Imitating Paul
Are You Imitating?
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:1
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
While Christian’s should absolutely strive to be like Jesus, one of the ways we do that is by imitating Paul. Paul’s life was radically changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ when he was saved on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). Below are 10 points of personal evaluation based on Paul’s character as seen in 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4 (watch the full sermon here.)
1 John 3:10 – By this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifested: (Meaning, here’s how you can tell who is a Christian and who isn’t) everyone who does not do righteousness is not of God, as well as the one who does not love his brother.
Check out “The Checklist” for the doing righteousness part.
Keep reading to evaluate your love for your brothers and sisters. Each question is a point of self-examination. The goal, of course, is 100%. If you find that you don’t have a perfect score, you’re not alone. None of us do, but this test will point you to what you need to work on.
1. Conscience
Is your conscience clear? It should be: informed by Scripture, not the culture. Is your conscience clear when it comes to your interactions with your brothers and sisters?
If you’re a believer, you have a Spirit-given conscience. This is the summary point, and everything else flows out of it. Your conscience needs to be clear in every point following this one.
2. Relationships
Are your relationships right? Are they healthy and growing?
Are you both giving and receiving?
Is your life becoming more intertwined with others in your church as time moves forward? Your relationships should be growing deeper.
Are you intentionally pursuing relationships within your church body?
3. Theology
How are you growing theologically? Are you intentionally striving to learn more about who God is and what He has done? What are you learning beyond Sunday morning? Are you involved in discipleship? Whether group or one-on-one, discipleship is one of the main ways we grow in our understanding of theology (knowledge of God).
4. Loyalty
Are you loyal? Both to your church and to individuals? Hebrews 10:24-25 describes one facet of this: let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Are you known as a loyal person?
5. Honesty
This is self-explanatory. When you say something - is it true? Can others take you at your word, not wondering if you’re “fudging” a little, leaving out a few important details?
The best lie is mostly true.
6. Reliability
This is an extension of both loyalty and honesty.
Are you reliable & trustworthy? Do you show up when you say you will? Do you follow through, or are you flaky?
7. Authenticity
This was about Authenticity as a disciple. Are you living a consistently Christian lifestyle? Does your life stand up to scrutiny? If an “investigation” were done into your life to evaluate your claim to be a Christian, what would be found?
Do those who know you, whether close up or from a distance, know that you’re a committed Christian?
8. Sensitivity
Are you sensitive to where people are and what they’re experiencing right now? Do you consistently bring love, grace, mercy, peace, and joy to the situation? Are you known for this?
9. Purity
Are you passionate about purity? Not just sexual purity, but overall, comprehensive purity. Purity of motives, thought, purpose, pursuits?
When all of the members of a church are seeking this, the entire church will be pure.
10. Love
This is the bottom line characteristic. Do you genuinely love your brothers and sisters in Christ? That’s the bottom line. Is your love for others obvious? Do your brothers and sisters in Christ know you love them? Do you tell them? (You should) Are you demonstrating it in tangible ways?
John 13:35 – By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Grace & Peace
Rob Signs