Be Imitators Of Christ

-January 7, 2022-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

(1 Corinthians 11:1).

The Apostle was an imitator of Christ. He was saved on the road to Damascus and his life was radically changed. He went from a violent persecutor to passionate preacher and proponent of the gospel of God. After his conversion, he spent fourteen years in Arabia learning from the Lord. We can certainly see how he became an imitator of our Savior.

The word imitator is defined as, “a person who copies the behavior or actions of another.” Paul encourages the Corinthians and us as well to imitate him as he imitates Christ. Other words than be used for imitator are follower and example. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we will be like Jesus. The first disciples were with Him for three full years. They learned from Him, followed Him, heard Him, saw the miracles He performed, and most of all how He loved people.

People who observed the apostles were struck by how much they were like Jesus. In Acts 4:13 we read, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” The Jews knew they had not studied at their institutions of learning. They were educated and trained by Jesus, not by mere men. They were like their Master and Teacher Jesus Christ.

Matthew 10:24-25, “A disciple is not above his teacher, or a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.” We want to be like Jesus, and follow those who are following Him. When we disciple others we want them to imitate Christ. It is a great responsibility to be examples to others. Nowadays, we talk a lot about being good role models. The best role models are godly men and women who are walking with the Lord. A mentor can only take a person as far as he has gone himself.

Let us then be imitators of Christ, following His example; and to the extent that a person is imitating Christ, we want to imitate them. Others are watching us and listening to our words. Do they see Christ in us or hear Christ through us? The unknown songwriter wrote, “To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask, is to be like Him. All thru life’s journey from earth to glory. All I ask is to be like Him.”

Have a blessed day imitating Christ and the godly people around us who imitating Him. Let’s be spiritual producers and replicators. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace and goodness,

Dean