Are You a Good Role Model?

“In Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” – 1 Corinthians 4:15-16

 

In the book of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul spends a lot of time rebuking the Corinthian Christians for their pride and divisiveness. As Paul confronts them with the Word of God, the sinful thoughts and attitudes of their hearts are being exposed, which is uncomfortable—even painful. That’s why Paul says what he says in 1 Corinthians 4:14: “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.”

 

In the first three chapters of his letter, Paul has called his Corinthian readers “brothers” three times. But here in chapter 4, he basically says: “I don’t just think of you as my ‘brothers.’ I also consider you to be my own dear children whom I love.” Isn’t that something? Regardless of how messed up the Corinthian Christians were, Paul didn’t reject them. Instead, he tenderly reminded them that they were his spiritual kids. Paul didn’t hate them. He actually loved them.

 

Part of what Paul is saying is that he encourages and mentors those he pastors in much the same way that a father would encourage and mentor his own son. But it’s more than that. As Pastor John MacArthur puts it: “A father, by definition, is a man who has children…. Every believer should be a spiritual father, God’s instrument for bringing new lives into His kingdom.”

 

In verse 16, Paul takes the next logical step: “Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” Think for a moment about how many dads across America tell their kids, “Do as I say, not at I do.” For Paul it was never, “Do as I say, not as I do.” It was, “Do as Jesus says, and I’ll show you by MY life how to do it. By God’s grace, I’m walking the walk. So, follow in the footsteps of your spiritual father. I urge you to imitate me.”

 

Whether or not you realize it, you have followed in someone else’s spiritual footsteps, and somebody else is following in yours. Every one of us needs to have a spiritual father in our lives, and each of us needs to be a spiritual father to at least one other Christian. 

 

Now, we can’t just step it up at church. John MacArthur reminds us: “Our children … know firsthand if we are living up to what we are trying to teach them…. Discipling is more than teaching right principles; it is also living those principles before the ones being discipled” (cf. 1 Tim. 4:12). Christian parents MUST set a godly example for our kids and grandkids of how to live out our faith. If we teach with our words, but not with our lives, we should not be surprised if our kids and grandkids end up walking away from the church.

 

As Christians, every one of us needs to, in the words of theologian Preben Vang, “be in both camps at the same time.” You and I need to FIND good Christian role models to follow while BEING good Christian models for others to follow. One of the greatest joys in ministry is to see your spiritual children following Jesus every bit as well as you follow Him.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:45 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.