Imitating Christ (II)

In 1896, a man in Topeka Kansas named Charles Sheldon wrote a story titled In His Steps. It the fictional story of a preacher who challenged his congregation to pledge themselves for an entire year not to do anything without first asking the question, “What would Jesus do?” and then act accordingly, regardless of the consequences. The book is the story of those members who accepted the challenge and of the profound change it made in their lives. The book has sold more than 30,000,000 copies, has been translated into many languages, and ranks as one of the best-selling books of all time.

Though Sheldon’s story was written in the context of its implications for social and moral reform, the idea of imitating the life of Christ is a simple yet profound idea whose application and impact can be far-reaching. What does it mean to imitate Christ?  What will happen to us when we follow in his steps?

Consider the words of the apostle Peter in 1 Peter 2:21-24: “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

The word used for example comes from Greek elementary education. It means a writing copy and describes the way Greek children learned to write. The writing master prepared the student's tablet by writing a line at the top to be reproduced by the student and by drawing parallel lines to keep the student's work straight. The master's line at the top was the pattern or example the boy must copy in his own hand in learning to write. Mature skill in handwriting required practice. Many of us remember doing something similar when we were learning to write. We had writing tablets with large lines, and those large, thick pencils. At the top of the page were the letters of the alphabet that we were to practice, and below were the lines where we attempted to reproduce those letters in our own hand.

Peter's words show that Jesus' suffering is not only redemptive. It is also an example that even slaves could imitate in suffering unjust treatment. Jesus left us the perfect example. He is the perfect writing copy, the outline we strive to reproduce in our own life. His life is our model.

We sometimes sing, “We will follow the steps of Jesus, wherever they go.” What will happen to us when we follow in his steps?

First, imitating Christ will result in personal growth. We imitate his manner of life. This is seen in the specific example Peter gives. We do not suffer on the cross and we cannot die for the sins of others. But following his manner of suffering unjustly for doing right, we catch his spirit and return love for hate. In his relation to God, Jesus put him first and served him faithfully. In his relation to men, he fulfilled every moral precept of the law perfectly. He was loving, compassionate, and merciful. He was gentle, patient, and kind. He was humble, forgiving, and submissive to his Father's will. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us…” (Eph. 5:1-2).

As we walk in His steps, we will be changed. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Rom. 12:2). Striving to follow in the steps of Jesus will have a powerful effect on our lives. It will change who we are. We will be out of step with the world, because rather being shaped by the world’s standards and values, we become more like Jesus.

Finally, walking in His steps will bring us into closer fellowship with Him. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). And the apostle John wrote that “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7).

This idea of imitating Christ, of walking in His steps, is indeed a powerful idea. It will change who we are if we are willing to commit ourselves to truly being his disciples.

Dan Petty

 

Imitating Christ

Of the Imitation of Christ is the title of a book that was published in the Netherlands in the early fifteenth century, and is generally attributed to Thomas à Kempis. It was intended to serve as a handbook for spiritual life and discipleship.

The book’s theme is set forth in the opening paragraph: “By the words of Christ we are taught to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ… Whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on the mind of Christ.”

This little book and the basic idea behind it inspired a whole movement. Its popularity was immediate, and it was printed more than seven hundred times before 1650. At that time, no book had been translated into more languages, apart from the Bible itself. The Imitation became perhaps the most widely read Christian devotional work next to the Bible, and has come to be regarded as a devotional and religious classic.

The call to imitate Christ is a simple yet profound idea that has resonated with people throughout the ages, going back to the New Testament. We are called to imitate Christ. It is the essence of being a Christian, a disciple of Jesus. He has invited us: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me” (Matt. 11:29). The apostle Paul says, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). We put others above self with a spirit of humility and service because that was the mind of Christ. We look to Jesus as our Role Model—our teacher and our example.

Following Christ means accepting him as Lord and Master. He is the Teacher, and we are his disciples. So we do not get to decide what it means to follow him. Imitating Christ must not be based on a feeling, or a general notion, or “cherry picking” those aspects of his life that we like while avoiding those that make us uncomfortable. In the gospels, we learn that some of Jesus’ disciples completely misunderstood what his kingdom was all about, and what it meant to follow him. They wanted special places of honor. But they were mistaken. They had it wrong. So Jesus said, “You do not know what you are asking.” In contrast to the way the world looks at greatness, he said, “Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant…even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:20-28).

Following Christ also means we pay attention to his word. The only way we can know Jesus and what it means to follow him is to go to Scripture. Listen to him. Hear what he has taught. The teachings and principles found there are provided as our handbook for life. They come from Christ and show us who he is. “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments... By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:3-6).

And following Christ means we follow his example. As the Master Teacher, Jesus modeled what he taught. He showed us how. When he served his brethren by a simple act of hospitality, he said, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you… A servant is not greater than his master” (John 13:12-16).

Dan Petty