Imitating Christ: The Call to Heavenly Role Models
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Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many of whom I’ve often told you and now tell you even with tears walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. [00:32:45]
Imitation is the act of becoming like another. It’s copying the pattern of another. It’s not talking about cloning a person in their personality and all of that, but you’re becoming like them and how they are towards Christ. The disciples themselves asked Christ, “Teach us to pray.” They learn by watching him pray. [00:56:41]
We’re just taking in information constantly as we observe the example of others. So the issue is not if we will imitate, but it’s who we will imitate. It’s not a question of if it’s going to happen. The question is who are we going to imitate? Who are we keeping our eyes on? [01:05:00]
Paul’s view of the Christian life is we need people living in the here now who have Christ living through them for us to imitate. We don’t just look at Christ in the scriptures, but Christ living through people. We observe their walk right now and glean from them. [01:41:25]
Paul is thinking like he was in Philippians 1:27, let your manner of life be worthy of the implications of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You think of other places Paul mentions imitate. Hebrews 13, Paul says there, consider the outcome of your leaders’ lives and do what? Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. [01:47:23]
Paul actually consciously did things as a Christian because he wanted to give a good example for others to imitate. And he looked in any real, even in first Corinthians when he says, imitate me as I imitate Christ. The very thing he just talked about before that was doing everything he can to please people. [01:51:21]
The first reason why you need to find heavenly minded role models to imitate is that there is a danger if you don’t imitate godly believers. And that danger is none other than actually becoming an enemy of the cross of Christ for yourselves. You hear that? That’s his first reason. [02:16:40]
Imitating the godly life of a godly believer will prevent you from being deceived by an ungodly life of an ungodly professing Christian who is earthly minded. I mean, to illustrate America, we have many people who are American citizens. Just saying you’re an American citizen, just saying like Paul, on the heavenly citizen, my citizenship is in heaven. [02:30:22]
Paul says imitate me, keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. I don’t think Paul’s main idea here is doctrine. And we’ll look in this little more later. I don’t think his main idea is doctrine. He says example and he says walk. [01:20:45]
Paul says to Timothy, let no one despise you for your youth. Don’t by how you live give people a reason to despise you, but set believers an example in speech, conduct, in love, in faith, and purity. May I just, I just heard recently someone saying there’s some, you know, Christians who were using profanity. [03:03:22]
Paul says that the example you have in us, we’re all giving forth an example in how we live. We should feel the pressure. Again, parents feel the pressure when you get a bad habit as a parent, say biting your nails or something like that, and then all your kids start biting your nails. [03:15:58]
Paul says you want to find godly examples here. One reason is their citizenship is in heaven. They’re awaiting the Savior and they’re going to be gloriously transformed one day. So it’s all worth it. All this death itself, all this living for the Lord, I’m going to be transformed one day. [04:06:59]
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Imitation is the act of becoming like another. It’s copying the pattern of another. It’s not talking about cloning a person in their personality and all of that, but you’re becoming like them and how they are towards Christ. The disciples themselves asked Christ, “Teach us to pray.” They learn by watching him pray. [00:56:41]
We’re just taking in information constantly as we observe the example of others. So the issue is not if we will imitate, but it’s who we will imitate. It’s not a question of if it’s going to happen. The question is who are we going to imitate? Who are we keeping our eyes on? [01:05:00]
Paul’s view of the Christian life is we need people living in the here now who have Christ living through them for us to imitate. We don’t just look at Christ in the scriptures, but Christ living through people. We observe their walk right now and glean from them. [01:41:25]
Paul is thinking like he was in Philippians 1:27, let your manner of life be worthy of the implications of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You think of other places Paul mentions imitate. Hebrews 13, Paul says there, consider the outcome of your leaders’ lives and do what? Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. [01:47:23]
Paul actually consciously did things as a Christian because he wanted to give a good example for others to imitate. And he looked in any real, even in first Corinthians when he says, imitate me as I imitate Christ. The very thing he just talked about before that was doing everything he can to please people. [01:51:21]
The first reason why you need to find heavenly minded role models to imitate is that there is a danger if you don’t imitate godly believers. And that danger is none other than actually becoming an enemy of the cross of Christ for yourselves. You hear that? That’s his first reason. [02:16:40]
Imitating the godly life of a godly believer will prevent you from being deceived by an ungodly life of an ungodly professing Christian who is earthly minded. I mean, to illustrate America, we have many people who are American citizens. Just saying you’re an American citizen, just saying like Paul, on the heavenly citizen, my citizenship is in heaven. [02:30:22]
Paul says imitate me, keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. I don’t think Paul’s main idea here is doctrine. And we’ll look in this little more later. I don’t think his main idea is doctrine. He says example and he says walk. [01:20:45]
Paul says to Timothy, let no one despise you for your youth. Don’t by how you live give people a reason to despise you, but set believers an example in speech, conduct, in love, in faith, and purity. May I just, I just heard recently someone saying there’s some, you know, Christians who were using profanity. [03:03:22]
Paul says that the example you have in us, we’re all giving forth an example in how we live. We should feel the pressure. Again, parents feel the pressure when you get a bad habit as a parent, say biting your nails or something like that, and then all your kids start biting your nails. [03:15:58]
Paul says you want to find godly examples here. One reason is their citizenship is in heaven. They’re awaiting the Savior and they’re going to be gloriously transformed one day. So it’s all worth it. All this death itself, all this living for the Lord, I’m going to be transformed one day. [04:06:59]
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