Some Christians get mad when you say that the ultimate hero in the Bible is not Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Paul, etc….but Jesus.

There seems to be an unhealthy attraction to find someone in the Bible other than Jesus who is ultimately worthy of our attention and emulation.

There is a strange phenomena by many to protect Bible characters and to use them as inspiration as if living like Christ happens as a result of imitating some Biblical figure.

There’s a part in the “Jesus Storybook Bible” that reads:

Some people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but…most of the people in the Bible aren’t heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose). They get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean. No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne – everything – to rescue the one he loves.

I think that most people, when they read the Bible (and especially when they read the Old Testament), read it as a catalog of heroes (on the one hand) and bunch of tales (on the other).

For instance, don’t be like Cain – he killed his brother in a fit of jealousy – but do be like Abraham: God asked him to do something crazy, killing his son, and he had the faith to follow through.

Running counter to this idea of the Bible-as-a-hero-catalog, the best news in the Bible is that God has demonstrated His love by sending His Son – Jesus.

That Jesus became like you, so that you could become like Him.

1 John 4:17 says, As Jesus is, so are you.

Since you are just like Christ in your spirit – in who you really are – do you think you should till try to look to someone else to see how your life would look like if you allow Christ to live His life through you?

Since you are an identical copy of Jesus do you think you should try to copy or act like any other person in the Bible then Jesus?

The answer, of course, is no.

But why is it that we hear Christians left and right say:

• “I want to be like David”
• “I want to be like Esther”
• “I want to be like Deborah”
• “I want to be like Joshua.”

This all sound good during a gathering at your local church. But they are contrary to the reality at present.

If Jesus ever said such things right now, would it honor God? Of course not.

Then why do we – who are are like Jesus – say such things?

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You Are Greater Then…

Mat 11:11-14 reads,

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.

David, Moses, Elijah, Samuel, Enoch, Rachel, Rebecca – these were all great men and women of God, indeed.

Yet, Jesus Himself says that John the Baptist was even greater.

So if you want to strive to be like an Old Testament figure, then go for John the Baptist, not David.

Now, what’s even more amazing is what He says next – in the Kingdom of God, which has now come, anyone (including you) is greater than David, Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist.

Greater.

Right now.

Yes, you!

You are greater than Abraham, David, Moses, Solomon, Elijah, and John the Baptist!

So why on earth would you hold up Moses or David as inspiration if you are already greater than them in the Kingdom?

Want my advice?

Hold up Jesus Christ as your inspiration and model, and no one else.

Here’s Smith Wigglesworth,

We must not measure ourselves by ourselves. If we do, we will always be small. Measure yourself by the Word of God, the great measurement that God brings to you and you’ll start to see yourself as BIG as that Jesus is.

Only Identify With Jesus

1 Cor. 6:17 says, “He who is joined to the Lord is one Spirit with Him.”

Since you are one Spirit with Christ, He’s become your identity.

Since Christ has become our true identity, we no longer need to put ourselves in the shoes of someone else in the Bible.

We no longer need to identify with anyone else, whether it be Job, Daniel, or Solomon, except for Jesus Himself.

We are now like Him, and no one else.

That means, you are not like John the Baptist, Ana, Mary, Moses, David, Elisha – you are like Christ.

I am not saying you cannot learn from these other characters.

Every character in the Bible has strengths that are reflected in the life of Christ but you’ve gone too far when you start thinking, “Oh, I’m suppose to be like Deborah, or David, or Joseph, or Esther or Ana.” No!

You are just like Christ.

There’s plenty to learn from all these figures in the Bible, but our identity isn’t rooted in any other than Christ.

Again, these Bible figures have characteristics that are good. But if that characteristic does not point to you being like Jesus, than you’ve missed it.

“I must be like David, because someone told me I am like David. I must a a worshiper.”

Great for you…

First of all, David was also a murderer and adulterer.

Second, Jesus said, worship in spirit and truth – this is pointing to Jesus, who is Spirit and Truth.

Third, there is no Davidic anointing, only a Jesus anointing.

Those characteristics in David’s life are a depiction of Christ.

But you´re not suppose to try be like David or any other Bible character.

Don’t model your life after someone who is not like you.

As a believer in Christ, you can only identify with Jesus because He is the person you’re exactly like in the spirit.

You are a Holy Spirit-filled, anointed, righteous believer.

The only person in the Bible that comes close to who you are is Jesus. As Jesus is so are you in this world!

By the way, I recommend you watch my video on: “What Would Jesus Do.” In that video you’ll come to see that asking yourself the question WWJD is a bad question because we’re not suppose to imitate Christ as if we should copy His life and actions….I think you’ll like it.

Discover Who You Are

Gal. 2:20 says, “It is no longer you who lives but Christ who lives in you.”

What does that practically mean?

That it’s your responsibility, if you call yourself a Christian, to allow Christ to live through you, thus to live like Jesus, not any other person in Scripture.

Not Mary.

Not Anna.

Not Elijah.

Not John the Baptist.

Not Joseph.

Not Joshua.

Not John G. Lake.

Not Kathryn Kuhlman.

Not Smith Wigglesworth.

Not Paul.

Not Peter.

Not David.

But…Jesus.

“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” (Heb. 3:1).

Fix your thoughts on Jesus Christ, and Him alone. He is the expressed perfect image of the Father and His will (Heb. 1:3).

Far from being a book full of moral heroes whom we are commanded to be like or to emulate, the Bible is a book full of the so-called heroes that are not really heroes at all…They fall and fail; they make huge mistakes; they get afraid; they’re selfish, deceptive, egocentric, and unreliable.

So you can stop thinking in terms of “I want to be like such and such.” That’s a humanistic idea using human energy to try to live the Christian life. It’s like a turkey trying to live like an eagle. It won’t work.

If you’re still tempted to look to any Biblical figure and want be like them, other then Jesus, then allow me to give you this list to crush that idea.

Noah was a drunk.

Abraham was too old.

Isaac was a daydreamer.

Jacob was a liar.

Leah was ugly.

Joseph was abused.

Moses had a speech impediment.

Gideon was afraid.

Samson was a womanizer (and had long hair!).

Rahab was a prostitute.

Jeremiah was too young.

David was an adulterer.

Elijah was suicidal.

Jonah ran from God (and was a whining cry-baby).

Naomi was a widow.

Ruth was a foreigner.

Job went bankrupt.

John the Baptist was a really bad dresser.

Peter denied Christ.

The disciples fell asleep while praying.

Martha worried about everything.

The Samaritan woman was divorced (more than once).

Zaccheus was too small.

Paul was a murderer.

Timothy had an ulcer.

Oh yeah…and Lazarus was dead.

Still any aspiration to be like them?

Again, I am not saying you cannot learn from these people.

Every person in the Bible has strengths that are reflected in the life of Christ but you’ve gone too far when you start thinking, you’re suppose to be like one of them.

So even though there’s plenty to learn from all these people in the Bible our identity isn’t rooted in any other than Christ.

I wish you a happy discovering of who you are in Christ.