Title
Learning from Jesus to live in the manner Jesus would if he were I: biblical grounding for Willard's proposal regarding Jesus' humanity.
School/Department
Talbot School of Theology
Publication Date
Fall 2010
Abstract
“How would Jesus live your life, with your personality, with your talents, with your life experiences, within your life context, if he were you?” is a question posed by Dallas Willard in The Divine Conspiracy. How is it possible for Jesus Christ, Second Person of the Trinity, to know about living a really human life with all of its heartache and struggles? The article presents the biblical teaching for Jesus’ authentic human experience, that Jesus is our genuine example and is the unique one who can show us the way into Kingdom living. After addressing concerns that have been raised about emphasizing the example of Jesus, the NT data affirming Jesus’ authentic human experience are presented, along with some potential objections. The main claim defended: Jesus lived normally within his own human power, relying predominantly on the divine resources of the Father and the Holy Spirit, while using his own divine power infrequently. The article concludes with a few implications for practice, living within our personal human condition as Jesus did, and living beyond our human limitations as Jesus did.
Keywords
Willard, Dallas, 1935-2013; Jesus Christ--Example--Biblical teaching
Publication Title
Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care
Volume
3
Issue
2
First Page
155
Last Page
180
DOI of Published Version
10.1177/193979091000300204
Recommended Citation
Issler, Klaus Dieter, "Learning from Jesus to live in the manner Jesus would if he were I: biblical grounding for Willard's proposal regarding Jesus' humanity." (2010). Faculty Articles & Research. 189.
https://digitalcommons.biola.edu/faculty-articles/189