Question: Who here believes the bible is true?

Question: What is a good example of a Christian?

Question: Who here feels they are a good example of a Christian?

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matthew 5:48

because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:16

Question: Who here feels they are perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect? Who here is Holy as our heavenly Father is holy?

If you feel you are not a good example of a Christian, if you feel you are not perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect nor holy as He is holy, then do you not actually believe what the bible says?

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. - Matthew 5:17

Question: Do you believe that verse? Do you believe Jesus when He said He came to fulfill the Law?

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. - 2 Corinthians 5:21

Question: Do you believe that verse? Do you take that verse at face value? That Christ who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the "righteousness of God". Or perhaps do you think the righteousness of God isn't enough? May it never be. The righteousness of God is perfect in every way, and as we read here, by the imputing done at the cross, we "become" the righteousness of God.

“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:20

Question: The scribes and the Pharisees were the rockstars of their day, compared to man that is. They prayed, they tithed, they had their heads buried in scripture. So let me ask now: If we have become the righteousness of Christ, is it safe to say our righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees? If you say no then you are discrediting Christ as not being more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17

If you believe the bible and what the bible says about you, that you are a new creature in Jesus Christ and that you have become the righteousness of God as 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us. From here out no longer say you are a bad example of a Christian. By doing that you are judging yourself according to the flesh, the world, and not according to God's word and thereby discrediting the bible. If you have said yes to Jesus, understand this, He has fulfilled the law and imputed that to you. No longer judge yourself according to the flesh, but more accurately according to God's word.

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. - 2 Corinthians 5:16

If you feel you are a bad example of a Christian than you have been taken captive according to the traditions of men, according to the elementary principles of the world.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

"In Him you have been made complete", "He is the head over all rule and authority". In Christ you have been made complete and no other authority can overrule that. Therefore, in our trusting Christ, let us no longer discredit Him by saying we have not been made new, but let's glorify Him, and let ourselves know the good news, we are perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. We are holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Not because we've done anything to merit or accomplish it on our own accord, but let us walk as ones trusting in God, in His word that He accomplished it on our behalf and gave it to us apart from any merit or lack thereof.

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. - Galatians 6:14-15

Question: What does it mean to boast in the cross of Christ?

It means we can brag about what God has done! We can brag about God's accomplishments, and to highlight the cross is to highlight what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, that God made Him who knew no sin to be sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him!

Question: When I ask you are you a good example of a Christian, how will you now answer? I hope it's something like this.

Yes, I am a perfect example of a Christian, not that I've done anything to merit it, but because Christ has done everything on my behalf and I trust that His work on my behalf was perfect. Therefore in Christ I am a new creature, one who is perfect and holy in the eyes of God.

Many times in the book of John the Apostle John refers to himself as "that disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 21:7, 19:26, 13:23). This wasn't arrogance but was actually a deep faith. John in trusting the goodness of God and God's accomplishment was brought to the realization of His new identity in Christ, one that he came to rely on. That is, that he was one whom Jesus loved. It's no wonder then that the same author emphasizes the very same thing to us.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. - 1 John 3:1

In lieu of everything we discussed here I hope this next verse is more meaningful for you.

¹⁵ Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” - Acts 10:15