Please copy the descriptive phrases or words from the following quotation on the card. There are nineteen of them. “But mark this: Ther...

We have seen that obedience and faith are very closely connected. Therefore obedience is a good word. Now we will see that love and obedience are closely connected. Here is the greatest command, “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37 Jesus gives further expressions of the same truth. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 "And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." 1 John 4:21 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12 “This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:17 The commands in all six verses are to love. Now we will see how we express love. It is not by saying that we love, it is by obeying. “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brothe...

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be… • Lovers of themselves • Lovers of money • Boastful • Proud • Abusive • Disobedient to their parents • Ungrateful • Unholy • Without love • Unforgiving • Slanderous • Without self-control • Brutal • Not lovers of the good • Treacherous • Rash • Conceited • Lovers of pleasure rather that lovers of God¬––having a form of godliness but denying its power.” Put a mark by each word that describes you. Count the marks. Put that number here: _______. There is a possibility that you are not a Christian. Read Assurances of Salvation . If you are a Christian then keep this list in your Bible until all of your check marks are gone.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) This is very clear teaching. Even with its clarity it is easy to disobey it by changing verse 16 to read: Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise you for your good deeds . The following is a comment on that practice, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy...