Can any one who listens to these words be so destitute of intelligence and faith as to entertain the idea, for a moment, that God created us and became man and died for us, only to leave us at liberty to live as we please, and to sin as much and as often as we like? No; says the Apostle Paul, "Christ died for all." And why? Listen, faithless Christian: "That they also who live may not live to themselves, but to Him who died for them, and rose again." [Footnote 26]
[Footnote 26: 1 Cor. v., 15.]
[Transcriber's note: The USCCB reference is 2 Cor. v., 15.]
What is it to live to Christ? To live to Christ is, to live to please Him; it is to follow in His footsteps and copy in our lives His virtues. This is made clear from what the same Apostle says in another place, on the same subject: "Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people, acceptable, pursuing good works." [Footnote 27]
[Footnote 27: 2 Titus ii., 14.]
[Transcriber's note: The USCCB reference is: Titus ii., 14.]
A Christian, then, is one who lives to Christ by keeping free from all iniquity and pursuing good works. This is the testimony that Christ requires of us, and which we are bound to give by every sacred obligation which binds us to Him as our Creator and Redeemer.
Another reason why we are under obligation to give testimony of Christ by leading an exemplary life, is that Christ came into the world not only to be our Redeemer, but also our Model. Hear him: "You call me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am, … and if I, then, being your Lord and Master have given you an example, as I have done to you, so you do also." [Footnote 28]
[Footnote 28: St. John xiii. 13, 14, 15.]
For is there any one so uninstructed as not to know that it was wholly unnecessary for Jesus Christ to practise on his own account, humiliations, poverty, obedience, self-denial, meekness, and embrace the sufferings and bitter death of the cross. He practised these virtues in order to induce us to practise them, for these were due to us as punishment for our sins, and necessary for us as preservatives against our vices. God became man to teach men by example how they ought to live. "Christ suffered for us," says the apostle St. Peter, "leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps." [Footnote 29]
[Footnote 29: 1 Peter ii., 21.]