by Timothy W. Burnett
Jesus told his disciples, �For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you� (John 13:15). Jesus had just washed the feet of his disciples. The washing of the feet carried a great deal of weight in meaning which I will not attempt to explain in full. But I do want to talk more about Jesus Christ as an example for Christians.
Before Christians can fully understand how to walk as God�s children that must be able to understand how God�s first born son lived. They must also understand that Jesus Christ was an exemplary man and child of God, which they can also learn from and imitate. This means that Christians will also need to correctly understand the nature of who Jesus Christ was while on earth, as well as the nature of who his Father is.
Let�s start with an area of scripture that sits like a gem, �Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God. Because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby you know the spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. And this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come, and even now already is it in the world� (1John 4:1-3).
Whoa!!! Now this is a huge statement from God�s word. Why would God mention this? It only occurs one time in the scripture. During the early times of the church of God, there must have been a serious development that God wanted to warn everybody about.
The reference to �flesh� is about being a man. Because God places a strong emphasis on this, I decided to approach this study from the issue of whether or not Jesus Christ was a man. Once we�ve established the nature of Jesus Christ and of his Father God, we can begin our study on Jesus Christ as our example with better understanding.
God gave His word that He is not man. Go to Numbers 23:19, �God is not a man that He should lie. Neither is he the son of man that He should repent.� It clearly says from God�s word that God is not man, nor is he the son of man.
Let�s look at some scripture about the son of man, �But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins�� In this verse, the son of man referred to our Lord Jesus Christ.
If God is not man, nor the son of man, then what is God? We find an answer to this in John 4:24, �God is spirit. And they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.� Based on the above quoted scripture, we can see that God�s own word shows that He is not a man, nor is He the son of man, but that He is spirit. We also see that God�s son Jesus Christ was a man, and that he referred to himself as �son of man.�
Returning to 1John 4:2-3, when we apply pure logical reasoning the following comes to light: if Jesus Christ was in the flesh then he was a man; and if Jesus Christ was not in the flesh then he was not a man. And if Jesus Christ was not a man, then there are at least two possible alternative theories, either he did not really exist, or he was actually God (who is spirit, and not man). The truth speaks with simplicity. Jesus Christ was a man, and hence can be considered an exemplary man who did good works and served his Father rightly.
Now that we�ve addressed this important and highly charged topic, we can now launch into a study on Jesus Christ�s life being an example for Christians.
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