Last night’s Bible study started with a game of ‘Simon Says’ and saw members trying to make a giant panda out of plasticine! Their aim was to model according to the photo:
These were the attempts!
The reason for these creative attempts was found in 3 John vs 11: ‘Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.‘ Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery. It is certainly what we are required to do in the Christian life, with the word ‘mimetes’ (imitate, be an example, copy) found in several places in the New Testament (Eph 5:1-2, 1 Thess 1:6, 1 Thess 2:14, 1 Cor 11:1, 1 Cor 4:16, Heb 6:12, 1 Pet 3:13). The thought of being followers or imitators of God makes sense, for as children of God, we learn from our great Example, Jesus, whose life demonstrates love, humility, servanthood and obedience to the Father’s will for us. It is more surprising to find that we are expected to imitate other Christians, for we know all too well the failings and weaknesses of people. Nonetheless, we are called to be role models, living letters that are read by all (see 2 Cor 3:2-3).
John’s third letter is very personal, dealing with practical issues of faith and truth. Three individuals are named in the letter (Gaius, Demetrius, and Diotrephes) and we see something of the things we are to imitate as well as what should be avoided (Diotrephes wanted to be first, and clearly John has learned his lesson from Mark 10:32-45 and knows that the path to greatness in God is through servanthood and humility, not arrogance and unkindness.) 2 John dealt with visiting missionaries who were deceivers or imposters, but here, John urges support for the genuine missionary. As John Stott reminds us, “There are many good causes which Christians may support; but they must support their brethren to whom the world should not be asked to contribute.” (John Stott, ‘The Epistles of John’, P 223)
Clearly, we should not imitate sin, nor those whose lives are inconsistent with the Truth. But we should imitate those who by faith and patience have inherited what God has promised. (Heb 6:12) We learn best from observation and experience and are called to persevere in following Jesus, fixing our eyes on Him (Heb 12:1-2) and spending time with Him in order to be transformed from the inside out. Discipleship also requires discipline (see Col 3:15, Rom 8:13, Gal 5:24) and requires us to walk in truth continually.