Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore

In Philippians 3:17-21, Paul writes:

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Some have said, “Show me who you are following, and I will show you your future. Show me who is following you, and their future depends on you.” You know why that is true. When God created us in His image, He created us as imitating creatures. Our design is to imitate God and become like Him. All that we are today is because we observed and followed people around us—our parents, friends, and relatives. All that we will become in the future will be based on whom we are imitating now. If we imitate the wrong people, our lives will go in the wrong direction. If we are to progress and achieve something in life, we have to imitate achievers.

The Bible sets Jesus Christ as the perfect model for us to imitate. The Christian life, in simple words, is a process of pursuing Christ’s likeness. The whole matter of sanctification is becoming like Christ. This is the main purpose why God gives us life on Earth once we are saved. Every aspect of our life is covered in this. The more you become like Christ, the more wonderful a husband, wife, or child you will be. The more you become like Christ, the more you will win souls, serve God, and glorify God. Yes, He is the final goal. But He is a sinless example. He was never a sinner; He never struggled with remaining sin or progressed in sanctification.

To help us, Scripture also gives us examples of people with similar passions, who face the same temptations as us. They are saved sinners who had the same struggles with remaining sin. They can teach us how to deal with the temptations of the world and the struggles of life. They have gone through the path and process of sanctification and can show us, “This is the way I progressed. Follow me.” So we have other human examples. In Hebrews 11, we have a list of believers as examples we have to follow, starting with Abel, Abraham, and Moses. But more than any other person, the Holy Spirit in the New Testament repeatedly sets Apostle Paul as a great example we must follow.

There is no better historical example than Paul. That is why the Holy Spirit filled the New Testament with this one man. He dominates everything after the gospels. He dominates the book of Acts from chapter 13 on. Thirteen of the epistles came out of his pen and out of his heart, mind, and life. He is a dominant figure. And why? God is setting him up as a great human example for us. Anyone who regularly studies the New Testament, as some of us have started doing, will become Paul’s fan and follow his model.

Paul knows that this is God’s purpose for him. That is why we see him repeatedly commanding Christians to follow him. In 1 Corinthians 4:16, he says, “Wherefore I beseech you, be followers of me.” And in chapter 11:1, “Be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ.” And in 1 Thessalonians 1:6, the apostle commends the Christian Thessalonians for imitating his example: “and ye became followers of us.” In today’s passage, Philippians 3:17, that is the command we have. “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.” Each of us inevitably follows someone. If you are to progress in the Christian life and live a useful, achieving life, here is the greatest human example God wants you to follow. It is God’s will for you and me.

Let us understand this verse by looking at three headings:

1. The background for the command.
2. The command.
3. A few glimpses from Paul’s life as examples.

The Background for the Command

Imagine you are standing near a window of the jail where Paul is and watching him as he writes this letter. As he comes to the third chapter, his face is red as he writes the warning about the Judaizers and calls them “dogs.” Then we see his face shine with divine glory as he talks about the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ. And then, imagine after verse 16, he stops writing and puts his hand on his head. His great mind is in deep thought, and we wonder what it is. We notice he sighs deeply, and his throat chokes with sorrow. Then he starts weeping like a child. As tears continuously fall, he writes these words: “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”

What thoughts made him write these words? Maybe he is thinking of the great work of God which is the cross of Christ. It is the only message which will save millions of souls in the world. Christ had compassion on multitudes who were like scattered sheep without a shepherd. He finished His work and went to Heaven. Now, to gather His sheep by spreading His gospel, God appointed the church. Only when the church represents Christ can it gather sheep. Only as the church grows in maturity will the gospel progress. Paul, as a pastor, has been giving sweat and blood to build the church in truth.

On one side, the devil uses Judaizers from outside the church to attack the church with legalism, which Paul has dealt with so far. But a more dangerous attack on the church is not from the outside. The church has always suffered terribly not from outside attacks, but from inside, from people who call themselves Christians, but are enemies of Christ. They are the opposite of legalists; they are antinomians. They are very subtle. They are the ones who believe that since Christ died and justified us, and we are saved by His work, we don’t have to worry about how we live. This theology makes them live such worldly lives that Paul calls them “enemies of the cross.” They call themselves Christians; they join the church. They not only destroy their souls, but by being among the true church, they distort the whole picture of Christianity and the purpose of the cross, hindering the gospel and the church’s growth. By their example, they influence a whole new, vast generation who will all live as enemies of Christ, but think this is the Christian life. Isn’t that what we see today? Everywhere there is a distorted view of Christianity. Every group keeps distorting it more and more. We actually don’t even know what true biblical Christianity is anymore.

Notice that there are not just a few; Paul says “many” walk like that. If you follow them, you will distort the whole purpose of the cross. Such people who attack the church and the gospel from the inside by their lives are so dangerous and make every pastor cry. So here, with the burden of a pastor’s heart, Paul gives this command against that background. Just like parents, with a heavy heart, tell their kids, “Oh my child, if you follow the wrong friends and listen to them, your whole life will be destroyed.” Paul here, as a spiritual parent, tells the Philippians that there are many who walk as enemies. “You are creatures of imitation. If you follow a wrong example, it is dangerous. Your whole church will become an ‘enemy of the cross’ church. Their end is destruction.” So he gives this command in that background.

The Command

There are actually two commands.

The first command is corporate, as a church, to imitate the Apostle Paul. Look at the language of the text. “Brethren, join in following my example.” The word used here is different from all other places in the New Testament. In all other places, Paul says to follow him individually. Here alone, he says, “You join together in following me.” In all other places, “be imitators,” but here in the original, he adds a prefix, “be co-imitators” or “joint imitators.”

Why does he do that here? Because remember, one great problem of the Philippian church is that they are struggling with unity. He has been repeatedly telling them that. In 1:27, “I may hear of your state that you stand fast in one spirit, with one soul, striving for the faith of the gospel.” In 2:1, “If there is any consolation of love, any fellowship in the Spirit, make full my joy that you be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, doing nothing through strife or through vain glory.” In 4:2, he addresses two ladies fighting: “I exhort Iodia and I exhort Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.”

They are a church, but everyone is doing their own thing, living their own lives. In many ways, like our church, a pastor will do his work, but each of you will have your own plans and lives. We come and worship in one place, but our minds are different and our ways are different. You live as you want. How do you bring all of them together?

So he gives a command not for individual imitation of the apostle, but it is a command for corporate imitation of the apostle. You know the game “Follow the Leader.” If a teacher goes into a class full of kids and it’s total chaos, each one is either playing with his own toy, or trying to grab at someone else’s, or pulling someone’s hair. There is total confusion, all kinds of noise, and fighting for toys. The teacher comes, claps his hands and says, “Hey kids,” and they all turn around and look. He says, “Look, we’re going to play ‘Follow the Leader.’ Everyone put his toy over in the corner; all line up in a row.” They all stand in line. “I’m going to be the leader, and we’re going to play ‘Follow the Leader.’ Everything I do, now you watch very carefully; I want you to do it after me.” So the first thing I do is bring my right hand up and put it over my mouth. It’s a little trick to stop any noise. And so all the kids come, put their right hand over their mouth. The next thing I do is go sit in my place, open the book, and start reading. Before long, what has happened? All the divisions and fighting are over, and there is order and unity. Why? Because they have all united and fixed their eyes on a common model, and all of their attention is given to following the leader.

Now, that’s precisely what the Apostle is calling the church at Philippi to do. He says, “You are all divided, doing your own thing. When you obey this command to follow me, you will be united in a oneness of relationship to each other that was impossible while each one was preoccupied with his own thing.” He’s calling them to a spiritual “Follow the Leader.” “Be ye joint followers of me.” This is the only way you can avoid following the wrong, distorted example of the enemies of the cross.

This is not out of pride on the part of the apostle. He already said, “I have not attained perfection,” but he knows the Holy Spirit has made him a model for Christians to follow. Because there has been so much dominion of grace in his life like none other, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul gives this command to the whole church.

There is a second command in verse 17. The first one is corporate imitation of the Apostle Paul. The second one is selective imitation of all similar models, such as Paul and his companions. Notice the language. “And note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.” The imperative verb “note” or “mark out” means to set one’s eyes upon someone or something with a view to some action. Who are the ones we have to mark? They are described as “those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.” They are to set their eyes on those who walk in our pattern and then follow them. This is selective imitation.

He says “us” as a pattern, plural, which maybe includes Timothy and Epaphroditus. You want to avoid false paths. Mark all those in your church who walk according to our pattern, who reflect the true spirit of Christ. From all of that, you form a composite type, a pattern, an example, a mold. Put those together, and when you see those principles operative in your fellow believers, mark them out. Look through the congregation there at Philippi with a discerning eye. Mark the men. Mark the women. Mark the fathers. Mark the mothers. Mark the young men who manifest that they are following the leader. And having marked them, follow them.

So you see, this command to godly imitation goes beyond a mere limitation with the Apostle Paul, and it extends to this selective imitation of all similar models such as Paul and his associates. So the duty of the Philippians was abundantly clear. Not only were they to reflect upon Paul’s ways in Christ, but then to put their eyes upon all around them who showed conformity to that pattern and follow them.

It is a command to us this morning. Though we don’t see him alive today, it is our duty to study Paul’s life recorded in Scripture and follow him. The Holy Spirit has loaded the New Testament with this man. We have plenty of data in order to know how he lived and how he acted. We see his history recorded in Acts, and we read his theology, his mind, and his emotions revealed in the epistles. As we read and go through the New Testament again and again, we can learn how to follow Paul. He teaches us how to live, how to act, how to order my priorities, and how to deal with trials, suffering, and trouble. I learn how to have victory over temptation, how to be patient, how to be humble, how to believe Christ, love Christ, worship, and how to serve Christ in an unselfish way, willingly suffering for Christ. How does he pursue the goals that are set before him? He is the grandest human example in the Bible to every believer.

Can we quickly look at a few glimpses, a very high-level view? We could actually do a series on Paul’s example to us in every area of life. Maybe in the future we can do that. Let us very briefly try to give glimpses of Paul’s life: his model in growing in spiritual life, his relationship with God, and his relationship with other people. And finally, his service to God and man.

He is an example in Christian growth. After God saved him, oh, how quickly he matured in Christ to become a missionary. In short, we can describe Paul’s Christian life with the Lord’s words, “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” He sought the kingdom of God and righteousness first with violence. He was not a passive, lazy Christian. Though perfectly satisfied with God’s righteousness, he was not like many who say, “I am converted, and so I am sure of salvation. Christ has promised it to me. Why do I need to labor any more to secure it?” No, he grew so earnestly. He worked out his own salvation with fear and trembling. Very soon after he was saved, he devoted himself to learning all the truths in Christ and very soon became a mature and grown Christian.

Imagine that after thirty years as a Christian, maybe at fifty-six years old, he was so earnestly growing as a Christian, like running in an Olympic race, straining every nerve, allowing nothing to divert him, but pressing forward. Imagine how earnestly he would have grown when he was a young Christian.

1 Corinthians 9:26: “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air., I run as to win.” This shows intensity. When bodily lusts hindered his growth, however importunate they were, he utterly denied them and grew in holiness. 1 Corinthians 9:27: “I keep buffet my body, and bring it into subjection.” He would not be a slave to bodily lusts, but made his body a slave to his soul.

What about worldly allurements? He had the best education, the best tradition, religion, name, fame, and wealth. He had a high esteem from all men. He was an accomplished man, but he left all that to win Christ. When he faced suffering for his faith, he didn’t hesitate, but willingly lost all, lost the praise of men, the honor of the world, earned the hatred of his own people, and was persecuted everywhere.

I think it took him around three to four years after his conversion for the Holy Spirit to appoint him as a missionary and then an apostle to the Gentiles. How did he grow so fast? We are still struggling to be mature Christians even after twenty or thirty years. We are still murmuring year after year, “Oh Lord, we have not grown much at all, still crying, still worldly, still falling, still infants.” Mark my words: we will continue to be mumbling like this for another twenty years, or even until death, unless we determine, “Enough is enough, I am going to follow Paul’s example of taking the kingdom of God with violence and with resolution.”

Stop the foolish, lazy thinking. “We are saved, and we go to heaven. Once saved, forever saved,” and live like that? Paul says that is the devil’s thinking that makes us enemies to the cross of Christ. Don’t follow that pattern. We have to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first, with violence. We have to strive to enter through the narrow way. See, if you want to grow and mature in your personal Christian life, you have to follow Paul’s aggressiveness in your personal Christian life. No more excuses. I will move forward, press on, in growing in God’s word, praying, and denying fleshly lusts. Seek the kingdom in the way he did, with a like violence and resolution.

Next, we see his example in his relationship with Christ:

1. He had a strong faith in Christ. He continuously exercised his faith. Faith, like a muscle, he exercised it, and it grew and became very strong for him. He lived as if he saw the invisible world continually before him. 2 Corinthians 4:18: “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.” 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Not only strong, but continual faith, he lived by faith. That strong faith is why he labored so abundantly and endured all manner of temporal sufferings. What an example for us who have such weak and unsteady faith. If now and then there is a lively exercise of faith, yet how short are such exercises, how soon do they vanish! How often is faith shaken with one temptation? How often are the exercises of it interrupted with doubting? How often and how easily is our confidence in God shaken? What a happy and glorious lot it is to live such a life of faith as Paul lived! How far did he soar on the wings of his strong faith above those little difficulties that continually molest us and overcome us! Paul is set as a blessed example to prompt us to earnestly exercise our faith like him, that we may also soar higher.
2. His love for Christ is another example. The Corinthians, who saw how the apostle acted, how he labored, and how he suffered, and could see no worldly motive, were astonished. The reason he gives for all his labors is his strong, his intense love for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:14: “The love of Christ constrains us.” He rejoices in suffering, knowing Christ is glorified by his suffering, because “the love of God was shed abroad in his heart, by the Holy Ghost.” Romans 5:5. This expression seems to imply that he sensibly felt that holy affection, sweetly and powerfully diffused in his soul, like some precious, fragrant ointment. And how does he triumph in his love for Christ in the midst of his sufferings! Romans 8:35-37: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” May this not make us ashamed of our cold, dead hearts that we hear glorious excellencies and his wonderful love with so little emotion, even that emotion when a small difficulty arises? All love for Christ is frozen like ice in the freezer.
3. We ought also to follow the example of the apostle in his abounding in prayer and praise. He was very earnest, and always and continuously greatly engaged in praise and prayer. We see many passages. He is the David of the New Testament. How many times he says in Romans 1:8, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:15-16, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.” Colossians 1:3, “We give thanks to God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.” 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor.”
4. We ought to follow him in his contentment under the allotments of Divine Providence. He went through a vast variety of dispensations of Providence. He went through a great many changes, and was almost continually in suffering circumstances, sometimes in one respect, sometimes in another. But yet he had attained to such a degree of submission to the will of God as to be contented in every condition and under all providences towards him. Philippians 4:11-13: “Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound…” What a blessed temper and disposition of mind was this to which Paul had arrived. And how happy and stable you and I will be if we reach such a state, where nothing can touch our inward peace or disturb our rest, for he rests in everything that God orders.

His Example Before Men

1. He truly loved both his friends and enemies. There were multitudes that hated him, but there is no appearance of his hating any. But he was the friend of everyone and labored and prayed earnestly for the good of all. When he was insulted, even beaten, he bore all that meekly, wished well to them, and sought their good. In that period of his great sufferings when he went up to Jerusalem, and there was such an uproar about him, a group taking an oath not to eat or drink until they killed him, and the people were in so furious a rage against him, eagerly thirsting for his blood, he showed no anger or ill will toward the Jews. Though he was hated and had suffered so many abuses from the unbelieving Jews, yet how does he express his love to them? He prayed earnestly for them. Romans 10:1: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” He would even wish himself accursed from Christ for them. Even when his own churches like Corinth insulted him, hearing false teachers and calling him a false apostle, he writes in 2 Corinthians 12:15, in spite of all these abuses, that still he would “very gladly spend and be spent for them.” He says, “though you don’t love me, I more abundantly loved you.” How Christ-like he lived with men.
2. He delighted in peace. When any contention happened among Christians, he was exceedingly grieved by it. How he strives to bring peace between fighting people even in this epistle. We see that repeatedly. He learned how to live in peace with all. He taught that we should, as much as possible, live in peace with all. He yielded to everyone as much as possible in those things that were lawful, and complied with the weakness of others oftentimes, for the sake of peace.
3. He was of a most tender, compassionate spirit towards any who were in affliction. He had great compassion for all suffering people.
4. He rejoiced at others’ prosperity and joy. When he saw any Christian refreshed in his spirit, his own spirit was refreshed and rejoiced.
5. He delighted in the fellowship of God’s people. He longed for them when absent. Philippians 1:8: “For God is my record how greatly I long after you in the bowels of Christ.” And also, “Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown.” So Romans 1:11-12: “For I long to see you, So we see his example in Christian growth, his relationship with Christ, in his relationship with other men, and finally, in his service for God and man. Oh, what can we say about his service to God and man? The greatest service. Well done. Like many of us, he was not living with well wishes, but he was a man resolved and went for the gold. He planned and, whatever may come, whatever opposition, he went and achieved those things. You read about his ministries in Acts.

The apostle labored to advance the kingdom. He labored more abundantly than any of the apostles. How great were the pains he took in preaching and in traveling from place to place over so great a part of the world, by sea and land, and probably for the most part on foot, preaching the gospel and converting the Gentiles, answering all questions of disputers and heretics, strenuously opposing and fighting against the enemies of the church of Christ. He was planting churches, building up the saints, restoring those that were wandering, delivering those that were ensnared, rectifying disorders in churches, exercising discipline towards offenders, and admonishing the saints, opening and applying the Scriptures, ordaining pastors and deacons, and giving them directions, and writing epistles and sending messengers to one and another part of the church of Christ! He had the care of the churches lying continually upon him. He continued in it night and day, sometimes almost the whole night, preaching and admonishing, as appears by Acts 20:7, 11.

Besides his laboring in the work of the gospel, he labored very much, yes, sometimes night and day, in a handicraft trade of making tents, that he might not be a charge to others. He never expected worldly benefits; he worked for the reward of an incorruptible crown. Acts 20:33: “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.” And he continued this course of labor as long as he lived. He never was weary in well-doing; and though he met with continual opposition, and thousands of difficulties, yet nothing discouraged him. But he kept on, pressing forward in this course of hard, constant labor to the end of his life.

His life was not only a life of extraordinary labor, but a life of extreme sufferings. His ministry Lord gave was more dear to him than his own life. He went through a long series of sufferings, that continued from the time of his conversion as long as his life lasted. 2 Corinthians 11:23 lists, “in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”

Why, Paul, do you go through all this? He says he sought a high degree of glory, for he knew the more he labored the more he should be rewarded. 1 Corinthians 3:8: “Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor.” All Christians should follow his example in this also. They should not content themselves with the thought that they have goodness enough to carry them to heaven, but should earnestly seek high degrees of glory. For the higher degrees of glory are promised to extraordinary labors for God. What an example!

The world was blessed by the good he did; not one nation only, but all nations. The effects of his labors were so great in so many nations when he was alive, and labored twenty years, that they said he “turned the world upside down.” Now, after 2000 years, Christianity has spread to all the nations. Who is the father for all this? He was a pioneer for this. He was the apostle to the Gentiles. His life had a global influence. It is his brave and selfless ministry that caused the gospel to spread to Rome, Europe, Greece, Africa, and all Asian countries and other continents.

Paul has done more good, far more good, than any other man ever did from the beginning of the world to this day. He lived after his conversion maybe only thirty years. And in those thirty years he did more than a thousand men commonly do in an age. What an example!

This example may well make us reflect upon ourselves, and consider how little we do for Christ, and for our fellow-creatures. But how small are our labors for God and Christ and our fellow creatures! Though many of us keep ourselves busy, how are our labor and strength spent, and with what is our time filled up? Let us consider ourselves a little, and the manner of spending our time.

We labor to provide for ourselves and our families, to maintain a good bank balance, and not to be a burden to anyone. That is all good. But is that all for which we are sent into the world? Did He who made us and gave us our powers of mind and strength of body, and who gives us our time and our talents, give them to us chiefly to be spent in this manner, or in serving Him? Many years have rolled over the heads of some of us, and what have we lived for? What have we been doing all this time? How much is the world the better for us? Has the gospel spread more? Were we here only to eat and to drink, and to devour the good which the earth produces? Many of the blessings of Providence have been conferred upon us. And where is the good that we have done in return?

If we had never been born, or if we had died in infancy, will there be any difference to the spread of the gospel? I know this is difficult, but it is such questions that awaken our sleeping conscience. God says any tree that doesn’t bear fruit shall be cut and thrown into the fire. They who live only for themselves, live in vain, and shall at last be cut down.

Let the example of Paul make us more diligent to do good for the time to come. He is an example for the universal church as one who wrote Scripture. But we, who are Gentiles, are especially under obligations to follow him as he is the apostle to the Gentiles. It has been mainly by means of this apostle that we have been brought into the Christian church. We have been the more remarkably converted from heathenism by this apostle, and we ought to acknowledge him as our spiritual father. And we are obliged to follow his good example as children should follow the good example of their parents.

Finally, we come to two important questions: 1) Show me who you are following. Your future depends on that. 2) Show me who is following you. You decide all their future. This verse puts two big responsibilities on each of us. We have to ensure we choose the right examples for our life, and secondly, we have to be good examples to others.

First responsibility: We have to choose the right models for us. God’s will today morning for us is that we have to be the imitators, as a church together, of the great apostle, and mark those that walk in that pattern, and follow them. We truly become one whom we associate with and follow. That is why the Bible is full of warnings about avoiding evil companions, especially for young people. 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Do not be deceived, Bad companions corrupt good character.” We become like those whom we associate with. It is not fun to have wrong friendships; they will destroy your life.

“Oh, if that’s the case, I have to leave some long-standing relationships.” Yes, leave and run from it as if you will run from the devil and hell, because they are instruments of the devil sent to drag you to hell. Don’t continue in a friendship that takes you away from God and God’s word. Actually, we should not continue with any relationship that doesn’t help us grow in Christ. How much more if it hinders our relationship.

Sometimes the chemistry between two people is so dangerous that they both mix and destroy and blast each other’s lives. Even among Christians, both are weak in one area; they tear each other down rather than build each other up. It’s like two drunkards trying to help one another. So they just drag each other down. And some of you have gravitated to certain people, not because you feel in them a standard that is a model, that the relationship will challenge and will urge you to progress in life, but because they make you feel comfortable in your own areas of weakness and sin. No, you don’t want to change or progress, just be as you are. You continue in those useless relationships.

Would you like to learn to pray? Just hang around people who pray. Do you want a burden for souls? Spend time with missionaries and read their books. Watch your heart change little by little. Are you struggling with temptation? Find someone who has fought and won the same battle. That is how it works. May God help us to feel the awesome personal demands this duty makes upon us in the choice of our models and examples.

Second application: It puts an awesome responsibility upon us in becoming good models for others. All of us who are in a position of teaching others, Sunday school teachers, parents, “Oh what a responsibility is on me…” Paul in writing to Timothy says, “Be an example, be an example.” He points to specific areas: “Be an example in speech, conduct, love, faithfulness, and purity.” Live an exemplary life.

Do we realize the sad situation of Christianity and the church today? Do we have that burden? With Paul, when he says with tears, “many walk as enemies of Christ.” Today, what would Paul say about how many? We have a whole generation with distorted Christianity, so distorted that nobody knows the original example. The interpretation of the Bible has been hopelessly blurred in this particular age. The path to becoming like Christ is completely hidden and distorted. How many leaders and Christians in false churches are presenting a distorted view to the world? They are enemies. Where are the true models? Where are the Timothys and the Epaphrodituses? Holy men? Truthful men? Where are the true churches that show an unselfish path to become more like Christ? The world is full of enemies of Christ.

Forget about outside. What about us? We only have two options, two kinds of members: we are either following this apostle’s model or we will come into the next terrible category we will see next, who are enemies of the cross of Christ. I also sometimes feel like crying for the way some of you walk. You are a member, but church commitment is nothing for you. You are all worldly, swallowed in worldly responsibilities. When will you take your soul and church seriously? We study church history. Do we recognize we will also be part of church history one day? What will church history say about you?

Who is following you? Now look behind you. Do you see all the faces peering in your direction? They are following you, and you didn’t realize it.

You see what that says to us as parents. Yes, it’s good that we are teaching our children the Bible and having family worship. We teach them the importance of reading the Bible, praying, going to church, and keeping the Sabbath. But do we show them by our lives? Are we examples of everything we are saying and can we say to our children, “Be followers, imitators together of your daddy. Be imitators together of your mommy”?

What does it mean to assert loving, firm, wise, responsible, and sensitive headship? You ought to be able to say to your sons, “Be a follower of me. The way I’ve treated your mom is the way the Bible says you are to treat your wife.” When a daughter says, “Mommy, what does it mean? I read in my Bible, ‘wives be subject to your husbands as the church is subject to Christ.’ What’s it mean to be submissive?” Every one of you Christian mothers should be able to say, “Dear, you just watch the way I submit to daddy. Be an imitator of me.”

And what is true of individuals is true of churches. Paul could say of the 1 Thessalonians, “you became a type, a pattern to other churches.” We have taken a role as a church of instructing others. We have that important responsibility of conducting pastors’ conferences and showing all these unbiblical churches filled in our country what a true biblical church is. We have to show to the ends of the earth that a true work of God is happening in our midst. We show it when we walk as an example as a church. We are now reaching many other parts of the land through our website and YouTube ministry.

Oh, members of GRBC, do you realize your responsibility as members of this church? What an awesome, awesome responsibility we have as a church. What right do we have to send the Word of God to the ends of the earth and say, “See our church, see our members, this is how a true church functions, this is how true believers live with commitment to church”?

Can we say to this perishing world and thousands of false churches, “Be imitators of us as a true church of God”? Yes, we have not attained perfection, but we can say, “By the grace of God, we take the Word of God seriously at every level that it speaks to us. And with every fiber of our being, we’re seeking to obey it.” Oh, may God help us to take our responsibility as individuals, Christians, teachers, parents, as a church, and as an apostolic example to others. What a blessing our lives will be from now on, if we just go home with a determination to follow the apostolic example.