SOUL MODEL



For twenty five years, I’ve used with family and fellow Christ-followers this farewell greeting: “Live for Jesus!” Why? Is it to sound religious? No! Is it to part with exhorted encouragement? Maybe. Why should Christ-followers make an effort to imitate Christ? Because, Jesus is our Soul Model. He the Great Physician cured our sin-sick soul with His life-cleansing blood on the Cross placing our souls in a re-birthed healthy state. This action should continually invigorate any believer to enjoy every opportunity to grow in grace while having Jesus as your example for every aspect of life.

Miracle of miracles, you have been set apart to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). Unfortunately, we diminish this divine decree and defer to being happy as the world defines happiness—prosperity, physical health, success, having more stuff to play with than the other guy. This might make you feel happy but your soul will demand more because those things are in-the-moment-things and the moment always fades and shifts in other directions seeking joy and fulfillment. If you’re coming out of such a temporary euphoric moment allow me to suggest, for your own sake, the path to joy and true and lasting happiness in this life— “Live for Jesus!” If you want to enjoy holy and happy fellowship with Jesus; if you want to be lifted above the cares and troubles of this world then you need to walk as Jesus walked. “Whoever says He abides in Jesus ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:6 ESV)

You might be thinking; “I can’t do that!” You’re right you can’t. But, by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-17), living in you, you are enabled to match up to those sizeable footprints. Nothing else can assist you in this effort but to put on the very image you were created to wear — doing so your heart will no longer be swayed by the euphoric moments. This will be the evidence that will support even your feelings, which prove your life is moving heavenward while passing through life’s earthly journey.

At this point what was once just religion to you is now a relationship. This “Living for Jesus” relationship is expressed no longer by do-and-don’t regulations of hypocrisy but passionately driven vigorous worshipful joy and Gospel expectation. You no longer come to church and worship with pretense. You are no longer the wolf in sheep’s clothing. You no longer give Judas kisses. You are no longer the sneering critic of worship participation. You now live for the Gospel’s sake. You’re now a soul model because you live for Christ’s sake and are happy to imitate His example before others, thus, causing those others, as you once were, to become soul models as well. You are a soul model living for Jesus, loving the Savior, and loving the sinner. Life now is sweet and your joy is complete because you are making the kingdoms of this world become His, “walking the same way in which He walked!”

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