Whose Footsteps Will You Follow?

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

“Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

“Monkey see, monkey do.”

We all recognize that people imitate people, whatever the reason for imitation may be. It’s easy to see and do what others do.

It’s also a biblical command for one person to imitate another, especially if it is us imitating the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to imitate Christ in many ways: love (John 13:34; Eph 5:2), obedience (1 John 2:6), service (John 13:14–15), suffering (Matt 16:24; 1 Pet 2:21), endurance (Heb 12:2–3). I’m sure we could find more passage like these if we looked for them.

And then the Bible goes one step beyond that to tell us to imitate those who imitate Jesus Christ. Pau lived his life as an example before others, and as they imitated him, he said they were also imitating Christ (1 Thess 1:6; cf. 2 Thess 3:7, 9). In fact, he commanded Christians along these lines: “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1; cf. 4:15–16).

This exemplary Christlikeness should be true of pastors (Heb 13:7; 1 Pet 5:3), and Paul called upon ministerial men to be examples in this way (1 Tim 4:12; Titus 2:7–8).

Added to these men, this exemplary character should be true of any Christian. All of us should leave footsteps for others to follow to walk the Christian life as we do. But this begins by us ourselves walking in the footsteps of other godly people who are walking with the Lord.

This is how Paul speaks of the matter in Philippians 3:17. Not only were Christians to “join in following my example,” said Paul, but we are also to “observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” So, as Christ walked, so also Paul walked, and we should observe those who imitate this godly living and walk the same ourselves.

In the context of Philippians 3, this example is primarily pointed towards thinking but shows up in one’s living as well.

Paul had just labeled his personal advantages and achievements as rubbish (Philippians 3:4–6). What was truly important was knowing Christ, having His righteousness, and knowing the power of Christ’s resurrection at work in the midst of his sufferings, all so that he might attain unto the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:7–11). He pressed on, forgetting these things and reaching forward for all the heavenly blessings to which he had been called in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12–14).

He thus tells the Philippians to “have this attitude” (Philippians 3:15) and to “keep living by that same standard to which we have attained,” which means to walk in line with what they already knew of Christ—a selfless, sacrificial service to one another (Philippians 3:16; cf. 2:5–8). Also, “in this way,” they were to stand firm in the Lord Philippians (4:1). Paul repeatedly called to Philippians to his example in thinking in this letter, which was to imitate Jesus Christ.

Interestingly, Paul’s reasoning for imitating the godly comes with a warning for what happens to those who fail to imitate the godly. They will end up like others whose “end is destruction,” “enemies of the cross” who live pleasure-driven lives, men “who set their minds on earthly things” (Phil 3:18–19). If we do not persevere, it betrays a lack of saving faith. We don’t earn our way to heaven by living godly lives, but, as we imitate the godly and thus live godly ourselves, we know that heaven is ours, Christ will come for us, and He will change us to be perfectly like Him at that time (Philippians 3:20–21).

So, scope out a godly person or two or a few to imitate and follow. As they walk with the Lord, follow in their footsteps. They walk the narrow path that leads to life, leading others to life along the way, walking like Jesus for Him to return for them and others one day.

Whose footsteps will you follow?

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David Huffstutler is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Troy, MI. He blogs here, where this article also appeared. It is published here by permission.

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