We have always been told in Church to imitate Jesus. WWJD what would Jesus do? But I think few of us realize the extent to which we should, and will, be like Christ. In fact, it almost borders on humanism (in which humans are the God) or self-worship. It doesn't, of course, and I'll explain why later. But first let me demonstrate that we are supposed to have nearly every relation to Jesus and God possible.
Romans 8:29 "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."
Gods plan is for us to be in Christ's image and that he will be our brother. (For more on brotherhood see Hebrews 2:5-18) Don't just take that normally. Do you have any siblings? How do they relate to you, or rather, how were they supposed to relate to you when you were young? That's one of the ways Jesus thinks about you.
Again, Jesus said in Luke 8:21 "He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”"
Now, further:
Ephesians 5:1 "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children..." We are children of God. Again, translate human interactions (although they have sin) to our relationship with God. That's what human relationships demonstrate, that's what they imitate. All of your humans relationships, brothers, sisters, father, mother, even mentors, peers, accountability partner, everything is only an on-earth imitation of how God relates to us. This is best demonstrated by the next verse.
Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior."
Luke 5:34 "Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?" These two verses imply that we, the church, are the bride of Christ. Further than that, we are his body according to Ephesians, for the two will become one flesh. We are one flesh with Jesus. Isn't that weird? But it's kind of cool too.
Now it gets slightly more intimidating.
2 Corinthians 5:20 "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." Who did God chose to represent him on earth? (besides Jesus) Us! WE are on earth proclaiming his glory. First of all, DON'T take this for granted 'Oh, of course. We're the ones evangelizing.' No, God didn't have to do it this way. He chose to use us for a reason. Second, don't think he's just slave driving us and was too lazy to spread his name on his own. He's working in us, through us, and he is the only, true, necessary actor behind every conversion.
What does this ambassadorship mean? Why did God do it this way? Because he respects us. Chew on that. He wants to show us that he's not just here to give out candy, here's here to make men and women out of us, awesome, Godly, knowledgeable, respectable, men and women.
Think about your kids, whether you have them now or plan to in the future. You don't just make then happy, you let them gradually take steps out on their own as you teach them to be confident and pleased with who they are.
Finally it gets really scary.
1 Corinthians 6:2-3 "Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!"
Psalm 82:6 "“I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’"
Views on these passages vary a decent bit, so first understand the main point - these verses put us sons of God on a very high level, higher than I was comfortable with at least.i
By way of diving in: There are three main interpretations of the Corinthians verse. The first is that 'judge' is more of an understanding or setting an example, so that we deal with the world effectively and show its darkness by providing a contrasting light. This does happen, but doesn't seem pertinent to the context, particularly judging angels. The second narrows 'world' down to the Israelis and makes reference to the twelve thrones (one part of the 24) in Revelations, as well as Matt 19:28 and Luke 22:30. While this phenomena is true, I think it is restricted to the 12 apostles only, whereas the verse is speaking to all the Christians in Corinth.
The third, which is the most drastic but seems the most plausible, is that we will literally join Jesus in judging the world. To soften this effect, do not think of us making independent decisions, for we will be so living in Christ that I think it will be hard to distinguish from what we decide and what he does. We will be operating in such a meld of servanthood, sonship, marriage to God, etc that I do not think it will be too weird.
The Psalm significantly more tame than it seems. Reading the rest of this short Psalm (please do so) one can see that it is speaking to the rulers of the day, rebuking them for doing a bad job. These rulers are sometimes called gods. But note how it accords with the concept of judgeship from the first verse. We, as sons of God, will judge the world.
Finish:
I think to wrap this up I will simply leave you with the several verses that first helped me understand our sonship a year ago - Galatians 3:23-4:7 " 23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 1 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir."
