Tags

, ,

Some people view imitation as a negative thing. Books and movies that appear too similar to previous productions can be labeled with dreaded words like “derivative” and “unoriginal.” In the western world, we like to be imaginative, innovative, and unique. But in Christianity, imitation can be a very good thing.

Paul told the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitated Christ. He wanted them to pursue righteousness and imitate him in suffering for the sake of the gospel. There’s no doubt he was an impressive person, and a model believer. But what does it mean to imitate Paul? 

Paul had several especially noteworthy qualities worthy of imitation. First, he never minimized the importance of the truth. Although he admits that he does not use “lofty speech” (1 Corinthians 2:1), this doesn’t mean that Paul was a poor speaker. Instead, he chose to be direct. Rather than try to impress his hearers with wordcraft and flowery language, he put truth at the front and center in his messages.

Second, Paul was bold. When writing to the Galatians, Paul rebukes them and expresses his disappointment in their lack of conviction. He confronts their errors but does so both boldly and lovingly. He is concerned enough about their spiritual well-being to tell them about it. He doesn’t let his personal dislike of confrontation stop him from telling his audience what thy desperately needed to hear for their own good.

Third, being uplifting was part of Paul’s personal strategy. He praises, encourages, and strengthens the Philippians. he even tells the Corinthians that he is thankful for them (1 corinthians 1:4-9) before showing them some tough love. A well-placed word of kindness can do a world of good, and Paul regularly praised others before admonishing them. 

In Paul’s range of responses to those around him, we see a man driven to imitate Christ. To do likewise, we must focus on God’s will, maintain the purity of our character, and adopt the heart of a servant. We are never more honorable or more commendable than when we are patterning our lives after the example of Jesus. But we might also learn to follow the example of other Christians who exemplify praiseworthy qualities. Imitation isn’t bad—we could argue that it’s the backbone of faith.