How to become like Christ

In Short

This collection of sermons explores the practical, daily experience of Christian sanctification. Through reflections on biblical narratives—from the Transfiguration of Jesus to the healing of Naaman—the author argues that becoming like Christ is not a matter of strenuous self-improvement or willpower, but of constant, attentive contemplation. By "mirroring" the character of Jesus, the believer undergoes a transformative process that affects the whole person. The work remains a quiet, enduring staple for those interested in the devotional life, valued for its psychological insight and its rejection of superficial religious formulas.

The Story

The argument begins with the foundational premise that the highest human attainment is resemblance to Jesus Christ. Most people dismiss this as impossible, viewing it as a task for saints or an ideal defeated by the pressures of a secular, worldly life. The author counters this by pointing to the apostle Paul’s teaching that all Christians are meant to be changed "from glory to glory." The mechanism for this change is simple: human beings are naturally mirrors. We reflect what we behold. Just as a child unconsciously adopts the attitudes and expressions of a parent through daily intimacy, the believer who keeps his heart directed toward Christ will, by the very nature of his moral constitution, begin to reflect that same purity, patience, and love.

The narrative of the book moves from this psychological principle into the practical difficulties that obstruct such reflection. We wear "veils"—incrustations of worldliness and hidden desires—that keep us from fully responding to Christ’s beauty. The author warns against the "indiscreet importunity" of praying for things that are not truly for our benefit. When we insist on our own way, God may grant our requests in anger, leaving us to grapple with the bitter, ruinous consequences. True growth, therefore, requires a radical submission to God’s will, even when that means accepting the "death" of our own selfish plans.

This leads to the central conflict of the book: the struggle for true consecration. Using the Transfiguration as a lens, the author views Jesus’ ascent of Mount Hermon not as a moment of mere ecstasy, but as a period of intense, solitary struggle where He had to deliberately choose the cross over the easier paths suggested by human friends. The author emphasizes that Jesus’ humanity was real and that He felt the weight of His destiny. By observing Jesus’ own commitment to the Father, the reader learns that the path to spiritual glory lies through self-mastery and the willingness to bear reproach.

The latter portion of the book focuses on the "shame" that accompanies a true perception of sin. By looking at the life of Miriam or the physical condition of the lame man at the Temple gate, the reader is encouraged to see that spiritual ailments are often mirrored in our worldly struggles. The author concludes that the Christian must become an instrument for others. Just as Peter’s faith acted as a catalyst for the lame man’s healing, the believer’s own confidence in Christ serves as a light for those lost in despair. The transformation is never just for the individual; it is a vital, outward-moving force that seeks to share the health and hope of the Gospel with a world deformed by sin.

How It Unfolds

The Mirror of the Soul The author establishes the central metaphor of the human heart as a mirror that reflects whatever it beholds. He argues that we are all being unconsciously molded by the things we focus on, whether they are worldly ambitions or the character of Christ.

The Veil of Worldliness The text addresses the obstacles that prevent clear reflection, specifically the "incrustations" of selfish desires and the habit of responding to the flesh. The author challenges the reader to look honestly at what they truly love and what they are actually becoming.

The Crisis of Consecration By examining the Transfiguration, the author presents Jesus’ own life as the ultimate model for decision-making. He highlights how Jesus faced the temptation to avoid His suffering and how He ultimately embraced His path by grounding Himself in the Father’s will.

The Danger of Getting What We Want The author warns against the peril of "indiscreet" prayer, where one insists on a desire that God knows will be harmful. He explains that God may answer such prayers in judgment, forcing the believer to learn through the consequences of their own self-will.

The Call to Share Faith The final movement turns outward, urging the believer to follow the example of the Apostles in helping others. By cultivating an active, lively faith, the reader becomes a channel through which Christ’s healing power reaches those who are spiritually crippled.

The People

The book centers on two primary figures: Jesus Christ and the believer (the reader). Jesus is presented as the "perfect mirror," the source of all moral beauty, whose life provides the pattern for human restoration. He is not a distant, untouchable deity, but a figure of intense humanity who models for the reader how to face suffering with courage and trust. The believer is portrayed as someone who is often shallow, distracted, or encrusted with worldliness, yet possesses the latent capacity to be changed.

Supporting figures include Moses and Elijah, who appear during the Transfiguration as witnesses to the "Exodus" or death that Jesus must undergo; they serve as symbols of the ancient hope of Israel and encouragers of Jesus’ resolve. Peter is highlighted as an imperfect but earnest follower who demonstrates the power of recognizing goodness in others, even when he lacks full understanding himself. Naaman is used as a case study in pride; his initial desire to "buy" a cure from Elisha mirrors the reader’s own tendency to try to bargain with God through good deeds. Finally, the lame man at the Temple gate represents the hopeless and the indifferent, whose eventual healing by Peter serves as an example of how one person’s living faith can ignite the faith of another.

In Its Own Voice

"You see the boy, not imitating consciously, but taking on, his father's looks and attitudes and ways; and as the boy grows up these become his own looks and attitudes and ways."

The author uses this common family dynamic to explain how the process of spiritual transformation happens naturally through proximity and love.

"The man who even when he prays knows that he has desires in his heart that Christ cannot gratify, the man that never goes out from his own home or never goes into his own home without knowing that he has responded to things that Christ disapproves--how can that man hope to be like Him?"

This rhetorical question serves as a sobering challenge to the reader to examine the sincerity of their own spiritual life and the inconsistencies that hinder growth.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an argument against the idea that religious life is a performance of willpower. The author posits that character is a "whole" and cannot be cultivated by simply pruning away individual sins; it must be addressed by shifting one’s gaze. The central question is: What is shaping you? The book explores the tension between human autonomy and divine influence, ultimately arguing that the "greatest attainment" is not the perfection of the self, but the reflection of the Divine. It asks why we are so hesitant to surrender our self-will when that surrender is the only way to find true health and purpose.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate classic, meditative prose—characterized by calm, logical progression rather than emotional manipulation—will find much to value here. It feels like a lecture from a thoughtful, mid-Victorian mentor who is not interested in quick fixes. The author speaks with a gentle gravity that respects the reader's intelligence, avoiding the "hype" that often accompanies modern self-help spiritualism.

However, the book is not without its challenges. The language is formal and reflects the late 19th-century theological mindset, which occasionally includes a sternness about "sin" and "judgment" that may feel jarring to contemporary sensibilities. Some readers might find the author’s insistence on the "natural" consequences of wrongdoing to be overly pessimistic. Yet, for those who are weary of the frantic, goal-oriented approach to personal development, the book offers a quiet, stabilizing perspective. It stays with you not because it provides a checklist for success, but because it reframes the Christian life as a lifelong, reflexive process of being in the presence of what one loves. It is a slow read, intended for reflection, and it rewards the patient reader who is willing to put aside modern expectations for a moment of older, more deliberate contemplation.