Would you have fallen in love with Jesus at first sight? Isaiah 53:2-3 describes Him as having “no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.” This is how many saw Jesus the week leading to His death and resurrection.
Perhaps you see yourself as someone whose life He touched—once broken and lost. Your connection to Him may not have been love at first sight, but rather reverence, respect, and gratitude. The transformation you experienced likely deepened into love as you encountered His compassion, gentleness, and humility. True love grows with knowledge and understanding. Our love for Jesus is not romantic or fleeting—it is not a sentimental or unstable emotion. It develops through our lived experiences, scripture study, and fellowship with other believers.
Relationship, Not Religion
Christianity is fundamentally a relationship, not a religion. Enoc Wan defines relational realism paradigm beginning with a vertical relationship with the Triune God and extends horizontally to others. In our vertical relationship, God works in us (Being) according to the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-39). In our horizontal relationships, God works through us (Doing) as we follow both the Great Commandment and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). 1 Christianity is a lifestyle of relationships—who you are inside church should match who you are outside. We live for an audience of ONE.
Transformative Faith
Christianity transforms us. Wan defines transformational change as the dynamism of change, originated vertically from the Triune-God and ushered in horizontally, through the process of interaction between transformed godly leaders and followers, leading to Christ-like character and Spirit-guided sanctification multi-dimensionally, i.e., spiritual, moral, social, or behavioral dimensions at personal and/or institutional levels. 2 The Bible showcases weak people—Moses, David, Saul, Peter, Mary Magdalene—transformed into powerful giants for God’s purposes.
Spiritual Maturity
Our goal as Christians is spiritual maturity through Christ-like character. Three essential qualities exemplify this maturity:
Christ’s Humility:
Matthew 11:29 offers Christ’s self-portrait: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Paul urges us to imitate this humility in Philippians 2:5-8: ” In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
Christ’s Faithfulness:
Jesus perfectly demonstrates faithfulness through His unwavering commitment to the Father’s will. From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God and brought salvation to humanity. Jesus’ faithfulness is seen in His willingness to endure suffering and death on the cross. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus remained steadfast and prayed, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Through an intimate relationship with the Father, Jesus could truthfully say, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30).
His faithfulness extends to His promises to His followers giving them hope, comfort, and assurance throughout the ages: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3). His faithfulness affirms the certainty of eternal life with Him. His faithfulness serves as our model for all believers as Jesus exhorts the church in Smyrna to “Be faithful, even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). As God’s children, we follow Christ’s example, deepening our relationship with our heavenly Father.
Christ’s Fruitfulness:
Jesus emphasizes the necessity of fruitfulness in John 15:1-8: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser… Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” Fruitfulness naturally flows from abiding in Christ, and transformation serves as evidence of genuine faith. Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:16-20, “By their fruit you will recognize them… Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit,” highlighting the inseparable connection between genuine faith and its visible results.
Christ’s humility, faithfulness, and fruitfulness are foundational biblical themes. Nurturing our love for Jesus requires time spent knowing and imitating Him. Desire His presence, trust His guidance, and follow His example in obedience.
