Holy does not merely mean not sinning; it also means that everything we do always aligns with God’s thoughts and feelings. Therefore, the word “way” in Jesus’ statement, ‘I am the way,’ must be understood in its full dimension: passively, Jesus provides the way; actively, we must walk in that way. Jesus is the way, and we must put on His life. Thus, for believers to truly achieve reconciliation with God, they must invest their entire lives without limit. The active participation of believers in receiving God’s word through the Holy Spirit in their lives for the sake of the transformation of nature is vitally important. And that is the substance of our lives. So, when we become believers, the content of our lives is indeed only that. We must dare to commit ourselves first, even though we have not yet reached the ideal state.
What God desires is that we dare to commit ourselves to live blameless and spotless lives, leaving behind love for the world. This commitment is the initial step in the process of transformation toward putting on the divine nature or becoming like Jesus. Jesus as the way is not merely to be believed in or acknowledged, but to be walked in. For “believing” is an action, not merely an activity of the mind. Belief is not only intellectual conviction, but concrete action.
Therefore, the difference between us and non-Christians is not merely a matter of confession. They do not confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, whereas we do. If that is all, then it has no value. Yet strangely, many Christians feel that this is its main value. That confession indeed has value, but it is only the beginning.
Our true worth is shown when belief becomes action, imitating Jesus’ life. Jesus taught that our faith must surpass mere religious observance and that our morality must exceed common religious standards. The central argument is that perfection, as described in Matthew 5:20—being perfect like the Father—means acting consistently with God’s will and feelings. This is how we take on God’s nature and participate in the divine life.
Perfect like the Father does not mean equaling the Father. God’s capacity is perfect, whereas ours is not. However, in the moral realm, we can do everything in accordance with God’s will and feelings. Thus, in character and morality, believers become like miniature versions of God’s character and morality. And this is the Gospel: the divine nature. So, if we are like Jesus, it does not mean we are perfect to the same degree as Jesus. Jesus, our Lord, possesses far greater capacity in all His struggles. We have a more limited capacity. Yet within that limited capacity, we can still do everything in accordance with God’s will and feelings, as His miniature.
Thus, in character and morality, believers are miniatures of God. Indeed, this is the essence of the Gospel. If a child resembles us, people will say, “He looks like his father.” The child does not have the same capacity as the parent, but he is a miniature version of him. Likewise, we are miniatures of God. Through our deeds, people can see whether we glorify the Father, because what they see is our character. That is why, in the Bible, when people ask, “Who is the true God?” the answer is the nation of Israel; but when people ask, “What is God truly like?” they should look at the conduct of Christians. If Christianity is right, they can truly be aligned with God the Father.
Therefore, the Gospel is called the power of God for salvation. This means the truth of the Gospel can transform a person’s thinking. Continuous transformation of the mind will result in the transformation of nature. If this process continues, fellowship takes place: we abide in the Father, and the Father abides in us. God is pleased and “at ease” with those whose words are true, whose hearts are pure, and who harbor no evil. Thus, if we still live in ways that do not conform to God’s holiness, it means our faith or belief is not yet true.
In summary, the main standard for believers is to adopt the divine nature, enabling true reconciliation with God. This goal requires lifelong commitment and continual effort. Believers must be willing to leave behind worldly desires and dedicate themselves to living in holiness, guided by God’s word.
The crucial question we must wrestle with is: “Have we truly made peace with God?” Do not stop at reconciliation in theory, for true reconciliation occurs in the concrete application of life. How dreadful it would be if someone were to die without having been reconciled with God. A believer who has truly been reconciled with God surely understands that the standard of his holiness is God Himself. Yet God still gives opportunity. Christianity saves no one unless that person lives in God’s holiness.