Imitate Me
Imitation: Genuine or Fake?
SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 11:1 CSB - Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.
OBSERVATION:
Paul, at the beginning of chapter 11, provides us not just with a statement or clever saying, but with an example of what true imitation is all about.
There is much discussion about whether this verse is the last verse of chapter 10 or the first verse of chapter 11. While chapter 10 emphasizes that whatever we do should be for the glory of God, not for ourselves, it also offers a great lesson on considering others. Meanwhile, chapter 11 addresses authority structures, divisions, and the importance of thinking of others in our actions. You could say this verse belongs to both verse 34 of chapter 10 and verse 1 of chapter 11, as the context shifts in both directions. This helps us understand that when this letter was written, it wasn't divided into chapters and verses. Paul was continuing his thoughts.
Paul uses a word that can carry both positive and negative meanings. Imitation can be genuine or fake. We've all at some point fallen for a “cheap knockoff” of something we thought was real or a good imitation, only to realize it’s worthless. On the other hand, we’ve bought items knowing they were copies, only to find they were even better than the original.
The word "imitate" is a verb meaning to follow as a model, while "imitation" is a noun that refers not only to the act of using as a model but also to an object meant to simulate or copy something else. The key is the word “intended.” One refers to an action, the other to a thing.
All this to say, are we genuine or fake? Are we a “cheap knock-off” or the “real thing” when it comes to following Christ in Paul’s example?
1 Corinthians 11:1 CSB - Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.
OBSERVATION:
Paul, at the beginning of chapter 11, provides us not just with a statement or clever saying, but with an example of what true imitation is all about.
There is much discussion about whether this verse is the last verse of chapter 10 or the first verse of chapter 11. While chapter 10 emphasizes that whatever we do should be for the glory of God, not for ourselves, it also offers a great lesson on considering others. Meanwhile, chapter 11 addresses authority structures, divisions, and the importance of thinking of others in our actions. You could say this verse belongs to both verse 34 of chapter 10 and verse 1 of chapter 11, as the context shifts in both directions. This helps us understand that when this letter was written, it wasn't divided into chapters and verses. Paul was continuing his thoughts.
Paul uses a word that can carry both positive and negative meanings. Imitation can be genuine or fake. We've all at some point fallen for a “cheap knockoff” of something we thought was real or a good imitation, only to realize it’s worthless. On the other hand, we’ve bought items knowing they were copies, only to find they were even better than the original.
The word "imitate" is a verb meaning to follow as a model, while "imitation" is a noun that refers not only to the act of using as a model but also to an object meant to simulate or copy something else. The key is the word “intended.” One refers to an action, the other to a thing.
All this to say, are we genuine or fake? Are we a “cheap knock-off” or the “real thing” when it comes to following Christ in Paul’s example?
How few today are willing to say what Paul said! Instead, because of compromise and ungodliness, we are quick to say, “Don’t look at me; look at Jesus.” While it is true we must all ultimately look to Jesus, every one of us should be an example of those who look to Jesus. – David Guzik.
Paul not only taught this but also lived it. One of the first things he told his young protégé was to be an example. How often do we tell our children this yet fail to follow through ourselves? One of the most dangerous messages we can send, not just as parents but as followers of Christ, is “Do as I say, not as I do.”
APPLICATION:
1 Timothy 4:12 CSB - Don't let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
No matter our age, we are called to be examples, to imitate Christ! It's no small task, but it's possible. The question is whether we want to.
It begins with the Holy Spirit’s leading. We must learn to hear, listen, and obey His leading. Paul said we need to “walk in the Spirit.” It starts with His empowerment, then His leading.
If this weren’t such an enormous task (though entirely possible), Paul says, think of others first. Be like Jesus!
Philippians 2:1-8 CSB - If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death -- even to death on a cross.
I often quote Oscar Wilde's words and reflect on them, without realizing how profound they are when applied to Jesus.
APPLICATION:
1 Timothy 4:12 CSB - Don't let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
No matter our age, we are called to be examples, to imitate Christ! It's no small task, but it's possible. The question is whether we want to.
It begins with the Holy Spirit’s leading. We must learn to hear, listen, and obey His leading. Paul said we need to “walk in the Spirit.” It starts with His empowerment, then His leading.
If this weren’t such an enormous task (though entirely possible), Paul says, think of others first. Be like Jesus!
Philippians 2:1-8 CSB - If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death -- even to death on a cross.
I often quote Oscar Wilde's words and reflect on them, without realizing how profound they are when applied to Jesus.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness – Oscar Wilde.
The phrase means that when someone copies you, it shows they admire your actions and qualities enough to imitate them. It suggests that their imitation is a greater form of praise than mere words because it directly reflects respect, inspiration, and, in light of Jesus, obedience.
Imitation: Genuine or Fake?
PRAYER:
Jesus, becoming more like You is my prayer. Nothing less, nothing more. May I not be a “cheap knock-off” but a faithful, genuine imitator of You.
Imitation: Genuine or Fake?
PRAYER:
Jesus, becoming more like You is my prayer. Nothing less, nothing more. May I not be a “cheap knock-off” but a faithful, genuine imitator of You.
Don’t imitate poorly; be authentic.
Posted in 07 - 1 Corinthians
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