I once had an atheist friend post that most Christians he’s known would be better described as “Paulites” instead of “Christians.” What did he mean?
The Apostle Paul wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament. Furthermore, most Christians have a “Bible within a Bible” that are the books they actually read, and many of those are written by Paul. Books such as Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and the Corinthians get a lot of focus as they are letters from Paul to a group of Christians. This makes them seem straightforward and applicable, especially compared to lists of Old Testament laws, overly specific descriptions of loops and acacia wood (thanks Exodus 26!), or the morally complicated stories of the Judges.
In other words, this friend of mine was convinced that instead of following and imitating Jesus, most people who called themselves Christians were actually following and imitating Paul.
Is that true? Does it matter? Let’s take a look!
In Woodlands in the Word this week, you hopefully read the third and fourth chapters of Philippians. While reading, you might have noticed that Paul does something somewhat strange.
Paul writes that the Philippians should “join together in following [his] example” (Phil. 3:17). Later, in 4:8, Paul writes his famous “finally,” which directs that same group of Christians to think about all of those good things (true, noble, right, etc). You might have noticed that we usually memorize verse 8, but stop before verse 9. Why is that?
I wonder if it’s because Paul seems to say, “Here are two chunks of things you should do. First, think about all of these wonderful things. Second, put into practice anything you heard or saw in me.”
Wow. That guy was bold.
And in case you thought that was some sort of outlier, check out these comments by Paul written to other Christians:
“Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” – 1 Corinthians 4:16
“I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me…” – Galatians 4:12
“You became imitators of us…” – 1 Thessalonians 1:6
“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:7
“Join with me in suffering…” – 2 Timothy 2:3
Clearly, Paul believed that those Christians who knew him should become more like him. So how does Paul talk about himself in Philippians 3-4?
- Paul adjusted everything’s value relative to Jesus.
Paul lists his “spiritual” or “religious” resume and declares that he considers those things “loss for the sake of Christ” (3:7). He goes on to “consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (3:8).
Paul had so many different things he could point to and say “look at how important this is!” He could have boasted about his accomplishments, his cultural heritage, or even his religious zeal. Instead, he adjusted everything’s value relative to Jesus.
- Paul left the old way of life behind.
There are numerous places where Paul encourages other Christians to leave behind the old way of life, and in Philippians he says of himself: “But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (3:13b). Obviously, Paul didn’t mean that he literally forgets or ignores his past (the entire letter of Philippians is a letter to people he met in the past). Paul explains that his focus becomes the future, especially as it relates to his relationship with God and his goal to reach the Gentiles for Jesus. Just as Paul re-evaluates the value of his past life, he also left the old way of life behind.
- Paul trained his thought life.
Although Paul might not have used that type of language, he encourages Christians to actively think in very specific ways. First, he tells them to “rejoice in the Lord always” (4:4). In other words, continually find and acknowledge your joy in Jesus. Second, replace worry with “prayer and petition” (4:6). When you start to worry about specific life situations, use that as an invitation to “present your requests to God.” Third, Paul tells them to think about things that are “true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy” (4:8).
While it can be easy to see our thought life as something that is passive, Paul says to actively find joy in Jesus, turn worry into prayer, and bring to mind good things. It may sound like a modern idea, but Paul himself trained his thought life.
- Paul became like Jesus.
Paul shared that he wanted “to know Christ” and “to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…” (3:10-11). Time and time again, Paul shared from his own experience what it was to follow and become like Jesus. Consider, for instance, that Paul also wrote “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul became like Jesus.
Conveniently, that brings us full circle!
I think my friend’s post might actually mean “most people who identify as Christian that I’ve gotten to know, believe what Paul believed, and yet look nothing like Jesus.” Because to be a Paulite would actually mean looking a lot like Jesus – because that is what Paul did. He didn’t just believe certain things in his head. He didn’t just say “these things are true.” He structured his thoughts, actions, and passions around Jesus. He took steps that Jesus took (even – or especially – the ones that hurt).
And that means we have two very important things to consider:
First, are you becoming more like Jesus, like Paul was? Do you (and me!) actively find ways to walk in Jesus’ footsteps? It is easy to find some other ideal in this life to chase after. It is even easy to read our Bible and go to church without actually changing. Do the things you learn translate to active steps of obedience?
Second, who are you following right now? Paul’s words demonstrate a powerful but slightly uncomfortable strategy of God: we are supposed to be following other humans. While Jesus is ultimately the one we follow, it is good for us to have people in our lives who look like Jesus that we can learn to be like. The fancy word for it is discipleship. Do you have someone in your life that looks like Jesus, someone who knows him and is actively becoming more like him? Could you learn to become more like that person, to follow them as they follow Christ?
By: Pastor Justin Armstrong
You have left out so much. Paul tells us to follow him as he follows Christ. ( 1 Cor. 11:1) Paul was given a new dispensation. (Eph. 3:2-13) A dispensation of the grace was given to Paul to preach. Salvation under Jesus in His earthly ministry was not offered unless the Jew believed He was their Messiah, obeyed the Law, and did the good works. (John 8:24, Lev. 22:31-32, James 2:14-26 – notice James is writing to the 12 tribes, not the Body of Christ) Notice the contrast between Paul saying salvation was not by works but by faith, (Eph 2:8-9) without the Law. (Rom 6:14) Israel was required to obey the Law for righteousness sake. We use the Lawlawfully as Paul states. (1 Timothy 1:8) We aren’t under the curse of the Law. Paul was separated, set apart from Israel and the 12 disciples teaching. ( Gal 1:15) Paul tells us in these verses that he was sent to the heathen, GENTILES, who were enemies of God and without hope. Thats different than the 12. No where, other than Paul’s epistles does it state that we are to believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again 3 days later according to the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:14) Also, look at Jesus very own words. Matt 10:5, “Go into the way of the GENTILES, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.” That was a command from Jesus Himself. Then again in Matthew 15:24, Jesus tells the Gentile woman of Canaan that He is ONLY sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That was Christ’s words to that Gentile woman. All Scripture is for us, not all Scripture is to us. If Paul and Peter taught the same, the why did Paul rebuke Peter? Because Peter was trying to put Gentiles under the way of the Jews. Obedience to the Law, doing the works to prove one’s faith, and believing Jesus was their Messiah. That’s not what Paul was sent to teach the Body of Christ. Paul was to get Gentiles and Jews saved, and in the Body of Christ, then teach the Body how to walk. Israel, and the Body of Christ were two separate groups. To say there is only one Gospel (Gospel meaning good news) is to be accursed. Let God be true and every man a liar. Keep Scripture in context. (Who is speaking, to whom, what is the message of that concersation.) It amazes me that so many seem to think the devil isn’t in a church building or behind the pulpit. When in fact he is. He is deceiving so many by self professed Christians trying to follow Jesus under the Jewish Law in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, (which is not how God is operating today,) and believing there is only one Gospel, instead of obeying Christ and rightly dividing the word of truth as instructed by Christ in 2 Timothy 2:15. Be like Jesus by following Paul’s epistles, or be accursed. (Gal. 1:8)
See, its the whole tithing principle isn’t it? If you don’t preach different Gospels as laid out in Scripture, you don’t get that 10% of people’s money and their offerings. See, a person who truly seeks God and a understanding of His word will read about tithing. Who was to give it, where it was to be given and who was to receive it. It was to be given by Jews under the Law. No Gentile showed up to pay a tithe unless they proselytized themselves and were becoming Jews. Only Jews gave tithes. It was of the livestock and produce that was given. If money was given, they were to give more than 10%, because money wasn’t what God wanted. The Levite Priests were the only ones permitted to recieve it. What do we have now? Instead of grace giving, we have pastors banging on their pulpits demanding their congregations or flocks to give them 10% of their income, plus offerings. Before you say that isn’t true, I have sat in a church where this very thing happened. Not to mention a church taught my great grandmother to give the little she was getting to them or she would go to hell. They terrified her. The FACT is the tithe was commanded by God! Grace giving from the heart is what the believer is to give. What they want not what some Satanic pastor demands. The church pastor was never given the rights of a Levite Priests any where in Scripture. Believers today are without a covenant, and give willingly, NO 10% IS ALWAYS THE STANDARD NONSENSE! It’s not Biblical to the Body of Christ. I hate seeing people led to hell by false doctrine. Yet it’s on them to study to shew themselves approved to God as workman. Every person is required to do so. The capital letters are not me yelling, but emphasizing Biblical fact. Peace and grace be unto you.