Okay for arguement's sake let's say Jesus was perfect. Now no man or woman will ever be perfect, so why even bother? Why not just live your life the best you can, helping people as much as you can, and generally just trying to be a positive force on a negative society. If the goal is to be perfect, your life will be used up in futility. I do not strive to be perfect, I can make improvements in my life, but I'd rather do that for me, my friends, my family, my city, my country, my world, and not because I should be like Jesus. I think I missed the part in the Bible where Jesus said to be like him, but I do remember the part where he said to love your neighbour like yourself. So really why is there so much hate today? Not just from Christians, but since there are 2.1 billion Christians, shouldn't we be getting closer to a peaceful world?
The moral is be yourself, and be the best you can person you can be. Don't strive for perfection, because you'll only end up falling short everytime.
2007-02-17 07:27:15 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
To follow Jesus is what is shown within scripture.
Mat 10:38 and whoever does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Joh 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
One can only hope to possibly attain to the goal that they have set. If one has their eyes upon "perfection" - even when one doesn't attain it, they will have gone further than if they had set their sites upon things like - doing what they think is right, doing what felt right at the time, or just following the crowd.
What is it that leads you and that you follow?
2007-02-17 08:00:32 · answer #1 · answered by Toe the line 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Be imitators of GOD as dear children, And walk in love, as CHRIST also loved us...... Ephesians 5:1-2 - I have never met anyone who thought that they could actually achieve perfection and GOD does not expect it - we were born into sin and can never be perfect but the only way to come close is to strive for it. Lets say that perfection is 100 miles away - i strive for it and as a result of that being my goal maybe i make it halfway to the 50 mile mark. You seem to say that since we know we can never get to the 100 mile marker lets just shoot for 25 or so. This makes no sense. Striving for perfection is only an excersise in futility if you actually believe that it is possible to get there. What would you expect GOD to say? Be imitators of whoever as imperfect people. There is no one on earth who is worthy to be imitated - Jesus is the only one because he is the only one who was perfect. Unperfect christians do not make christianity wrong - it only meand that they are imperfect like you and like islamists and pagans and agnostics and everyone else - That is the precise point of Christianity and Jesus Christ.
2007-02-17 15:43:55 · answer #2 · answered by march s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christioans wanna be like Jesus because Jesus wants us to be like him says so in the bible and people do live a life for God the best they can everything you need to know about it is in the bible if everyone was similar to Jesus do you think the world would be better but ur right we could never be perfect but God still doesn't want us to sin so he told us to be like him, and there is so much hate because nobody wants to love their enemies, even though there are so many christians there are also so many non christians and the people who are christians are afraid to show that there are
2007-02-17 15:40:35 · answer #3 · answered by aj 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am impressed with your reasoning! I also like your honesty.
The truth is even if I should try and show you in the Bible that a christian is commanded to be perfect, what you have said will not change. That is "if you strive for perfection, you'll only end up falling short every time". However, that does not mean we should just give up trying to be perfect.
Paul the apostle commands us to imitate him as he imitate Christ. God commands us to be perfect just us he is perfect.
What else do I need to say?
2007-02-17 15:51:07 · answer #4 · answered by RealArsenalFan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your argument shows that you haven't really thought things out all the way.
Sure, it's easier just to believe that good works and good actions and good intentions will get you into Heaven but if you've read the Bible, you know that isn't true and you know that no one - saved or not is perfect.
We can only strive to to have to the mind of Christ and to walk along the narrow road set before us. No one said it would be be easy or that we wouldn't fall now and then. He said we would but that He would be there to help us when we did stumble.
That's the true moral.
2007-02-17 15:48:25 · answer #5 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are to be like Jesus because that is what we are required to do. We all fall short, because the only perfect person was Jesus. But falling short should not keep us from picking ourselves up when we fall and keep on trying.
2007-02-17 15:51:38 · answer #6 · answered by ragincajun1957 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like you said no-one except Jesus is perfect. We should try our best because we want to be conformed to the image of God and enjoy a closer walk with God. We are not justified by our obedience to God or how "Perfect" lives we lived. The only way to be justified before God is to accept Jesus died on the cross of calvary for our sins and rose again from the death. When you believe Jesus died on your behalf you get his righetousness from God and become a child of God. The best thing to do is try not because you have to but rather because you want to please God.
2007-02-17 15:40:24 · answer #7 · answered by cpoppa112 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus did say to follow in His footsteps, and He even said that His burden was easy and His load was light. But you are right in saying that we will never be perfect.
I think you've missed the main point of Jesus message; it is not that you sin, because you will sin, it is that your heart remains devoted to love. Love for God, love for each other, love for ourselves. It's about walking with God, not about being perfect.
Look at each of His messages with that in mind and you will see what I mean. So my answer is that we try to be like Him, because He said to, and His way is to do exactly what you said above about improving :)
2007-02-17 15:46:09 · answer #8 · answered by arewethereyet 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because that is what Jesus wants us to be, in order to improve ourselves, our families and friends, our cities and countries and this world.
2007-02-17 15:31:50 · answer #9 · answered by rezany 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right, we will never be perfect, only God is. The best is thing to do is try, we will fail, but get back up and keep trying.
2007-02-17 15:30:51 · answer #10 · answered by wizzygirl10 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋