Posts tagged 'christ's nature'

  • More Like Jesus: Reflections on Christlikeness

    As Christians, one of our primary goals is to emulate Jesus—to follow in His footsteps, to imitate His actions, attitudes, and faith and trust in His Father. Throughout the New Testament we find encouragement to emulate Him. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Reflections on Christian Character

    In this fourth compilation of the More Like Jesus—Reflections series, only one topic, Christian character, will be addressed, rather than the usual two topics. As Christians, we are new creations1 in whom the Holy Spirit dwells; ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Love

    In the book of 1 John we read that God is love1 and that in this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.2 While the phrase God is love ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Faithfulness and Honesty

    Faithfulness

    Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, much is said about faithfulness. By definition, faithfulness expresses the concept of being unfailingly loyal ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Unconditional Love

    When I think about how to sum up who God is in a single phrase, “unconditional love” comes to mind. Of course, God is many things and cannot be confined to one phrase or term, but as we know ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Hope

    When we read the Gospels, it’s apparent that Jesus knew beforehand that He was going to suffer and be killed, and also that He knew He was going to rise from the dead. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Compassion

    When we read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, something that becomes abundantly clear is that Jesus showed compassion to others and taught that His followers should be compassionate as well. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: The Call to Forgive

    Within the Gospels we read of Jesus being whipped, beaten, and then nailed to a cross. As He hung there, waiting to die, some of His last words were “Father, forgive them.”2 Forgiveness was His response to an unjust trial, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Kindness and Goodness

    When the apostle Paul was writing about living a godly life, about living in and being led by the Holy Spirit, he listed what he called the “works of the flesh,” which included things like enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, and envy.1 ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Gentleness

    One aspect of Christlikeness which is less frequently focused on than most is gentleness. Somewhat surprisingly, we find it mentioned throughout Scripture in reference to both Jesus and His Father. It is also included in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Peace

    Peace, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, plays an important role in our becoming more like Jesus. It is rooted in our being in right relationship with God, which is possible because of His gift of salvation. Peace is also the outworking ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Patience

    In the book of Exodus, we’re told that when Moses was on Mount Sinai, God revealed something of His character:

    [Moses] rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai … The Lord descended in the cloud ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Self-Control

    In Galatians chapter five, the apostle Paul listed nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, beginning with love and ending with self-control. Part of building Christian character, of becoming more like Jesus, is having the ability to control ourselves ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Humility (Part 2)

    As touched on in Humility part 1, Jesus’ example of humility is something we are encouraged to emulate. When referring to Christ’s humility, Paul wrote that Christians are to Have this mind among yourselves, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Humility (Part 1)

    One key element in our pursuit of Christlikeness is emulating the humility of Jesus. By “putting on” humility, and “putting off” pride in doing so, we strive to become more like Jesus. In the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Joy (Part 2)

    While studying about Christian joy, I found it interesting to see that joy is intimately connected to faith, hope, and gratefulness. As I mentioned in the first article on this subject, for a believer, joy ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Joy (Part 1)

    As we try to model our lives after Jesus and His teachings, joy plays an important role in our efforts. While Jesus only specifically mentioned His joy twice in the Gospels,1 joy permeated the events of His life ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Gratitude (Part 4)

    Gratitude is a mindset that enables us to see our circumstances through the lens of our thankfulness to God and to act in a manner that reflects our gratitude. Some of those actions, which were addressed in previous posts, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Gratitude (Part 3)

    In the previous article we looked at how “putting on” contentment is an important part of gratitude. Now we focus on three gratitude “killers” we’ll want to jettison from our lives to increase gratitude. These killers are ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Gratitude (Part 2)

    We read in the New Testament and throughout this series that growth in Christlikeness calls for “putting on” and “putting off.” Gratitude is a key element in becoming more like Jesus, so learning what steps we can take to develop gratitude, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Gratitude (Part 1)

    Becoming more Christlike is about becoming a better Christian through a more committed application of the teachings of Scripture coupled with the guidance and grace of the Holy Spirit. This application of Scripture cuts two ways: ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Nine Devotionals for Christmas

    Christmas is such a momentous celebration for us Christians, as we commemorate the birth of our Lord, the events surrounding His first coming, and the meaning of His birth. Last year I came across a traditional Christmas service ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Christian Character (Part 2)

    As we saw in the earlier article The Foundation of Christlikeness, becoming more like Jesus requires devotion to God, which is rooted in our reverence of God and our understanding of His love for us as individuals. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Christian Character (Part 1)

    A key factor in becoming like Jesus is developing godly character. Every individual has character, which is defined as the qualities that make up who someone is; and it’s reflected in how they feel, think, and behave. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: The Foundation of Christlikeness

    In our pursuit of godliness or Christlikeness, a key factor is that being more like Jesus can only be built on a right relationship with God. Godliness can be defined as a personal relationship with God and the actions which emanate ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Holiness (Part 4)

    In Holiness parts 1–3 we’ve seen that God is the standard of goodness and holiness. He has revealed His moral will through the Bible, and His will as presented through Scripture is an expression of His character. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Holiness (Part 3)

    (This article is based on key points from the book Decision Making and the Will of God by Garry Friesen.1)

    As we saw in Holiness parts 1 and 2, Christlikeness or godliness comes from transforming our will to be in alignment with God’s will. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Holiness (Part 2)

    (This article is based on key points from the book The Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry Bridges.1)

    As we look for ways to be more like Jesus, it’s important to examine what God’s holiness means and how we can partake of it. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Holiness (Part 1)

    (This article is based on key points from the book The Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry Bridges.1)

    One of the key Bible passages quoted in this series is Ephesians 4:22–24: Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Renewal Basics

    As touched on in the last two articles, In God’s Likeness parts one and two, becoming more like Jesus calls for a renewal of our inner being—our heart, will, emotions, mind (conscious and subconscious), soul, and spirit—which then causes our actions to reflect our renewed inner self. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: In God's Likeness (Part 2)

    (This article is based on key points from the book Classical Arminianism, by F. Leroy Forlines.1)

    Part one of “In God's Likeness” touched on how we were created in the constitutional and functional likeness of God. As rational and moral beings, like God, we think, feel, and act in similar fashion to God. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: In God's Likeness (Part 1)

    (This article is based on key points from the book Classical Arminianism, by F. Leroy Forlines.1)

    As brought up in earlier articles in this series, being more like Jesus requires effort in two directions—we are to “put off” sin and “put on” Christ. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Christ's Example

    When we are in the process of finding ways to transform our lives so that we can become more like Jesus, it follows that we should look to the example of how Jesus Himself—the only human who had full godliness—lived His life. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Fellowship with God (Part 2)

    As we saw in the previous article (Fellowship with God, Part 1), having fellowship with God is key to becoming more like Jesus. It’s within this fellowship that we develop our relationship with Him, nurture our love and intimacy, and truly get to know Him. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Fellowship with God (Part 1)

    When we desire to become more like Jesus, it’s helpful to find foundational principles we can build on. While Christlikeness is manifested in the decisions we make and our outward actions, it stems from who we are internally. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Loyalty to God

    If we desire to become more like Jesus, the logical starting point is to believe as He did—to hold those beliefs close in our hearts, to embed them in our being. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus

    Raising Our Sails1

    Anything that we want to do well at in life requires effort. Those who are tops in their field, whatever it may be, in large part achieve what they do because they work hard at it. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Introduction and Background (Part 2)

    The first part of this introduction to the More Like Jesus series touched on the concept of being godly and Christlike, as expressed in the Old Testament and the Gospels. In this part, the focus will be on Christlikeness as expressed in the Epistles.1 ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Introduction and Background (Part 1)

    One of my all-time favorite songs is “I Want to Be More Like Jesus.” Whenever I hear or sing it, I’m reminded of a key aspect of living my faith. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Nine Devotionals for Christmas

    Christmas is such an important celebration for Christians. It’s a time of great joy as we remember the birth of our Lord and the events surrounding His first coming. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    The Beatitudes (Part 2)

    Having covered the first three Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, we now move on to the remaining five. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Liberating Our Perspectives

    Do you ever look at the tests, struggles, and impossible situations you find yourself in and wonder if it might be the result of something you did wrong? Perhaps you’re in the midst of sickness and feel ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Radiant Imprints

    “He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of God’s nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power." ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Through a Glass Darkly

    “There are some of us … who think [to] ourselves, ‘If I had only been there! How quick I would have been to help the Baby. I would have washed His linens. How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Up Close and Personal

    “A rule I have had for years is to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have.”—Dwight L. Moody ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Two Debtors, Luke …

    The parable of the two debtors, or as it’s sometimes referred to, the parable of the Pharisee and the sinful woman, is told in Luke 7:36–50. This is a beautiful story of love, mercy, and thanksgiving. ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Incarnation (Part …

    In the previous article we looked at how the church fathers in the first seven centuries worked through the doctrine of the Incarnation. We saw various teachings which attempted to explain the “mechanics” of how ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Incarnation (Part …

    The quest to theologically define the person of Jesus and His human and divine natures mainly occurred in two time periods: firstly, in the fourth and fifth centuries, and then secondly in the nineteenth and twentieth. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Incarnation (Part …

    In the articles titled “The God-Man” and “The Trinity” we explored the biblical truth of Jesus’ deity—that He is truly God. In “The Incarnation” articles we will delve into the biblical explanation of Jesus’ humanity ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Be Like Jesus

    Every so often I like to think and pray about the application of Jesus’ teachings in my life, as I feel it’s a wise thing to do. Recently I was meditating on how to more effectively apply my faith in my daily life. ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The God-Man (Part …

    The heart of our faith as Christians rests on the answer to one simple but extremely crucial question: Who is Jesus? In order to understand our faith, to understand the story of Jesus and what His life was about ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Self-preservation

    I recently saw a TV show set in Great Britain during the early part of World War II. The Nazis had defeated France, and the British expected imminent invasion. For some, the uncertainty, the fear of the future ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam