Seriously, God...being more Christ-like couldn't be easier?
Christians and churches often see one aspect of Jesus, but there is an entire view of Christ to behold.
As of late, my heart has been heavy for lots of reasons—some small self-centered stuff and some way more difficult. Through all this, what I’m coming to realize is that I see God and the world in a certain way, which aren’t always helpful or Christ-centered.
In Neil Anderson’s book, The Core of Christianity, he describes a Christian (or even a church) can fall into one of these quadrants:
I really like this breakdown because, first, I like to categorize things, including people so I can observe and form a narrative about myself or others. But beyond my weirdness about categorization, something like this helps give me words to inform my thoughts and prayers about myself. The author’s point is we are all supposed to be closer in the middle where Christ has all these characteristics in perfect harmony, but we will likely always be a little bit more in one corner or two since we are human.1 There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but the farther we go out to a corner of our quadrant the more we can become something less Christ like— liberal or legalistic for example. Yes, in life, we aren’t often just one thing, but for me I can feel my center of gravity to be on the Human and Natural side. I believe that there is a natural law that we must love and care for people, but if I go too far I become overly human-centered versus God-centered. The best part of me wants to love people as Christ loves them, but the worst part of me also fears letting people down.
According to the author, to address any human-centered problem, as a person (or a church) in the bottom left they would prefer to counsel an individual (which is absolutely true for me).
A person or church in the bottom right wants to disciple.
A person or church in the top right wants to see deliverance for someone.
A person or church in the top left wants to see inner healing for its members.
These are all valid and necessary ways to handle the troubles in our lives and churches, but one reality pervades it all—if sin, the Devil, and a fallen world are the source of problems that cause our human problems, regardless of what quadrant you are in, repentance is necessary. Some could say you need to repent, so you truly learn what is God’s law and standard. Some could say you need to repent to make yourself whole. Some could say you need to repent to find true inner healing. Some could say you need to repent banish evil. All are true, but the spiritual and biblical reality is all lead off with repentance to God.
Though David’s sin against Uriah and Bathsheba was against other people, it is no mistake David knows he has sinned before God first.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment. (Psalm 51:3-4)
In reality, as we become more like Christ I think it would be natural for us to adopt attributes in all the quadrants. For my own father’s life I saw him start in the bottom right as fiery righteous elder and pastor. But he always had a heart to help those in need and it was natural for him to receive people who were suffering. With his own family he began to see the need for inner healing of our inner wounds. Then he recognized there is a spiritual war happening around us and that our battle isn’t against flesh and blood only, so we must be in constant prayer.
He was far from a perfect man and didn’t always explain from which angle he was communicating or making decisions, creating confusion for others. What I will always appreciate about him though is, when prompted with a new challenge, he was willing to go beyond his quadrant and add to his Christian identity in the name of Christ. He’d often tell me that if we are becoming more like Christ, when you meet others who want to be like Christ you will find more similarities than differences. Those who genuinely love Christ always fear God without compromise, love man sacrificially, are always in prayer, and are led by the Holy Spirit more often than not. I’m beginning to see my own gaps. I know God’s Word, but don’t always want to follow it or can find “loopholes.” I don’t pray enough. I don’t acknowledge enough of the spiritual warfare around me. And even though I think I love others, I do wonder if I’m doing it for my own pride. Fortunately, everything good starts when we humble ourselves before God, and I think I’m desperate enough to admit I need more of Jesus right now.
Where do you fall in the model illustrated above?
Where do you feel Christ can do more work in your life and character based on the model?
In the bottom right corner, God is on the x axis but it would be more about the concept of God’s authority versus making some unnecessary dichotomy between Jesus and God.