“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
The apostle Paul was a missionary who shared the Gospel with people who had never heard it before. Many came to faith through his ministry. But initially, they were like “babies in the faith”. They needed a lot of education. Until then, they had lived according to worldly standards and they were surrounded by unbelievers. Therefore, they also needed role models to show them what Christian living is like.
Paul presents himself as such a role model. When he proclaimed the Gospel to these people, his conduct was “holy and righteous and blameless” (1 Thessalonians 2:10). Now he calls them to imitate this behavior, just as Paul imitates Christ.
We, too, need godly men and women who are more mature than we are to be guides and teachers for ourselves. A local church is an excellent place to find these role models. They can be like fathers and mothers in the faith, encouraging and teaching us “to walk in a manner worthy of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
Do you have role models to guide you?