Concerning Christ.

Christ fully revealed the Father (John 10:30; 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:2-3). His initial invitation was (Mart. 4:19) and his continuing invitation is (Mart. 19:21), “Come, follow me.” Paul challenged Christians to be like Christ, calling them to “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Eph. 5:2), to have the same mind of humility that was found in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5-8), and to forgive one another as Christ had forgiven them (Col. 3:13). John says that if we claim that we abide in Christ, we should walk as he walked (I John 2:5-6), live as he lived. “We should try to be like him” (Eph. 5:1, NEB).

If we are like him, we will have a deep concern for peo¬ple, particularly the sorrowing, the suffering, the poor, and the moral and social outcasts of society (Luke 4:18; 7:19-23). We will have compassion for the multitudes, who are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd (Mart. 9:36). We will also have compassion for individuals who suffer (Mart. 20:30-34; Mark 1:40-42; Luke 7:11-15). Christ himself is served when we serve the needy (Mart. 25:31-46). Though we try diligently, however, we must admit that we are not yet perfect, we have not attained the level of practical righteousness that we should have; but we can say with Paul that forgetting the things that are behind, we press on toward the mark that is set for us in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:12-14).