“For I have given you an example …” (John 13:15)
In order to show us how to live, God did not merely live among us, He lived as us. The Word that was God, “was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
The miracle of the incarnation is that God became man. And because in “all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren,” He is now our “merciful and faithful high priest.” He is touched by the feeling of our infirmities, because He felt what we feel. He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
The Father has set forth His Son as the perfect template that He wants us to pattern our lives after. Christ suffered for us “leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21) The worship the Father yearns for was given to Him by the Son, who is not only perfect God worthy to be worshipped; but perfect Man worthy to be followed.
To be in Christ is to be empowered to walk as He walked. Once in Him, through the new birth, we are to abide in Him, through a walk in His Spirit. “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6) We are called to advance as disciples into ever-increasing conformity to the image of the Perfect Man. His work for us, and in us, and before us, has made this replication possible.
What is your destiny as a born-again saint? Yes, heaven is ahead, and beyond that eternally reigning with Christ in the new earth. But what manner of person should we be in light of such a high and holy calling? Our chief destiny is to be as our Lord is, even in this world. He became like us in all things, so we might become like Him in every way. Christ Himself is our glorious destination!