Take up the cross and follow Him!

Living like Jesus

Why must I live my life according to the will of God?

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe in Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He did to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise, you also, recoking yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in CHrist Jesus our Lord." = Romans 6:7-11

What do they mean when they say "If we died with Christ"?

"Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is you life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." - Collosians 3:1-4

I don't understad. How should I live my life like Jesus while obeying him?

"Jesus turned and said to Peter, " Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:22-26

How do I live to please the LORD?

"and find out what pleases the LORD. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible.... Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is... Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."   - Ephesians 5:10-20

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteouness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." - Galatians 2:20-21

Why must I live like Jesus. Isn't my salvation guaranteed? If salvation is by God's grace why do I care to live like Him?

Aren't there more important things than acting like Him? If it's impossible what's the point in trying?

"Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness."   Matthew 7:21-23 *the faith that says but does not due is truly unbelief. Jesus was suggesting that works are meritorious for salvation, but that true faith will not fail to produce the fruit of good works.*   -John Macarthur "Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rains descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."   -Matthew 7:24-27

"From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."    -Matthew 4:17 These were the first words Jesus said to begin his ministry and was the message of his ministries. By the Kingdom of God, he means that even on earth we can now enjoy the kingdom of God because the God will be with us forever and always, if we only choose Him.

How do I treat others, as Jesus did?

"My brethren, do not hold the faith our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partialitty. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man "You stand there," or "Sit here at my footstool," have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and becomes judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this word to be rich in faith and hairs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?Do they not blasphme that noble name by which you are called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love tour neighbor as yourself," you do well; but if you show partiiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For judgement is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement."    -James 2:1-13

What did Jesus mean by building and by rocks? What did they represent?

"So then, just as you received Christ as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in faith as you were taught  and overflowing with thankfulness."    -Colossians 2:6-7