How does Jesus act?

[Warrenx]

I want to live a more Christ-like life, I am very far from that right now. I was wondering, can anyone give me like a list of... erg... attributes or behaviorism(s) that Jesus Christ exhibits across all stories of the bible. I know the basic ones, like he is honesty, etc., but what I want to know is [like] how he deals with adversity, being uncomfortable (no security blanket), risk-taking, etc. Anything you guys can add .

Thank you very much for your input,

-Warren

 

[dana3262]

The best advice anyone can give you in my opinion is to study/scan the NT for the traits of Jesus.

 

[miamited]

Hi Warren,

Yea, I agree with Dana. Too, many of us accept what some one tells them is the right way to live. I have found that the person who has the greatest knowledge of the Scriptures, knows the best way to live.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Warrenx. Jesus told us: " If you love me, you will follow my Commandments." You want to become more Christlike, Warren, follow His Commandments. Jesus tells a Lawyer in Matthew, Chapter 22, verses 35-40, " the first and great Commandment is: love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is likewise: love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God we know, is our Heavenly Father, and our neighbour is all others, friend or foe. Jesus always acted with love, except when he stands up for God and shows righteous Anger. When some people turned God`s House into a den of thieves, or when He told the Pharisees, what great Hypocrites they were. Let your love grow, Warren, and show love in all you say, or do. I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

One can look at Jesus' motives. He did everything out of love for his people.

 

[Johnnz]

Read the gospels. Some examples that come to mind.

Lots of eating, celebrations (eg weddings that could last up to a week), interacting with people, challenging the merely religious, developed a group of close friends of both sexes, wept, got tired and hungry, was sometimes frustrated with his disciples slowness, associated with society's misfits, was deeply compassionate, knew how to debate well with those who opposed him. He was deeply human in all aspects of his life and being.

John
NZ

 

[student ad x]

I want to live a more Christ-like life, I am very far from that right now. I was wondering, can anyone give me like a list of... erg... attributes or behaviorism(s) that Jesus Christ exhibits across all stories of the bible. I know the basic ones, like he is honesty, etc., but what I want to know is [like] how he deals with adversity, being uncomfortable (no security blanket), risk-taking, etc. Anything you guys can add .

Thank you very much for your input,

-Warren

Hey Warren

I think the qualities at the core of Jesus' decision making can be found in the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:23

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

 

[ittarter]

The point of the gospels is we AREN'T given a list of "desirable qualities" that all Christians should possess. We need to live life the best we can, based on the situations we encounter. Be inspired and challenged by Jesus. Any set of "best practices" aren't going to do the man justice.

That being said, one thing I see in Jesus that is often overlooked is his concern with WHY people do things, rather than WHAT they are doing. I believe our ethics should mimic his.

 

[S.O.C]

I want to live a more Christ-like life, I am very far from that right now. I was wondering, can anyone give me like a list of... erg... attributes or behaviorism(s) that Jesus Christ exhibits across all stories of the bible. I know the basic ones, like he is honesty, etc., but what I want to know is [like] how he deals with adversity, being uncomfortable (no security blanket), risk-taking, etc. Anything you guys can add .

Thank you very much for your input,

-Warren

I would say the Beatitudes is a good place to start when trying to understand how Jesus would handle types of adversity and some of the things Jesus expects from his followers. In the book of Romans; Paul, also gives good insite on the transformation that takes place in the believer that frees the believer from the bondage of sin and of thinking as the world does. The Christian life is not an easy path to walk that is why praying for the intervention of the Holy Spirit to guide the believer is necessary. Keep praying, keep focus on Jesus, and meditate on the word of God when ever possible. Things that seem difficult right now to overcome will shrink naturally overtime as you become more filled with the word and spirit of God.

Beatitudes
When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. After he sat down his disciples came to him. Then he began to teach them by saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

The point of the gospels is we AREN'T given a list of "desirable qualities" that all Christians should possess. We need to live life the best we can, based on the situations we encounter. Be inspired and challenged by Jesus. Any set of "best practices" aren't going to do the man justice.

That being said, one thing I see in Jesus that is often overlooked is his concern with WHY people do things, rather than WHAT they are doing. I believe our ethics should mimic his.

actually, we are given several qualities. The post above that talks about the Beautitudes is a list of qualities. Corinthians and Ephesians give qualities. The NT has several areas that talk about how we shouldn't act as well.

I disagree with that last paragraph wholeheartedly.

 

[ittarter]

actually, we are given several qualities. The post above that talks about the Beautitudes is a list of qualities.

Beatitudes undermines every ancient list of qualities that was in existence. That was its purpose. It is not meant to be read as an authoritative list. It is meant to undercut, deconstruct and even ridicule the Greek and Jewish habit of looking for "that perfect list."

Corinthians and Ephesians give qualities. The NT has several areas that talk about how we shouldn't act as well.

Apparently you missed it, so I'll repeat it. I'm talking about the GOSPELS ONLY. Yes, Pauline and pseudo-Pauline letters operate very differently. They're written as didactic text, rather than narrative text, so the way in which the rhetoric operates is much more "list-oriented" and "best-practices-oriented."

I disagree with that last paragraph wholeheartedly.

Even that our ethics should mimic Jesus'?

I think you just like to disagree with me.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Beatitudes undermines every ancient list of qualities that was in existence. That was its purpose. It is not an authoritative list.

Now you're moving the goalposts. It may not be an authoritative list, but it's certainly a list of things we can follow and emulate.

Apparently you missed it, so I'll repeat it. I'm talking about the GOSPELS ONLY. Yes, Pauline letters operate differently.

Yes, you're right, I did miss that. I thought you said the New Testament. My bad.

Even that our ethics should mimic Jesus?

I think you just like to disagree with me.

Inasmuch as your ethics regarding Jesus had more to do with WHY people were doing stuff versus WHAT they were doing. That's not what Jesus taught. That's the lovey dovey do what feels right gospel. That's the kind of logic that motivates the poor father to go rob a bank. Jesus laid it on the line to people when they were sinning and he never minced words and he didn't really WHY they were sinning.

 

[Teufelhund]

The beatitudes are a good start for how one should behave, if one needs to understand the whys then you should probably have a depth of scholarship which can only be obtained with self-study. The best thing to do is to read the Bible and pay attention to how it tells you to behave. Then you can determine the whys by yourself. IMHO one should be less interesting in acting the way Jesus did, than in acting the way he said to act.

 

[ittarter]

Now you're moving the goalposts. It may not be an authoritative list, but it's certainly a list of things we can follow and emulate.

Certainly it is a series of blessed types of people. But can you BECOME meek? Are you expected to go out and FIND persecution? "The meek will inherit the earth;" not, "become meek and you will inherit the earth." See the difference? Jesus is saying, These are the kinds of people acceptable to the kingdom of God. It's not a seven-step program on how to become a good Christian.

Yes, you're right, I did miss that. I thought you said the New Testament. My bad.

It's an easy miss. Gospel = good news (the whole NT) vs. Gospels = the first four books only.

Inasmuch as your ethics regarding Jesus had more to do with WHY people were doing stuff versus WHAT they were doing. That's not what Jesus taught. That's the lovey dovey do what feels right gospel. That's the kind of logic that motivates the poor father to go rob a bank. Jesus laid it on the line to people when they were sinning and he never minced words and he didn't really WHY they were sinning.

Look at Matt. 5:17-48. A metaethics of motivation makes it possible to sin in thought, not just in deed.

I'm not saying that righteousness is purely mental. I'm saying that the righteousness of Jesus' day was largely superficial and act-oriented, and Jesus' main project (in terms of ethical reform) was to make righteousness a matter of the heart, which in turn works itself out in right action. But right action cannot exist without a right heart.

In light of this, namely, that a good heart guides the will to right action, we don't have to be concerned about dotting our 'i's and crossing our 't's. In every situation we will be guided by our internal and innate righteousness -- the gift of God to us -- which mandates how God's will can be done wherever we find ourselves.

Obviously that doesn't mean life is simple -- rather it means we can live from the inside out rather than having externalized rule-systems formulating our lifestyle.

I apologize for being so unclear when I began. I hope this clears up any apparently ridiculous claim I made.

 

[ittarter]

The beatitudes are a good start for how one should behave, if one needs to understand the whys then you should probably have a depth of scholarship which can only be obtained with self-study. The best thing to do is to read the Bible and pay attention to how it tells you to behave. Then you can determine the whys by yourself. IMHO one should be less interesting in acting the way Jesus did, than in acting the way he said to act.

This is my point. Jesus doesn't TELL people how to behave. When he says, "Go in your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in heaven," the POINT is to end the ATTITUDE of hypocrisy and the people-pleasing mentality and to replace it with genuineness, honesty, intimacy with the divine. Whether you actually go into your room is simply irrelevant. (What if you don't have a door to shut? What if you have a roommate? Is Jesus outlawing public prayer?? Duh. No.)

Again, I have to stress, the Beatitudes are not meant to RECOMMEND being poor in spirit, etc. If you are a member of God's kingdom you ARE poor in spirit, and you are blessed, vis-a-vis the Greek belief that the spiritually self-assured will RULE the (physical) Hellenistic or Roman or whatever kingdoms of the day.

 

[Johnnz]

Law lovers and list makers often go together.

Matthew set some of Jesus' teaching as a 'Sermon on the Mount' deliberately. The Mosaic Law was delivered by Moses from God on a mountain. Now, the new Moses and deliverer had come, delivering from a mountain new standards for his new people, teaching humanity about the far greater principles inherent in the Kingdom of God that was coming with his arrival amongst them.

Paul was not into lists. He just described what the new life in Christ would look like in his followers.

John
NZ

 

[harringtonfamily3]

In my opinion, to live like Christ is live life with compassion for everyone. Forgiveness for all and understanding for the misguilded. We live in a hate filled world where it is more important to be right than to do whats right. Your security IS the love of Christ who will never abondon you, never leave you. Does this mean that adversity will not happen? No, it will and it does...everyday. What it means is that with Christ truly in your heart, that adversity is easier to deal with becasue you KNOW you are not alone.