So the call to holiness is a call to work to achieve our likeness to Jesus, who is God incarnate. It must be asserted that we cannot become unto the likeness of God Himself, since He is without figure or image. But we can become unto the likeness of Jesus Who is God incarnate.

When you think about our religion, you quickly see that it make a great deal of sense. To grow in God’s likeness means to grow in the likeness of Jesus Who is God incarnate as a human being. God has manifested Himself to us as a human, that is Jesus Christ. Our goal in life, therefore, must be to become more like Jesus. We must make every effort to incorporate His attitudes, thinking and behaviors in our lives. This must be, of course, a conscious and voluntary decision on our part. God never forces us to live, act, think in any way. He created us as “free” humans so that, if we return His love, it might be voluntary and free. He did not create slaves but, rather, free men and women who are called to give to God worship and praise.

We are exhorted to have no doubt. This earthly existence is given to us so that we might develop ourselves to be more and more like Jesus Christ, Who is the human image of our invisible God. This, of course, requires that we make a choice to attempt to live like Jesus.

To live like Jesus means to do more than just not break one of the Ten Commandments or Church rules! To live like Jesus means to work at bringing our attitudes and thinking into conformity with the attitudes and thinking of Jesus as revealed to us through the Gospels. To live like Jesus means to take positive action to make God’s Kingdom real right now in the places where we work, live and recreate. To live like Jesus means doing all in our power to develop the ability to unconditionally love and forgive others.

Now while this challenge given by God to us might seem difficult, He will give us the help if we choose to accept the challenge. The result: fullness of life!