BECOMING WHO YOU WERE CREATED TO BE- PART 2
As we found out earlier, to be a disciple is to follow someone with the intent to become like the individual you are following. Therefore, as disciples of Jesus, we are seeking to become like Jesus. This makes me wonder what it was like to be a younger sibling of Jesus. Could you imagine that? I am the youngest of 4 children, and my older siblings were pretty accomplished in their own ways. I often wondered if I would ever measure up to the things they were able to do. However, that is nothing compared to being Jesus’ younger sibling.
I wonder how many times Mary or Joseph told them, “I wish you were more like Jesus.” How many time were his siblings tempted to respond to their parents with, “Why don’t you act more like Jesus?”
All kidding aside, last week we learned that God predestined all who would choose to follow Jesus to be “conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). So God’s full intent and plan is that we would become who we were created to be by becoming like Jesus. However, in order to become like Jesus, we must realize what that means. After all, as a human, Jesus was a Jewish male. If that is a requirement to be a disciple then most of us are automatically disqualified, so it must be something more.
Throughout Scripture, we see that, while Jesus had a lot of amazing attributes, there are two main characteristics that Jesus wants us to have in order to become like him. We will take a look at these over the next couple of weeks to discover how they apply to us today. The first of these is that Jesus has a pure heart. In other words, Jesus has no sin in him. Paul tells us that even though Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted, he never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). John tells us that Jesus was “manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” (1 John 3:5-6 NKJV). In another place, John, tells us that his purpose in writing his letter is “that you may not sin” (1 John 2:1). In other words, John, who had the opportunity to walk with Jesus and experience Him in ways that we can only dream of and who had taken time to contemplate everything he had experienced, was saying that just as Jesus was without sin, we are called to be without sin in order to become like Jesus.
I can hear you. You are crying out (either out loud or in your head) “that is impossible. We are not able to be without sin. After all, in the same letter you are quoting from, John says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8 NKJV). So it is impossible for us to be without sin.”
Does this mean that John (and thus the Bible) contradicts himself? Does this mean that we are back to trying to figure God out and that He just wants us to try to not make too much of a mess of our lives and then let Him come in and rescue us from ourselves? Or, is it possible that John is saying something different? That maybe, we can’t get the whole meaning through a simple reading of the text.
As we look at 1 John 1:5-2:2, we find that John has a lot to say about sin. He tells us that through Jesus we can be cleansed from “all sin” (verse 7). He then goes on to tell us that, “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (8), and that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (9). In verse 10 he says that claiming we have not sinned makes “Him a liar.” Next John says his purpose in writing is that we “may not sin” (2:1), but that “if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father” (2:2), and that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice “for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (2:2).
In this passage, John, uses 2 main words that are translated “sin.” They both have the same root but have very distinct consequences and thus, are addressed differently as well. One word that is used here is “hamartia.” This word is found in 1:7-9, and in 2:2. It is a noun and refers to the state of sin. For many it is referred to as “original sin” or “the sin nature;” the root of our sinful actions.
Hamartia is actually an archery term and literally means, “to miss the mark.” However, it paints a beautiful picture. Imagine a person is standing in a field. They have a bow and an arrow in their hands. Across the field there is a large round bale of hay set up on a stand. There are alternating red and white rings painted on the bale with a solid-red circle at the very center. That circle (the bullseye) is what the archer is supposed to make the final resting place of the arrow in their hand.
So they attach the arrow to the string of the bow and slow raise both bow and arrow until the arrow is pointed at the target. They focus their full attention on the bullseye. They slow their breathing to try and help their focus. They take in one final breath and as they slowly exhale, they release the arrow and send it on its way toward the bullseye.
But something happened. Maybe they blinked. Maybe they flinched. Maybe there was a gust of wind or their eyes just aren’t what they used to be. Whatever the reason, they missed the bullseye. Maybe it was only by a couple of millimeters. Maybe they missed the target altogether. That is not what is important. What is important is that they were trying their best, but they missed. Despite every desire within them and every precaution, they still missed.
Now, imagine that you are the archer; I am the archer. Now, rather than shooting at a bullseye painted on a target, our aim is the absolute perfection of God. We keep trying our best. We strive and strain with every intention of finally making it, but no matter how hard we try we keep missing. Sometimes, it is because we are fallen people living in a fallen world. Sometimes it is because we don’t even know what or where the target is that we are supposed to be shooting at (after all, how many of us know everything about God?). We are trying our best, but we continue to miss.
It is so easy to get frustrated with ourselves and to think that we will never make it into heaven. However, I have good news for you. God does not hold us accountable for this type of sin. He doesn’t hold us accountable for what we don’t know or just don’t measure up to. John says that when we walk in the light “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1:7). That “if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1:9). Then again, that Jesus is the “atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (2:2). “Hamartia” is the word for sin in both of these verses. And we see that this sin is automatically covered. It is automatically forgiven. We will never be held accountable for what we don’t know or can’t help.
God calls us to “confess” which means “to say the same thing about it that God does.” In other words, we need to realize and admit that sin is gross, ugly, deadly, and has no place in our lives. Jesus describes this as being “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3), which has to do with realizing that, without God, we are spiritually dead. When we realize this, we are then able to receive God’s solution to our spiritual deadness, forgiveness through Jesus’ death and resurrection. This brings about the cleansing of our hearts, making us like Jesus.
Have you realized that you are “poor in spirit” and that without God, you have no hope? Have you chosen to confess/admit your need for God and received His forgiveness and cleansing? Are you living in the purity God has for you? If so, celebrate your freedom and life in Jesus. If not, what is keeping you from it? God is calling to you. He is offering you forgiveness and cleansing. All you have to do is say “yes” to Him and receive it.
Join me next week as we continue to discover how we can be like Jesus, having a pure heart. Until then, I hope you have a great week. God bless.
- Pastor Tim Gerdes
