Every Christian should strive to be a pattern worthy of imitation—a pattern of earnest, faithful endeavor to copy Christ in his daily life, and of active zeal in His service. Patterns of perfection, of the ultimate moral glory and beauty of holiness, we cannot expect to be in the present life. Such a pattern we have only in Christ our Lord. In no such sense did Paul ever say, Follow me, or Follow us; but he did say, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1). The Apostle was a grand example of earnest endeavor to attain perfection, but not of the ultimate perfection which was in Christ only; and it is his zeal and intense earnestness in striving to copy Christ and to accomplish His will that we should seek to imitate.
Those set in prominent positions as teachers in the Church have double need of Christlikeness, first to inure to making their calling and election sure, and second to helping others by their example to develop Christlikeness. Their influence over those who hold them in love and confidence is great, and to support their influence with Christlike character will prove helpful to those whom they teach.
Titus 2:7; 1 Pet. 2:21; 5:3; Lev. 18:2, 3; 2 Chron. 30:7; Prov. 22:24, 25; Matt. 23:1-3; John 13:15; 1 Cor. 8:9-13; Phil. 2:5; 1 Thes. 1:6-8; Heb. 13:7; Jas. 5:10, 11; 1 Pet. 3:5, 6; 1 John 2:6.
