Being an Example

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

BEING AN EXAMPLE

1 Cor 11:1-2

11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.

NIV

Before we go any further into this next portion of the letter, we need to stop and reflect on this idea of being an example as long as we follow the example of Christ. This is predicated on the idea of being an image bearer of Christ. This is how we were created in the first place, at least speaking in the general terms of mankind. Whenever we read the creation account in Genesis, we always are witness to the fact that God said, “Let us make man in our own image”. It is also interesting that when Adam was 130 years old, he had a son in his own image, and he named him Seth. This is the same Hebrew word, and so we would then conclude that we are the same image as both God and the man he made, Adam. We bear the image of God, while also bearing the image of man. It is in this image of man that we are to first, follow Christ, who came to earth in the image or the likeness of man, but who was the very image of God. Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father”. Of course, he was speaking to Phillip who had seen the physical image of Jesus. However, anyone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior has seen Jesus, at least in a spiritual sense, otherwise there would be no reason to believe in Him or follow Him. How can we follow Jesus unless we have seen Him and know Him? Therefore, as we follow Christ, being in His image, both the physical image in which He made us, and the spiritual image in which He shows us the way. He is the example for us, as to how we are to live, and we, therefore, should live as an example to others, as we follow Him. Paul also tells us that the way we follow Jesus is to hold to the teachings that were passed on. Of course, he passed on the teaching verbally at first, but is now writing many of those teaching of Jesus so we might learn and hold to those teachings. Although we are just in this one letter, all the teachings are not included in it, but the whole of the scripture contains all the teaching of Jesus, or we could say the teachings of God. So then, being the image bearer of God, representing His image to the world includes holding to His teachings. It would make sense the only way we can be reflect His image is to be His image, that is being the same as Him and how he relates to his creation. Let us live truly following Jesus so we can be an example of Christ to others.