IMITATING IS IMITATION

[NetChaplain]

"For to me to live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21).

Once we learn the truth of our union with the Lord Jesus and of the Holy Spirit's indwelling, any attempt to imitate Christ will be seen for what it is: unscriptural, and futile.

"Our Father is going to teach us, mainly through personal failure, that the life we live is the life of our Lord Jesus alone. The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, or our trying to be Christ-like, nor is it Christ giving us the power to live a life like His; but it is Christ Himself living His own life through us; 'no longer I, but Christ.’”

"The end of Christ's incarnation, death and resurrection was to prepare and form a holy nature and frame for us in Him, to be communicated to us by union and fellowship with Him; and not to be able to produce in ourselves the first originals of such a holy nature by our own endeavors.

"The believer's true education is in the growth of Christ within. The Church's real ministry is not multitudinous public services, so-called, but the forming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the lives of His people; the reproduction of Christ; epistles made alive by the Holy Spirit, to be seen and read of all men." -C.A.F

"There is no answer to infidelity like the life of the Lord Jesus displayed through the Christian. Nothing puts the madness of the infidel and the folly of the superstitious more to shame and silence than the humble, quiet, devoted walk of a thorough-going, heavenly-minded, and divinely-taught believer.

"But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you" (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

–Miles J Stanford

 

[Joidevivre]

Even though I find my spiritual identity in Christ, and know the Holy Spirit is indwelling me to further do His work in conforming me to the image of Christ, I still work in partnership with Him.

I still have to "put off" "put on" and make choices to let Christ be expressed through me. So, I can't agree with the comments that "any attempt to imitate Christ is unscriptural and futile". I haven't found that so. The more I struggle to DENY MYSELF and choose to do the right action, the more I find this to be more and more a part of who I am. Because the life and power of Christ is in me through the Holy Spirit, I can say NO when I need to. And I now have the power to walk the walk.

I do agree, however, that the more we focus on Christ and remain abiding in His love, the more His being penetrates our spirit and soul. It takes both our focusing AND our choices to walk by the Spirit.

 

[Skinski7]

Once we learn the truth of our union with the Lord Jesus and of the Holy Spirit's indwelling, any attempt to imitate Christ will be seen for what it is: unscriptural, and futile.

1Co 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Followers - mimētēs
From G3401; an imitator: - follower.

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Example - hupogrammos
From a compound of G5259 and G1125; an underwriting, that is, copy for imitation (figuratively): - example.

Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

 

[NetChaplain]

Hi Joide and Skin - Thanks for your replies and comments, of which I find to be sensible and probing. The crux of this article is not readily understood because it relates more to God doing for us than us doing for Him; which is appreciable, but not His way. Though the desire to do for Him is the believer's most important issue, it's more so Him always doing for the believer, to the point that all that the believer can do is glorify Him (Mat 5:16) by manifesting the life of His Son within--by the Spirit--through the Scriptures.

It is not our life being manifested by God's work through us because it is Christ's, "Who is our life" (Col 3:4), i.e. "not I, but Christ" (Gal 2:20). Concerning Paul's intention by "be followers of me" (1Cor 1:11), I believe he is not referring to the fact of following Christ, but to the way he followed Christ's, of not seeking "vain glory" (self-glory; Gal 5:26) but glorifying God.

The believer will continue to manifest the works of the "old man" but they will continue to lessen as progression continues by God's "work" in our hearts (Phl 2:13), and by the Spirit's work against our "old man" (sinful nature; flesh; Gal 5:17). Thus the believer's ways will, more all the time, manifest that which is of God within, more than that of the old man. Our part is not the doing, but being used by God's doing--using Christ's life by the Spirit of God.

God's blessings to your Families!

 

[Skinski7]

Our part is not the doing, but being used by God's doing--using Christ's life by the Spirit of God.

Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1Jn 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jn 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

2Co 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

 

[Skinski7]

The believer will continue to manifest the works of the "old man" but they will continue to lessen

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

 

[NetChaplain]

Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1Jn 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jn 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

2Co 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

These are great Scriptures, among many others, that are evidences (fruit) of God's work in the believer and they are very appropriate and applicable to this issue.

The primary theme I wish to portray is that which concerns us being "workers with Him," as you've indicated. When I mentioned that "our part is not the doing," it is in reference to the "doing" of producing fruit (which I failed to explain because of its simplicity), because our part of doing concerns manifesting the fruit, as He enables us and instrumentally uses us.

Their are two issues concerning the work of God relating to the believer; fruit and manifesting the fruit. Our understanding is kept in proper alignment when we learn that producing the fruit of God is His part (keeping the believer God-dependent at all times), and He uses the believers to do their part in manifesting ("bearing") it.

The key issue here in this co-laborship exists in the discernment of the two, in that the believer can only "bear fruit" (John 15:8) but not produce it, which only the Vine can do. Thus, they are called "your good works" (Mat 5:16) because they are coming from you as an instrument of display, not production.

 

[Grandpa]

Matthew 7:21-23
[SUP]21 [/SUP]Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
[SUP]23 [/SUP]And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

There must be a difference between those who attempt to imitate Christ by their work and those who imitate Christ because they know Him and He knows them.

That difference is located in the verse prior, verse 20.