Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp, 60

In a previous excerpt, Knapp stated that there are four features of "impressions" from God. These are Scriptural; Right (consistent with good morals); Providential (in harmony with God's will); and Reasonable. His discussion of the result of living by "Convictions from Above," according to Christ's example, continues:

In all the above, and many more particulars, it is clearly declared that all His true followers are like Him. May the Holy Spirit fix in all our hearts, the blessed truth that "His example is strictly and exactly an example for all the world." When tempted to diverge from the path of duty, or to condone sin "because we are human," let us remember that Jesus, too, was human, and that while His gospel does not save us from our humanity, nor while in this world from our infirmities, yet, if fully received, it will save us from our sins. Our transformation into the likeness of Jesus is the great object of His gospel. For this He shed His precious blood, and gives His renewing and sanctifying Spirit. Without these man could no more be like Jesus than a leopard could be like a lamb. The unregenerate man who tries to be like Jesus by doing religious acts and good works is simply a human leopard under a lamb's skin. First, we must be transformed into His image, and then having thus been made like Him we will be enabled to "Walk as He walked," and in our little sphere as the drop bears the image of the ocean, and the ray of light the image of the sun, so shall we reflect His likeness. This is our privilege here and now.

Excerpted from Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp. Original publication date, 1892. Public domain. My source is here. The previous post in the series is here.