Reflection means to look back on. We think of the reflection of ourselves in the mirror, or the reflection of the trees on the water at a lake. Maybe the reflection of love that we see in our spouses eyes. Reflection shows to us what everyone else sees, or shows who we truly are.
We are called by Christ to model ourselves after Him. It is said many times throughout Scripture that we are to strive to be like Christ and that if we are following Christ we will look more like Him daily.
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
Romans 8:29 (ESV)
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48 (ESV)
This does not mean we must be perfect in every way. The book of Proverbs tells us a righteous man falls seven times but rises up again. I have said many times that the difference between a sinner and a follower of Christ is what we do when we fall. Do we stand back up and continue to move towards perfection or do we lay in the pit of sin and filth and self pity. We strive for perfection. This is God working His process of sanctification in us. We are saved by grace alone, and this is justification. The rest of our journey through life is a process of sanctification becoming more like the image of our savior.
This is how you can truly tell if a believer is following after Christ, and though imperfect, trying to be perfect and work in sanctification. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7 during the sermon on the mount that we will know who people are by their fruits. Are we exhibiting bad fruit in our lives that we would be compared to the diseased tree in Matthew 7 or are we seeing the fruits of the spirit that are spoken of in Galatians 5 developing and being seen in our lives. In this we would be compared to the healthy trees that Jesus refers to as producing good fruit in their season. The fruit of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Have we crucified and died to our flesh as Galatians 5:24 says, to reflect that we belong to Christ.
Are we showing an accurate reflection of Jesus to those we encounter every day. Is there something different people can see in our lives than what is seen in the rest of the world. This is why we reflect. Because to truly follow Christ is to be more like Him, and to be more like Him means to show the same love He showed us to other, and to show this love to others, we will be considered strange and different. What are we doing to show and reflect Christ in all we say, do, and think?
“There is nothing, surely, which exhorts us more than this Sermon on the Mount to be what we are meant to be, and to live as we are meant to live; to be like Christ by being a complete contrast to everyone who does not belong to Christ.”
-D. Martin Lloyd-Jones
“To be like Christ is to be a Christian”
-William Penn
God I pray that we would be more like you. That we would die to our flesh and the desires of this world, that our hearts would no longer be hearts of stone, cold to the things of Your Spirit, but that we would be given changed hearts that seek after Your will above our own in all things. That we would accurately reflect Christ in our lives to everyone we meet. That we would truly work towards sanctification and becoming more and more transformed into the image of Christ. I thank you that we are able to rest in Your mercy and Your grace, which cover us and forgive us, so that when we fall we can stand back up and walk forward in Your path and Your plan. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen
Soli Deo Gloria
