Imitating Christ

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NLT) -

And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

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Those of you who were at Hope Valley Youth last night would recognise the word I'm about to share, but I felt it was important to put up here as well. After all, it's important for all of us to imitate Christ.

What does it mean to be Christian? The answer is in the name. When given to the early church, the name Christian meant 'little Christ'. As Christians, we are called to be imitators and copycats of Jesus, the Son of God, doing what He would do and saying what He would say. In a world where Jesus is no longer physically present, it is by looking at our lives that people will see who God is.

So, then, we have a responsibility. If we carry the name 'Christian' but go out drinking, partying excessively, being rude, sweating, lying, cheating - really, doing anything else that the world would do (check out Galatians 5:19-21 for a fuller list) - then the people around us will think that God is no different to the rest of the world. In that case, why shouldn't they hate Him?! Our world is full of terrible people doing terrible things at every level of society, injustice and poverty ride throughout our nations, and every kind of hurt imaginable. They'd have every right to reject God if Was anything like the world we live in.

The good news is, He isn't like the world. The sad news is, most people don't know that, partly because of the hypocritical lives of lukewarm Christians. But what if we as God's people were to take a stand, bearing His Name with authority to live lives set apart for, in pursuit of, and becoming more like Christ every day? All of a sudden, the people around us would begin to see through our examples that God is good, He is holy, He is powerful beyond all measure, and He loves with a love that has no limits - the opposite of the world we live in.

God has been teaching me to take a stand this year, and I have been blown away at the things He has been doing in me, through me, and for me as a result. Who will join me in living out our original calling to be set apart for Him as an example to the world?