Imbibing the Character of Christ

Jonathan Roumie is the actor who plays Jesus in the popular Biblical drama “The Chosen.”

In interviews with the New Yorker and the Christian Post, Roumine relates how he was struggling to “make ends meet,” before he shot to fame portraying Jesus. At times, he said that he didn’t know where his next meal was coming from.

“I think if I had experienced success much earlier in my career, I wouldn’t have appreciated it in this way, and I most certainly wouldn’t have developed the faith that I have now in the same way,” Roumie admitted.

Romine explained that his struggles helped him to depend of God, grow in faith, and find purpose in his problems.

His observation reminds us of James statement regarding trials. When our faith is tested, it helps us grow spiritually and produces steadfastness and endurance. Often we can learn a lot through adversity. Interestingly, the Bible says that Jesus Himself learned through His suffering.

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Heb. 5:8-9).

If Jesus, the Son of God, could experientially learn through his suffering, trials, and  physical difficulties, we can too, if we imbibe Jesus’ faith in the Father.

According to Roumie, the longer he plays Jesus, the greater his thirst to learn more about the Son of God becomes. Then he offered this thought provoking statement to The New Yorker:

“Jesus is the only character who I would hope to stay in character as all the time.”

This quote is reminiscent of Paul’s statement in Romans 8:29. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

We are to be conformed to Christ. Some modern speech translations read “become like Christ.” It means to be fashioned. To take on the same form. To share in the likeness.

In a similar vein Paul instructed us in Philippians 2:5 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”

Peter put it this way, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (I Pet. 2:21)

The good news is that you don’t have to become an actor playing Jesus to assimilate His character. Read, study, and meditate on Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Develop a thirst to know more about Jesus and become like Him.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we treat people with love, respect, and kindness like Jesus treated the Samaritan woman at the well.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we are patient with people who are  slow to learn like the apostles often were.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we pray to, trust in, and obey the will of our Heavenly Father, just like Jesus.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we are gracious, merciful, and forgiving, just as Jesus forgave Peter, and even those who put Him to death.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we resist Satan’s temptations and put him to flight by our reliance on the Word, as Jesus did in the wilderness after 40 days of fasting.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we feel compassion like Jesus did toward those who were scattered, lonely, hurting, and disenfranchised.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we become the source of Good News to sinners like Jesus was to the woman taken in adultery, Zacheaus, and the sinful woman in Simon’s house.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we prioritize spiritual relationships over physical relationships as Jesus both taught and exemplified.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we “go about doing good,” as we minister “to the least of these,” as Jesus did throughout His ministry.

When we imbibe the character of Christ, we will courageously confront religious hypocrisy and error when necessary like Jesus did with the Scribes and Pharisees.

Imbibing the character of Christ is a life time pursuit. And it is one, since we wear His name, Christian, of which we should always “stay in character.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman