8.11.25 ~ Imitate Me
Good morning!
In yesterday's study we focused on living a Torah based lifestyle that would cause the nations to marvel at your wisdom and understanding while recognizing what an Yahsome God we have that would give us such commandments, statutes and judgments to live by (Deut. 4:4-9). Yeshua exhorted us into this same lifestyle when He told us, "let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify our Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
In this day and age it's tough to find anyone who would boldly proclaim, "imitate my life, as I imitate Messiah" (1 Cor. 11:1; 4:16 3:7; Heb. 6:12; etc.).
"Be an imitator/mimeomia of me, even as I am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1)
Therefore I urge you, imitate me. (1 Cor. 4:16)
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who walk, as you have us for a pattern. (Phil. 3:7)
that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Heb. 6:12)
I want to draw your attention to a few things to consider on this 23rd day of counting towards the first fruit of the oil. First, notice that Paul is not appealing to the Corinthians , the Philippians, or those in the letter to the Hebrews, to set their eyes on heaven and wait for escape. He is telling them that they are to look at real human examples of godly living and imitate those men and women. Certainly every earthly example will have flaws to some degree. Flawlessness is not an attribute found too often in this world; not everyone is a Zecharias and Elizabeth (Lk. 1:6) or have the maturity of Abraham (Gen. 17:1) or Job (Job 1:1, 8) or Hezekiah (2 Kg. 20:3; or are willing to rise to the "work out your salvation challenge" in Philippians 2:12-15.
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Lk. 1:6)
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (Phil. 2:14,15)
Each of these congregations had specific issues to deal with, but despite their problems, they have a clear path before them. “Live like me!” Paul says. That raises an important question for each of us. Are we able to confidently exhort others to live like us? Are we walking so carefully that we can point to our own ways of living as examples of the Messiah in action? This involves real earthly decisions and actions. This is not a spiritualized anticipation of another realm. It is living according to instructions given for this age and this world.
But why, I ask myself, is it that we, speaking of me, myself and I, are so hesitant to offer our own lives as examples of godly and holy behavior (1 Pet. 1:15,16)? Is it because we know ourselves so well that we don’t think we match up? I can't be as spiritual as Paul, or Zechariah or Job or Hezekiah or...right?
But Isn’t Paul the one who prayed unsuccessfully three times to have some a "thorn" from his flesh removed? Isn’t he the one who was told that this “messenger from Satan” was a permanent part of his service to the Lord (2 Cor. 12:7,8)? Didn’t Paul have a real falling out with his closest companion, Barnabas (Acts 1539)? Wasn’t he engaged in resistance to the Messiah for a significant part of his life (Acts 8:3)? Maybe he isn’t so different after all? Or maybe his success was found in leaving the past behind and pressing on for the prize of the High Calling in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:8-14).
Will you take the challenge today or will you hold on to the failures of your past, hindering you from walking worthy of your calling (Phil. 4:1; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:12)? YES!
Shalom,
Alan
In yesterday's study we focused on living a Torah based lifestyle that would cause the nations to marvel at your wisdom and understanding while recognizing what an Yahsome God we have that would give us such commandments, statutes and judgments to live by (Deut. 4:4-9). Yeshua exhorted us into this same lifestyle when He told us, "let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify our Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
In this day and age it's tough to find anyone who would boldly proclaim, "imitate my life, as I imitate Messiah" (1 Cor. 11:1; 4:16 3:7; Heb. 6:12; etc.).
"Be an imitator/mimeomia of me, even as I am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1)
Therefore I urge you, imitate me. (1 Cor. 4:16)
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who walk, as you have us for a pattern. (Phil. 3:7)
that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Heb. 6:12)
I want to draw your attention to a few things to consider on this 23rd day of counting towards the first fruit of the oil. First, notice that Paul is not appealing to the Corinthians , the Philippians, or those in the letter to the Hebrews, to set their eyes on heaven and wait for escape. He is telling them that they are to look at real human examples of godly living and imitate those men and women. Certainly every earthly example will have flaws to some degree. Flawlessness is not an attribute found too often in this world; not everyone is a Zecharias and Elizabeth (Lk. 1:6) or have the maturity of Abraham (Gen. 17:1) or Job (Job 1:1, 8) or Hezekiah (2 Kg. 20:3; or are willing to rise to the "work out your salvation challenge" in Philippians 2:12-15.
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Lk. 1:6)
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (Phil. 2:14,15)
Each of these congregations had specific issues to deal with, but despite their problems, they have a clear path before them. “Live like me!” Paul says. That raises an important question for each of us. Are we able to confidently exhort others to live like us? Are we walking so carefully that we can point to our own ways of living as examples of the Messiah in action? This involves real earthly decisions and actions. This is not a spiritualized anticipation of another realm. It is living according to instructions given for this age and this world.
But why, I ask myself, is it that we, speaking of me, myself and I, are so hesitant to offer our own lives as examples of godly and holy behavior (1 Pet. 1:15,16)? Is it because we know ourselves so well that we don’t think we match up? I can't be as spiritual as Paul, or Zechariah or Job or Hezekiah or...right?
But Isn’t Paul the one who prayed unsuccessfully three times to have some a "thorn" from his flesh removed? Isn’t he the one who was told that this “messenger from Satan” was a permanent part of his service to the Lord (2 Cor. 12:7,8)? Didn’t Paul have a real falling out with his closest companion, Barnabas (Acts 1539)? Wasn’t he engaged in resistance to the Messiah for a significant part of his life (Acts 8:3)? Maybe he isn’t so different after all? Or maybe his success was found in leaving the past behind and pressing on for the prize of the High Calling in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:8-14).
Will you take the challenge today or will you hold on to the failures of your past, hindering you from walking worthy of your calling (Phil. 4:1; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:12)? YES!
Shalom,
Alan
Comments
Post a Comment