Who to identify with? Some identify with a sports team, as supporters. Some with a celebrity, as fans. Some with a political party, as members. Some with an ideology, as proponents. Some with a leader, as followers, or with a teacher, as students, or with a guru, as disciples. Choose your leader or teacher well, though. Most leaders fail to meet the mark, and many fall disappointingly in the end, not even living up to the standards they set for others. Jesus Christ is ideal because he met even the high mark and standards set by the One unfailing God. He is true Son to this God, his Father, by living to the Father’s standards and pleasing Him entirely, even to the end of his earthly life and, now resurrected by God, forever. He can truly lead, as the truly virtuous shepherd. Following him is simply by belief in him and holding to the spirit of his teachings, getting the gist of them rightly, helped by the Holy Spirit who God gives such followers in Jesus Christ’s name. Jesus sent great teachers to teach his teachings to all. Following Jesus, identifying with him in this way, brings the benefits of his teachings and his perfect relationship with the Father, and brings the benefit of his having been a sacrifice for sins of all, so turning from such sins can mean those sins being forgiven by God in Jesus Christ’s name. The end result can be resurrection, immortality, eternal life, in closeness to the Father and to Jesus forever, along with others who have this shared hope. It can lead to becoming a truly virtuous son of the Father forever, just as Jesus is. We need to do well in how we identify with a group and a leader, so identifying with Jesus is a truly wise way to go.
