Imitate Christ

In 1 Cor 11:1, Paul states that we are to imitate Christ in all aspects of our lives.  When Jesus was on the earth He was love personified.  He talked and walked love.  Jesus showed this love by the way that He dealt with people.  When a woman was brought to Jesus caught the act of adultery Jesus did not condemn her.  He did not condone or approve of what she had done but He did not condemn her.  Love does not over look or wink at sin.  It confronts sin and wrong in love.  It states what God's standards are and then enforces them in love.  When one cries acceptance in the name of love they do not understand that love stands for truth and righteousness.  God is love, acceptance and forgiveness.  Yet He also is righteousness, holiness and justice.  To satisfy His justice side God sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place.  Love was extended and forgiveness was able to flow.  So to imitate Christ we are to love with no conditions but also to live the standards.  When we imitate Christ people will see moral purity and behavioral truth.  They will see love and holiness.  They will see a hatred of sin but a love for ther sinner.  Jesus never once let down His standard for the sake of popularity, fame or greasy grace.  That is why people loved Him.  They saw His love but they knew He was the one who could lift them to a new height of moral purity.  When Jesus came into Matthew's life for example, he left his life of tax collection and became a man of God.  When Jesus came into the life of Mary Magalene, the demons left her and she became a new woman full of purity and power.  Jesus can make us into what God wants us to be.  So today imitate Christ and be His light and reality in your world and others will want to be like you as you follow Christ.  They will say, "now there goes a real Christian."