In The Likeness Of Christ

When people are asked to quote a line from Shakespeare, most certainly, they will quote the best-known line from all drama or literature: “To be or not to be, that is the question!”

Though the tragedy of Hamlet, prince of Denmarke is a philosophical quest in the comparison between the pain of life and the fear of the uncertainty of death, we can also look into this phrase as a paradigm of our own existence.

Let me clarify this: ‘To be or not to be?’ is a question all of us need to ask ourselves time and times again as we think who we are and who God wants us to be.

Why is this so important? Because if we don’t know the difference between of who we are and who God wants us to be, will affect our decision making, our relationships and our lives in general.

It is a Biblical principle that we all need to attain to. Many times we read about transformation and Paul is clear about that in his teachings:

“Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.” Romans 12:2 NLT

Friends we are born into a defective life style. Into a world that is corrupted by its sinfulness and it all affect us even before we are born, both emotionally and physically.

That’s why we see so much brokenness in people’s lives. Our choices many times are based on the training and learning experiences we had in our earlier years of life.

In defense of our parents, let me say this: Even though they tried their best to teach us well, they also were affected by the negative influence of the sin in this world, which affected their own education in their upbringing.

And just like a chain reaction, something that may have influenced them wrongly could not be fixed by itself without the intervention of something, and in this case, Someone greater than themselves.

And it is one of the basic reasons God has sent His Son, so that you and I could learn what is right and what is wrong and make a comparison between who we are when we met Jesus and allow the right changes to take place within our hearts.

You probably have read this passage before: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he (she) is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Now listen to the same passage through the New Living Translation: “What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

It is true that God can transform a person in one night as a matter of fact He can do the same in one minute and you become a new creation if you allow Him to do so in you.

However for many of us because of our reluctance in letting go our old self, we find ourselves struggling here and there without much change in whom we are and consequently in our quality of life, which affects also those around us in our relationships.

Now, Paul challenges us in our Scritpure reading today to be transformed in the likeness of the One who know us and knows how far we can change and how much better we can become.

“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 made Himself nothing, 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.” Philippians 2:5-8 ESV

What this passage is teaching us today is that life is not about you. Life is not about what you think or what you do. Life is not about your choices or what you like or what you don’t like to do. Life is about the will of God and His will in your life.

Jesus was in heaven reigning supreme as Creator and King and yet He chooses to come down to this broken and corrupted world because of His love for you and to fulfill the will of this Father in His life.

He came so that you could make a comparison between your life and His life and choose to follow His footsteps by first allowing Him to change you from the inside out.