If we are in Christ, if we have put on Him, if He is the way of salvation for us, then, following this path of salvation, we will imitate His example, as the Apostle John convinces us: "Whoever says that he abides in Him must do as He did" (1 John 2:6). St. Cyprian of Carthage (113, 279).

If Jesus Christ had not been the true God, He would not have left us an example. Saint Leo, Pope of Rome (113, 279).

And your Lord loved and called to Himself those who hated Him, and the weaker they were, the more He cared for them. He vouchsafed His table to publicans and sinners. The more the Jewish people despised and reviled Him, the more He gave them help and mercy. And thou shalt imitate Him (113:279).

If you are the body of Christ, then bear the cross, because He bore it; endure spitting, blows on the face, crucifixion, as He endured, although He was sinless... (45, 28).

If you are a student, then imitate the teacher, this is the duty of the student. If He Himself went through sorrows, and you go through tranquility, you are going the wrong way. How then do you follow without following? And how can you be a disciple without following the Master? St. John Chrysostom (113, 279).

Every Christian must be meek, quiet and patient in adversity, not repaying evil for evil to anyone, because Christ Himself was subjected to reproach from the Jews, endured, endured beatings and blows on the face. St. Athanasius the Great (113, 279).

Do you see how boundless is the march for those who ascend to God, how the past always becomes the beginning of that which lies above? St. Gregory of Nyssa (19:276).

Thy light is the garment of glory: he who is clothed with it is righteous. St. Ephraim of Syria (29:230).

To the question of St. John: "Whom do you take me for?" one could answer with many great words: to call him an Angel sent before the face of Christ, a Lucifer and a lampstand, a friend of the Bridegroom... But all these words are united and contained in one thing, if we call him like Christ, the Son of God, if not in all, that is, not in the Divinity, not in His divine power, then in the human, and then, however, in part... A burning candle has a certain resemblance to the sun, for the sun, like a candle, illuminates and warms, but the sun does this incomparably more strongly than a candle. In the same way, there is a similarity between Christ and John: Christ is like the sun, and John is like a candle, for, as the Lord says: He was a lamp, burning and shining (John 5:35). But although John is only partially like Christ, he is still similar in a way that the whole world cannot be like, for "of those born of women there arose no greater than John the Baptist" (Matt. 11:11). (103,707-713).

Few are like Christ in His voluntary sufferings, in the difficult bearing of the cross and in the crucifixion. The Apostle Paul beseeches us: "Imitate me, as I follow Christ" (1 Corinthians 4:16). But the holy Apostle, tell us, in what way are you like Christ our Lord? He says that he is similar in the crucifixion: "I was crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:19). ... The Apostle speaks here of spiritual crucifixion, which is clear from his other words: "For me the world is crucified, and I for the world" (Gal. 6:14). For to be crucified to the world means to be crucified with Christ, and to be crucified with Christ means to be crucified to the world. Therefore let us say to the Apostle: O truly like Christ. Not only are you like Christ your Lord in a spiritual crucifixion, but you are also like Him - more like than others! For who was so crucified to Him as you, who said: 'I bear the wounds of the Lord Jesus on my body' (Gal. 6:17)" and make up for what is lacking in my flesh of Christ's afflictions (Col. 1:24)? Who is so dead to the world as you, who said:

"For His sake I have given up all things, and count all things as dung, that I may gain Christ" (Phil. 3:8)? St. Demetrius of Rostov (103, 778-779).

The Apostle commands "to put off the former way of life of the old man, which decays in deceitful lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man, created according to God, in righteousness and holiness of truth" (Ephesians 4:22-24). Let us put aside the image of the old man, beast-like and bestial, vile and unclean, and let us put on the new image of God, heavenly and holy. And let us become like our Heavenly Father, Who created us in His image and likeness. And this image, corrupted by sin, our heavenly Father renews in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us become like Him in good morals: let us be merciful as He is merciful, let us be pure and holy as He is holy, let us be generous, meek, patient and merciful, as He is long-suffering and abundant in mercy. And inasmuch as we shall put off the old man, so much shall we put on the new; for the rejection of the one is the putting on of the other, and the death of the one is the life of the other. The old man is cast off and killed, the new man is clothed and revived in us. Inasmuch as we put on the new man, to that extent will we have God-like qualities. Inasmuch as there are God-like attributes, the image of God will be pure and clear in us. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk (104, 212-213).

... Through holy peace, a Christian, having completed the field of repentance, is reconciled with God, with all circumstances, with all neighbors, with himself, and becomes a son of God by grace (108:522).

The Lord is the Spirit, and unites the person who clings to the Lord with Himself, makes him a spirit... This man becomes spiritual, borrowing spiritual qualities from the Spirit of the Lord, and animal-like qualities are separated and fall away from him (111:134).