In my devotional reading this morning I came across the Apostle Paul’s reminder to Believers that we are to “Be imitators of God.” As men and women, saved by the blood of Christ, our lives have been transformed. As those who possess the life of God within us, there’s to be a reality of increasing purity & light in all of our behavior that serves as proof that we’re now children of the King of righteousness.
Ignatius wrote, “we’re not just to be called ‘Christians,’ but we are to actually be Christians.” Meaning, we’re to throw-off those things which are inconsistent with the holiness of God and we’re to act in accordance with who we actually are – children of a holy God.
Paul expounds upon this fundamental principle, reminding us of our born-again spiritual reality:
“You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord – So, walk as children of light by obeying the Spirit of God in goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5:8-9).
This morning, as I thought about this, I also considered the reality of the Christian life: it’s knowing God relationally and then walking hand-in-hand with Him each day as His obedient children. When this is a consistent experience in our daily lives, we cannot help but be transformed, by the power of His Spirit, into men and women who consistently reflect the holiness of God in our thinking and in our actual conduct.
I like how Peter beautifully summarized the deeper reality of this truth, reminding us:
“You are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very possession! As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light!”
When we embrace the truth that we have already been “called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light,” we’re able to see who we are In Christ – that we’ve been given a spiritual capacity to reflect God’s glory through our lives. That’s why Peter concluded his thought with the reminder:
“Be careful to live properly so that through your honorable behavior others will give honor to God” (1 Peter 2:12).
May God firmly establish us in living lives that accurately reflects His glory.