When I watch television I end up browsing YouTube channels because I can usually find something interesting/educational to view. Recently I became aware of Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychology professor who’s gotten very popular. He seems to be what I’d call a “Christian agnostic.” In my book that’s an oxymoron but he’s free to believe what he wants.
But I was taken aback (as were many of his secular fans) by what he conceded earlier this year. He said, “I’ve seen sometimes the objective world and the narrative world touch. That’s Jungian synchronicity. And I’ve seen that many times in my own life and so, in some sense, I believe it’s undeniable. Though the narrative world and the objective world are not the same, they intersect and the ultimate example of that in principle is supposed to be Christ. And that seems to be oddly plausible.”
In another interview I heard him more or less concede Jesus is the ultimate role model, the ideal human being. In essence that puts Dr. Peterson in agreement with the early 20th century Bible scholar A.W. Pink who wrote, “The Lord Jesus is not only a perfect and glorious pattern of all graces, holiness, virtue and obedience, to be preferred above all others, but also he alone is such.”
In studying Old Testament characters it can get confusing when it comes to knowing precisely what we’re to do and what we’re to avoid doing because every one of them were flawed individuals. But our gracious God has provided, in Christ, a flawless example of how to live righteously. While none of us can become sinless this side of heaven, what we can do is strive to be more like Jesus every day.
Sadly, we live in a culture where a person’s skin color or nationality often takes precedence over every other trait. It’s also something we have no say in because God, not us, made that determination before He created the universe. But Jesus’ teachings supersede all racial, ethnic, hereditary and environmental biases. All men and women can relate to how He conducted His earthly life because He’s not only the “Son of God” but also the “Son of Man.”
Thus a Brazilian can adapt Christ’s mindset as well as a Norwegian. And Jesus’ way of dealing with people is as exemplary for a teenager to imitate as it is for an elderly man or woman. Not only that, but all of us living in the 21st century can discover, by emulating Jesus, how to live a purposeful, fulfilling life exactly the same way Christians in the 1st century could. This is but one of the many reasons God incarnate came to terra firma – to show us how to live a godly life.
Because of Christ believers don’t have to remain clueless regarding how to trust completely in God’s sovereign will and obey His commandments. Jesus showed us the way. Angels have never been up to the task because they exist in a spiritual dimension that precludes cultivating patience, suffering pain, maintaining a humble countenance in the face of adversity, etc.
The Scriptures are full of references presenting Jesus as our ideal. The most obvious is the one I’ve been writing extensively about lately. Christ said, “Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I’m gentle and lowly in heart, and you’ll find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). He’s the self-identified “Good Shepherd” who “…calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. …He goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They’ll never follow a stranger…” (John 10:3-5).
He didn’t just “talk the talk,” He “walked the walk,” preaching, “For I’ve given you an example – you should do just as I’ve done for you” (John 13:15). Paul instructed believers, “Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus…” (Romans 15:5) and, in Philippians 2:5, “You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had.”
Wait, there’s more! Christians are encouraged to “…run with endurance the race set our for us, keeping our eyes focused on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Plus we’re taught “The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked” (1 John 2:6). It’s hard to miss the Holy Spirit’s point when it’s been emphasized repeatedly.
Pink commented, “Example is better than precept. Why? Because a precept’s more or less an abstraction, whereas an example sets before us a concrete representation.” In other words, it’s much more doable to mimic an authentic flesh-and-blood prototype than a mere hypothetical one.
The better acquainted we become with Jesus – the ideal human being – the more influence He’ll have on our behavior. We all tend to identify with the company we keep. Therefore the Bible warns us, “Don’t make friends with an angry person, and don’t associate with a wrathful person, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare” (Proverbs 22:24-25). Want to make a difference? Let the perfect Jesus be your role model.
J.I. Packer opined, “The moral qualities which belonged to the divine image were lost at the Fall; God’s image in man has been universally defaced, for all humankind has in one way or another lapsed into ungodliness. But the Bible tells us that now, in fulfillment of His plan of redemption, God’s at work in Christian believers to repair His ruined image by communicating these qualities to them afresh. This is what Scripture means when it says Christians are being renewed in the image of Christ and of God.”
Dr. Peterson and hopefully many others are starting to realize emulating Jesus is the only hope this confused, hate-infested world has. If everyone was as loving, compassionate, forgiving and composed as Christ was while He was here with us, this planet would be a much more peaceful place in every respect. Guaranteed.
Even Christians Get the Blues 