How do we become more like Jesus? I was surprised at all the verses that I found that alluded to being like Jesus.
Look at Jesus through God's Word. Who we spend time with is who we'll become like. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Allow His mind to be in us. Meditate on God and His Word, instead of sinful or useless thoughts. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:" (Philippians 2:5)
Put off the old man and putting on the new. Walking after the Spirit will certainly make us more like Him. "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:" (Colossians 3:9-10)
God often uses trials to purify us and make us more like Him. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." (2 Corinthians 4:8-11)
And when we think of God's chastening, we think of how much he loves us, or how our sin grieves Him, but how often do we remember that He does it so we could be more holy like Him? "For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10)"
Of course, it's only with God's help that we can be like Him. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Romans 8:29-30)
Won't it be wonderful in heaven when we'll be just like Jesus? "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3) Because of this hope, we purify ourselves, just as Jesus is pure.
May this always be our prayer: that people could see of us, "I saw Jesus in you."
"Then I saw the Lord living in your life;"Giving with your hands, speaking with your voice, caring through your eyes."As you showed God's love to me, all at once my eyes could see -"I saw Jesus. Praise God, I saw the Lord."
