Tuesday, March 5, 2019

You Are A Reflection Of Your Father. The Way You Live Will Shout Out Which One

Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…" — Matthew 16:24 

With respect to the life we live, there are two sides to the coin, the natural and the supernatural.  I am sure you have heard the saying “The apple does not fall too far from the tree.”  Or how about “He is just like his dad.” I remember that one. Before I type what I am going to type, let me preface it by saying my mom was a godly woman who led many to Jesus.  Before her rebirth .. well she was just like every other person who needs Jesus.  My parents were divorced when I was 2 years old.  I was one of four, the youngest, from my parents’ marriage.  We lived with my mom.  Years later, my mom admitted she got married for the wrong reason .. one of 15 children she wanted out of the house.  Many people make choices like that.  The consequences of those “flesh” choices  reverberate through their lives and the lives of their children and maybe even their children.  OK, so one day I did something she didn’t like and she said to me “Stop doing that you remind me of your father!” I can remember thinking, “Don’t be like your father or you will lose the love of your mother.”  It proved to be a deterrent from my wanting to be like him in any way.  Well that is the natural.  

On the other hand, as a teenager, I worked in my stepdad’s family business.  When I would talk to customers, they would often say, I can see the family resemblance.  It was not because I shared their physical characteristics, but that my behavior, humor, demeanor was like theirs.  The way I acted was a reflection of his family. I would just smile. 

Today, there is a significant interest in people discovering their genetic roots.  Ancestry.com advertises a lot on television.  People want to know and are willing to pay to know.  Ancestry.com is connected to – sponsored by the Mormons church by the way.  Family trees are very important to their faith.  Knowing where they came from is an important part of their belief system.  With respect to the natural side of the coin, the Bible tells us  that we came from Adam.  We are a reflection of Adam.  All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23  

In other words, when we are born naturally, we are not like God.  People think they can find meaning and perhaps comfort in knowing about their natural ancestry.  What they need to know is what Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again … by the Spirit” – John 3:3-8

So with respect to the supernatural side of the coin. God’s intent is that we be a reflection of the God of heaven, or more correctly, His Son, Jesus.  Paul wrote,  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” – Romans 8:29 

But to do that you must be born again and walking after the Spirit and not the flesh. Jesus said, “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father.” –  John 14:9  Jesus was and is a reflection of the Father.  They are indistinguishable.  Jesus prayed “that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” – John 17:21 

When we reflect Jesus, we reflect the Father. There is no room for our old nature or its individuality.  Our identity is in Christ.  “..old things are passed away .. everything is becoming new.”   2 Corinthians 5:17 

Be on your guard because your flesh will surely rise up and demand its place in your life.  It is possible to be born again and not reflect the One who has made your new birth possible.  But it is also possible that if you don’t reflect Jesus that you are not born again at all, merely religious.  Only God can see your heart, all the world can see is the family resemblance. 

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