A Call to Godly Imitation

Introduction: Paul's Pastoral Realism and the Call to Godly Imitation

0:02 This sermon was preached on Sunday morning, November 29th, 1981, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now will you turn with me, please, to the third chapter of Paul's letter to the Philippians, Philippians chapter 3, and follow as I read in your hearing, beginning with verse 17, and concluding the reading with verse 1 of chapter 4. Philippians 3 and verse 17.

1:05 God is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, whence also we wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself, wherefore, my brethren, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved.

1:50 Let us once again address ourselves to God and corporately plead with him to grant us light and understanding in his word this morning. Our Father, we do give you praise that we hold in our hands, and our angels, able to set before our eyes an objective written revelation of your mind and of your will toward men how we praise you for the written scriptures we thank you that we are privileged to have this

2:29 blessed book which you have made a lamp unto our feet and a light to our pathway but our father we acknowledge that our minds in and of themselves are shrouded in darkness that you must break through that darkness and illuminate our minds that we may receive the light and truth of scripture come then oh lord by an activity that is inward and powerful in giving to each of us understanding in your truth and and and

3:08 to walk in its light amen the great apostle paul who was the author from the human side of the words read in your hearing a moment ago was at one and the same time a most amazing idealist and a most practical realist now the idealist is the man who lives by the loftiest standards and presses towards the highest goal and

3:45 we might describe him as the man whose head and whose heart are in the clouds the realist is the man who lives by the inescapable facts of things as they really are and we might describe him as the person whose feet and whose eyes are fixed upon the earth and this great soul this great man the apostle paul was i say at one in the same time

4:36 as a shepherd of the soul of men and as a shepherd who was a true idealist we see him in this very very chapter urging the Philippians on to the standard of perfection towards which he himself pressed with all of the vigor of a runner determined to win a foot race. And yet at the same time, he is a tremendous realist, for he knows that even though he urges the Philippians on to perfection and that they are ultimately destined to perfection at the resurrection

5:16 in the last day, that they would be beset by those who would seek to turn them aside by the influence of error and of a bad example. And so this third chapter sets before us something of the pastoral realism of the apostle, warning the Philippians on the one hand in verses two, through 16, of the baneful influence of the Judaizers, those who would tell them that Christ was not enough for their justification or for their sanctification, that they needed Christ plus

5:54 Moses and the ceremonial law. And then in verses 17 through the end of the chapter, here we find Paul, the pastoral realist, warning the Philippians concerning an error that is on the other end of the spectrum, warning them about this error of the sensualist who would agree that Christ is enough. And they would add to that truth the devil's logic and say that since we are saved by the doing of another, what we do is of no account. We may live as we please and yet be saved by grace. Well, this morning we come in our study to focus our attention upon verse 17

6:37 in this third chapter. This verse that deals with Paul's realistic warning with respect to this second grade category of error. Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk, even as you have us, for an example. And in this text, verse 17, we have what I am calling very simply a call to godly imitation. A call to godly imitation. And as we seek to open up the

The Backdrop: The Ugly Reality of Evil Walkers

7:21 text, I want you to notice with me, first of all, the backdrop of this call to godly imitation. The backdrop of this call to godly imitation. And that backdrop is nothing less than the ugly reality described in verses 18 and 19. You will remember, I trust, two weeks ago when we studied verses 18 and 19, I underscored the fact that the verse begins with the word for. For many walk.

7:56 And the exhortation to godly imitation in verse 17 was given against the backdrop of the terrible influence of those. Whom the Philippians should not imitate, even these sensualists, these libertines, these antinomians, these who in their character were identified by sensuality, whose gob is the belly, by this obsession with the flesh and with the world, who mind earthly things, and by their shamelessness.

8:38 They gloried in their shame. Their influence is described as one of undermining the very message of the cross, because their lifestyle is a denial of the power of the cross, and their destiny is perdition. Now Paul assumes that such were either present at Philippi, or soon would be present, and that the church at Philippi would be tempted, to follow their evil example. Now I say, there's Paul the realist. He has no notion that because he

9:16 is the founding father and the nursing mother of the Philippians, that they will be immunized from the influence of the bad example of the sensualist. And so Paul the realist writes to them in verse 17, brethren, be imitators together of me. He issues this call to godly imitation. against the backdrop of this sordid picture of these evil walkers. For remember, the emphasis falls

9:48 upon their conduct, not upon their teaching. For many walk, of whom I have told you often and tell you now, even weeping. Well, so much for that word about the backdrop of this call to godly imitation. Now consider with me in the second place, the essence of the call to godly imitation. This call comes in the form of two imperatives, or two

The Essence of the Call: Two Imperatives

10:19 commands. Notice them. Brethren, be imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk. Two imperatives. Be imitators, and mark them that so walk.

10:38 And I would remind you as we come to open up the essence of this call to godly imitation, that whenever we confront an imperative in scripture, we should view the straight line between the word of God and our own wills. Whenever we confront imperatives or commands, we need to remind ourselves of the words of our Lord. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. Or again, ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. Or

11:19 again, he that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. Or again, if we say that we know him and keep not his commandments, we lie and we do not the truth. Any professed Christianity which feels uncomfortable in the presence of imperatives is rotten to the core and reflects the very spirit described in verses 18 and 19. Now I want to repeat that. Any professed Christianity which

11:57 feels uncomfortable in the presence of imperatives is rotten to the core. Wholesome, vigorous, biblical Christianity. Feels very comfortable in the presence of divine imperatives. For love in the heart towards Christ is always thirsting to know more of the mind and the will of Christ in order that one may more certainly please Christ in his walk. And so we are in the presence of imperatives this morning.

12:36 And just that very fact should be an index, of where you are in relationship to the living God. Does your heart leap within you at the thought that your Lord is going to mark out more clearly the path within which you may show your love to him? Or do you shrink back from imperatives? And are you tempted to call it a legalistic Christianity which is heavy with imperatives? I trust we are no more heavy with our imperatives

13:07 than is the word of God. But I trust we are no more heavy with our imperatives than is the word of God. But I trust we are no more heavy with our imperatives than is the word of God. But I trust we are no less heavy with our imperatives than is the word of God. And our emphasis in preaching

13:17 must follow the emphasis of Scripture itself. And there is no way I can open up this passage without announcing that in its very essence the call to godly imitation does not come in the form of mere exhortation or encouragement, but it comes in the form of two distinct imperative verbs. And I didn't write them. I didn't put them in that form. The Holy

13:47 Ghost did. And we must receive them in the form in which he has given them to us. Well then, what are those imperatives? Well, the first is this. A command to corporate imitation

Command 1: Corporate Imitation of the Apostle Paul

14:01 of the Apostle Paul. A command to corporate imitation of the Apostle Paul. Look at the language of the text. Brethren, be ye imitators together of me. Now, when the translators

14:21 rendered the words imitators together, they were seeking to translate a word which is only one word in the original, and it is found only here in this passage in the New Testament. Now, the word imitators or imitator is found quite frequently in the New Testament. For example, most of us will remember 1 Corinthians 11.1. Be ye followers or imitators of me, even as I am of Christ. Or Ephesians 5.1,

14:58 in which we are exhorted to be imitators of God. But here the Apostle takes the standard word for imitator, and he puts a prefix. Now you kids who are learning some English grammar, you know what a prefix is? That's something stuck on the front of a word. Suffix is stuck on the tail end of it. This is stuck

15:18 on the head end, at the beginning. Well, he sticks a prefix there, which means together. And so if we were to try to coin a word that expresses it in one word, we'd have to make up a hyphenated word, and that word would be co-imitators or joint imitators. So we render it, brethren, be co- or joint imitators of me. Now why do you think the Apostle would

15:50 have used that word, used nowhere else in any of his writings, or for that fact, or for, to be accurate, nowhere else in the New Testament? Well, we've had occasion to point out if there was any defect in this great and glorious fellowship of believers at Philippi, it appears that breathing through the letter is at least the suggestion that there was an element of discord or the absence of some dimension of Christian unity. This emphasis is seen in chapter 1, when the Apostle writes in verse 27, that

16:34 I may hear of your state, that you stand fast in one spirit. With one soul, striving for the faith of the gospel. And then that exhortation in chapter 2, in which he says, if there is any consolation of love, any fellowship in the Spirit, make full my joy that you be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, doing nothing through strife or through vain glory. And then again in chapter 4 in verse 2, that specific exhortation.

17:09 I exhort Jodea and I exhort Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. So there is at least this strong suggestion that if there were any problem in the church at Philippi, it lay in the area of this matter of the kind of felt, throbbing, pulsating unity which is one of the great glories of a true church of Jesus Christ. And so when he issues his call to godly imitation, the first dimension of it is a command not

17:48 to individual imitation of the Apostle, but it is a command to corporate imitation of the Apostle. In other words, Paul is saying to his spiritual children, I want you to engage in a follow the leader spiritual exercise. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, you kids know what it is to play follow the leader, and I have often experienced this, both as a father and as someone who loves children.

18:20 One may come into a room full of kids, and it's total chaos. Each one is either playing with his own toy or trying to grab at someone else's or pulling someone's hair, and it's just chaos personified. There's all kinds of noise and fussing and this one grabbing at his toy and this one at the other. And you come in and clap your hands and say, hey kids, and they all turn around and look, say, look, we're going to play follow the leader. Everyone put his toy over in the corner

18:47 and everyone puts his toy in the corner. You say, all right, and that's all lined up in a row. So the kids all line up in a row and you say, all right, I'm going to be the leader and we're going to play follow the leader. Everything I do, now you watch very carefully, I want you to do it after me. So the first thing I do is I bring my right hand up and

19:05 put it over my mouth. A little trick. And so all the kids come and put their right hand over their mouth. The next thing I do is I then bring up my left hand and put it like this and they all put their left hand and before long, what has happened? All the dissension has ended, all the scrapping, all

19:25 the fighting. Why? Because they have all in unison fixed their eyes upon a common model and all of their attention is given to following the leader. And in giving themselves to coordinate with the leader, they are drawn into a fellowship and a oneness of relationship to each other that was impossible while each one was preoccupied with his own thing. Now that's precisely what

19:59 the apostle is calling the church at Philippi to do. He's calling them to an exercise, not a game, of spiritual follow the leader. Be ye in the church, not in the game. Follow the leader.

20:10 Be ye in the church, not in the game. Follow the leader. Follow the leader. Follow the leader.

20:11 Be joint followers of me. Be joint imitators of me. But now someone says, isn't that rather arrogant? Isn't that an indication of spiritual egotism for Paul to call upon a whole church to be an imitator of himself? No. You see, Paul had already told them in this very chapter

20:41 in verse 12, not that I have already obtained or am already made perfect. He did not set himself forth as one who had attained perfection, but what he is saying is this. I am walking in the integrity of my conscience before God as one whose lifestyle demonstrates the dominion of grace. And in contrast, you will have people come amongst you, or they may already

21:19 be there, whose lifestyle does not indicate the dominion of grace. The language of grace may be upon their lips, but grace has not regulated their feet. They walk in a manner contrary to the very end for which grace was revealed. The grace of God is not the dominion of grace. The grace of God is not the dominion of grace.

21:41 The grace of God is not the dominion of grace. The grace of God is not the dominion of grace. God hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. These people talk much about the grace of God in salvation, but they do not evidence that they are under the dominion of grace in their walk. But I, Paul, am confident, even though I am far from perfection, that

22:08 my lifestyle is one that reflects the dominion of grace. The dominion of grace over me. That's why he can say as he does to the Thessalonians, you are witnesses how wholly, justly, and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you. He didn't say sinlessly. He can stand before the Ephesian elders and say, in all things

22:33 I have left you an example. I was among you from the very first days, serving the Lord with lowliness. Of mind, this is not a matter of a man who is a self-centered egotist, but he is a man conscious that the doctrines of grace have mastered him, and that those truths of salvation by grace have so drawn out his heart in love and devotion to Christ that in the totality of his lifestyle he is seeking to walk in a way.

23:11 That is well-pleasing to the Lord Jesus. And so he says to the Philippians in this call to godly imitation, I command you to be corporate imitators of me. Brethren, be ye co-imitators of me. Now as surely as it was the duty of the Philippians to reflect upon the patterns of Paul's life, I command you to be corporate imitators of me. I command

23:41 you to be corporate imitators of my life, as an indication of what it means to live under the dominion of grace, so the same duty is ours. And although we do not have him in our presence as the Philippians once did, we do have the inspired record, and we are therefore under solemn obligation to study that record of the lifestyle of the Apostle, even as it is given to us in this third chapter. The Apostle Paul, who takes the imagery of the runner, who forgets what is behind him and presses towards the goal. And as we read through the book of Acts and read through

24:20 the epistles, we are to read constantly asking ourselves, how does a man think and act and react who is under the dominion of grace? How does a man live who says, the love of Christ constrains me or literally holds me in its grip? How does a man live who can say, for to me. to live is Christ. How does a man like that live? How does he react? How does he pursue

24:49 the goals that are set before him? How does he relate to people? We must be asking those questions. And as we read the New Testament documents, we must then self-consciously seek to pattern our lives accordingly, just like the little children. When they are summoned

25:10 to play follow the leader, they are to concentrate upon that which the leader is doing. And when he puts his right hand over his mouth, they are to put their right hand over their mouth, not their left hand. When he raises his left hand, when he moves his right foot, they are to concentrate upon the one who has made himself the model, and they are to engage all of their faculties in imitating him. And that's precisely the thing to which we are called.

Command 2: Selective Imitation of Similar Models

25:39 Brethren, brethren, be co or joint imitators of me. But then I hasten on to the second part of the text which forms the essence of this call to godly imitation. It not only comes in the form of a command to corporate imitation of the Apostle Paul, but it comes in the form of a command to selective imitation of all similar models. Models such as Paul and his companions. A command to selective imitation of all similar

26:19 models such as Paul and his companions. Notice the language. Mark them that so walk even as you have us for an example. Now the imperative verb mark means to mark out the to set one's eyes upon someone or something with a view to some action. This is the very word used

26:49 in Romans 16, 17, where there the Apostle commands the Romans to mark a certain class of people. Romans 16, 17. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them. Fix your eyes upon. Gaze intently

27:09 at those that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling contrary to the doctrine you have learned and turn away from them. Here the command is to mark them. Know who they are with a view to avoiding them. Now in this passage we are commanded to mark them that so walk. We are to fix our gaze upon.

27:39 We are to mark out a certain class of people. That's why I use the term a selective imitation. And who are the ones we are to mark out and look upon? They are described this way. That so walk

27:57 even as you have not me but us for not examples plural but as you have us for an example singular. What does he say? This is what he's saying. He's saying you Philippians were privileged not only to have interaction with me, the Apostle Paul, but you were privileged to have interaction when I originally came amongst you with my associate Silas. Remember it was

28:28 Paul and Silas who were thrown into jail at Philippi at the time the church was born. And as he writes to them, it is Timothy who is in present companionship with Paul. And there are indications that they had personal interaction with Timothy. They obviously had had some interaction with not only Timothy but Epaphroditus as we saw in chapter 2. So

28:52 what the Apostle Paul is saying is this. Take my life, Paul says, and Timothy and Epaphroditus and any of the leaders who reflected my spirit in so far as it reflects the spirit of Christ. And from all of that you fall. Form a composite which is a tupos, a type, a pattern, an example. Now it's kind that

29:18 we have that singular because you see it immediately cuts away from this notion of imitation. Things that are personality quirks, personal mannerisms, for no doubt there were a vast spectrum of areas in which Epaphroditus and Paul differed in terms of personality traits. Personal idiosyncrasies. But he says discard all of that and mark those that so walk as you have us for an example. There are some common denominators in the lives of all of

29:57 your spiritual leaders. Put those together. And when you see those principles operative in your fellow believers, mark them out. Look through the congregation there at Philippi.

30:10 Mark the men, mark the women, mark the fathers, mark the mothers, mark the young men who manifest that they are following the leader. And having marked them, follow them. So you see this command to godly imitation goes beyond a mere limitation with the Apostle Paul and it extends to this selective faith. So the duty of the Philippians was abundantly clear. Not only were they to reflect upon

30:53 Paul's ways in Christ, but they were to think on those things that I've called the common denominators evidenced in his companions and then put their eyes upon all around them who showed conformity. And we learn our duty as well, that we are not only to mark out the Apostle Paul as a pattern, but all of those in Scripture who are set before us as models and examples and then go further to those who are in our own congregation who walk in such a way as to

Observation 1: Proper Subjects of This Duty (Believers Only)

31:36 reflect the very patterns of the Apostle. Now then, having considered briefly the backdrop of this call to godly imitation, the essence of the call to godly imitation, now in the third place, consider with me some important observations relative to the duty of godly imitation. Some important observations relative to the duty of godly imitation. And the first one is the duty of godly imitation.

32:12 The first one is this. Note the proper subjects of this duty. The text in our English versions begins with the word brethren. Now this word brethren, unless it is qualified by things that clearly indicate otherwise, is a term that designates the family of God. And it's

32:35 one of Paul's most favorite terms with his Philippians. Notice how he begins chapter 3, finally, my brethren. And then verse 17, I'm sorry, verse 13, brethren, I count not myself. Verse 17, brethren, be imitators together of me. Verse 1 of chapter 4, wherefore my brethren.

33:00 Verse 8 of chapter 4, finally, brethren. Verse 21, salute every saint in Christ Jesus, the brethren that are with me salute you. When Paul calls the church to this duty of godly imitation, he is self-consciously aware that this is a duty of those who are in Christ Jesus and in the family of God. And if you are here this morning and you are not in the family of God through union with Christ, you cannot become a Christian by imitating what Christians do.

33:41 And that's a great danger. If you're serious about the scriptures, and if you're serious about becoming a Christian, and for some of you that's why you're here, you're not yet a Christian, but you're serious enough about the whole issue to take time to come and sit under the ministry of the word. And you see the way people live around here, and you say, well, their lifestyle is radically different from anything I've ever known. If I'm to have what they have, I must become or be what they are. But you see, you get the confidence that

34:11 you can't start before the horse. You don't start by imitating the lifestyle of Christians. You start, first of all, by participating in that relationship to Christ, which forms the very rationale for that lifestyle. You cannot live the Christian life until you have life from Christ. And this is why the scripture says, they that are in the flesh cannot please

34:40 God. You cannot live the Christian life until you have life from Christ. You cannot live the Christian life until you have life from Christ. You cannot please God.

34:41 Our duty this morning is not to mark out those in this congregation with whom you have perhaps natural relationships that enable you to observe their lifestyle and then seek to imitate them. No, no, you must start by the contemplation of your position as a sinner under guilt and under wrath and God's offer of mercy in His beloved Son and His commandment to repent and to believe the gospel. And then as you come into saving relationship with Jesus Christ, you will then be enabled to begin to imitate those models whom Christ has set before you.

Observation 2: The Proven Principle Undergirding This Duty (Man as an Imitating Creature)

35:25 And so the first observation that it's vital to make is that which pertains to the proper subjects of this duty. But now the second observation is this. Notice the proof. The seventh principle which undergirds this duty.

35:41 Why did Paul write to the Philippians, be imitators together of me, and then mark out, obviously with a view to imitating them as well, your fellow believers who follow the patterns set by me and my associates? Why was Paul so concerned to call them to the duty of godly imitation? Why is this duty found again and again? Again.

36:07 In the New Testament. Be ye followers of me even as I am of Christ. Why does he say to Timothy as we heard this morning, be thou an example of the believers in every area of your life? Well, Paul understood this great principle that undergirds this duty.

36:27 And the principle is this. God has created man an imitating creature. And it has to do with man being made in the very image. Man was to be like God.

36:42 Man was to imitate God. And if man is made in the image of God, it would be most natural for man to imitate the image bearer. And men and women, boys and girls, are imitative creatures. And God has not bypassed that great fact in setting before us the pattern by which we learn.

37:07 And in the gospel. In the God-ordained process of learning. We naturally tend to absorb our teacher's principles as they are embodied in our teacher's life.

37:23 We naturally embody our teacher's principles as they are embodied in his life. Notice our Lord's word on this very point in Matthew chapter 10. And follow this closely. Follow this closely.

37:40 Because the text, in a sense, will make very little sense unless we grasp this principle. Our Lord says in Matthew chapter 10 and verse 24. A disciple, a learner, a pupil is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple, the learner, the pupil.

38:08 Now notice carefully. That he not think as his teacher. It is enough for the learner that he be as his teacher.

38:24 It is enough for the learner that he be as his teacher. And Paul in Philippians 4 and verse 9 underscores this again. Notice what he dared to say to the Philippians. The things which you both learned and received and heard and saw in me.

38:50 These things do and the God of peace shall be with you. Now the great problem, one of the great problems with the Pharisees is. They wanted to teach from a posture in which this principle was negated. And our Lord cuts to the very heart.

39:11 The very heart of that issue in the opening words of his indictment against them is recorded in Matthew 23. Then spoke Jesus to the multitudes and to his disciples saying. The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses' seat. That is, they sit in the place of instruction to give you the word of God that came through Moses.

39:35 All things therefore whatsoever they bid you these do. And observe from their mouths comes the word of God. But now notice what our Lord said. But do not ye after their works.

39:55 For they say and they do not. Their lives do not embody their precepts. Therefore resist the natural temptation when listening to them. To imbibe their principles.

40:13 As reflected in their lives. Our Lord knew that that was a natural tendency. That's why he had to say resist it. As difficult as it is.

40:23 Listen to what they say but don't do what they do.

40:31 And Paul understood this proven principle. When he said be joint imitators of me. Mark those that walk even as you have us. For a pattern for many.

40:46 You see the emphasis falls upon the lifestyle of these libertines. These sensualists who no doubt as we compare scripture with scripture. Had a doctrine that was consistent with their walk. But Paul is fearful that the Philippians will be sucked in by their lifestyle.

41:07 As they come near their teaching. Now that proven principle of pedagogy of teaching. Cuts at the heart of this popular cliche. People are often told don't look at men.

41:25 Just look at the Lord.

41:31 Now if people were to say this. Don't look at men as though they were the Lord. That's fine. If you look to fellow men seeking perfection.

41:44 You're looking for that which you'll never find. But if that means. There are no. Models of what it means to be a man or woman of God.

41:55 Then we shouldn't go around saying don't look at men. Look at the Lord. We ought to go around in sackcloth and ashes. To God to send the Holy Ghost.

42:09 In reviving and quickening power. Until there are in the church viable models.

42:17 Whom we can point and say follow them. As they in turn. Followed. It is not accurate to say don't look at men.

42:29 Only look at Christ. If that were so. Then this verse should be scrubbed from our Bibles. Because Paul was a man and a sinful man at that.

42:40 And yet he says. Be co-imitators of me and furthermore. Be discriminating and selective. In fixing your gaze upon those in your very midst.

42:52 Who are not apostles. Who never will be apostles. Who are not preachers or elders or church officers. But they are people that reflect in their lifestyle.

43:03 The dominion of grace. While gladly acknowledging their only hope of salvation. To be found in the righteousness of another. They live as strictly.

43:15 As though they'd have to get to heaven. On their own righteousness.

43:20 And he said find people like that. And mark them out. And follow them. Imitate them.

Observation 3: Awesome Personal Demands of This Duty

43:27 Engage in an exercise of spiritual. Follow the leader. And then the third and final observation. I would make upon this call.

43:38 To godly imitation this morning is this. Not only should we note the proper subjects of this duty. The brethren. The people of God.

43:46 The proven principle that undergirds the duty. But the awesome personal demands this duty makes upon us.

43:55 And I would. Only underscore two categories of those demands. First of all. In the choice of our models or examples.

44:07 So an awesome personal responsibility. God says to each of us. The imitators together. Of the great apostle.

44:17 And mark those that walk as we have him and his associates. As an example. That means believers that we must be careful. In the choice of our models.

44:30 And our examples. One has accurately written. Our religious experience takes its form and complexion. Much from those with whom we associate.

44:44 And he will usually be the most holy person. Who associates with the most holy companions.

44:56 Let me run it by again. Our religion takes. Its form and complexion. Much.

45:03 Not exclusively. But much from those with whom we associate. And he will usually be the most holy person. Who associates with the most holy companions.

45:18 Now that applies. To those with whom you associate personally. With whom you associate. In your TV watching.

45:27 In your magazine reading. In your. In your heroes. However you have associations with people.

45:37 That put you in the orbit. Of the imitative influence. It is most likely that you will become. What they are.

45:47 Now that being so. Do you see why the Bible is full of warnings. About avoiding. Evil companions young people.

45:55 But now within the framework. Of those whom we can regard as our brothers and sisters. Unless someone is excommunicated. From the church.

46:04 We are to regard him. As a visible saint. But within the body of the visible saints. Paul the realist.

46:13 Did not assume. That everyone in the church at Philippi. Was a good model. So he said mark those that are.

46:21 Well you say that's judging. Well if that's judging then judge. But the Bible still says. Mark them that so walk.

46:31 And the assumption is. That every believer. With his Bible in front of him. Can make a judgment.

46:38 As to who and who. Is not a good model. Well you say. But that would mean.

46:45 I'd have to rupture. Some long-standing friendships. So what. If you want to be a holy man.

46:51 Or a holy woman. Rupture a friendship for Christ's sake. Rupture it for holiness sake. Rupture it for the sake.

46:58 Of the honor of God. Rupture it for high and holy ends. Don't cling to a friendship. Which keeps you.

47:06 Which keeps you static. In your relationship to Christ. Or which drags you down. Away from Christ.

47:14 Even though that's a Christian friend. Sometimes the chemistry. Between Christians is such. That they tear each other down.

47:22 Rather than build each other up. They're both weak in the same area. Like two drunks. Crying in their beer.

47:30 About all their problems. So they just drag each other down. So you have gravitated to certain people. Not because you feel in them.

47:38 A standard that is a model. That is a prick and a prod. To your conscience. And an encouragement to press on.

47:46 But because they make you feel comfortable. In your own areas of weakness and sin. May God help us. To feel the awesome.

47:57 Personal demands this duty makes. Upon us. In the choice of our models. And examples.

Awesome Personal Demands: Becoming Good Models for Others

48:05 It puts an awesome demand upon us. In becoming good models. To others. You see all who sustain.

48:14 Any relationship. As teachers to others. Must be able to say with Paul. Be an imitator of me.

48:22 If the bible concept. Of true teaching is. It is enough. For the learner.

48:31 To be as his teacher. Then anyone. In any teaching capacity. Must reflect in his lifestyle.

48:39 The power. And the influence. Of the truth he is trying to convey. You see what that says to us as parents.

48:48 Those of us who have children. It is a noble thing. To have family worship. It is a noble thing.

48:58 To seek to bring to bear. Upon every dimension of family life. The perspectives of the word of God. Why we do or do not have a television.

49:06 Why we do or do not watch certain things. On the television. Why we must in our family. Apologize to one another.

49:14 When we have wronged one another. Why we do not allow back talk. To mummy and daddy. Why we do not allow bitterness and sarcasm.

49:22 Or the kind of poking fun. That demeans. Brothers or sisters. And we are continually seeking to bring to bear.

49:30 Upon the totality. Of the life experience of our families. The word of the living God. That is what it means fathers.

49:38 Nurture them in the chastening. Lord. And it is a noble thing to have that gold. And more noble to give oneself to it.

49:46 But it is most noble. When we ourselves. By the grace of God are the embodiment. Of everything we are saying.

49:54 And can say to our children. Be followers. Imitators. Together.

50:03 Of your daddy. Be imitators together. Of your mummy. What does it mean to assert.

50:11 Loving. Firm. Wise. Responsible.

50:19 Sensitive headship. You ought to be able to say to your sons. Be a follower of me. The way I have treated your mum.

50:28 Is the way the bible says you are to treat your wife. When a daughter says mummy. What does it mean? I read in my bible.

50:38 Wives be subject to your husbands. As the church is subject to Christ. What does it mean to have a submissive disposition. And attitude.

50:46 While at the same time being. A person whose own individuality. Is not blotted out. And just merged.

50:54 Into someone else's. Every one of you Christian mothers should be able to say. Dear. You just watch the way I submit to daddy.

51:04 Be an imitator. Of me. I say that is an awesome demand. Upon those of us.

51:13 In the tradition of teaching others. Parents to children. You Sunday school teachers. Are you everything in life.

51:21 In your basic patterns of life. That your pupils should become. If they believe what you are teaching them. That is the responsibility.

51:31 That is upon you. And it is not a prideful thing to say. Be a follower of me. While confessing with the apostle.

51:39 I have not yet attained. I am not yet perfect. But my basic lifestyle. Reflects the dominion.

51:47 Of grace. It is evident in my lifestyle. That I am not simply snatching. At the benefits of Christ's work.

51:55 To salve my conscience. While my affections. And the interest of my life. Are wedded to earth and to self.

52:03 And to sensuality. I must be able to say. With judgment day honesty. You yourselves know.

52:11 How holily. How justly. I behaved myself among you. And what is true of individuals.

52:19 Is true of churches. Paul could say of the Thessalonians. You became a type. A pattern to the churches.

52:27 First Thessalonians 1.7. And chapter 2. And verse I believe it is 14.

52:33 Churches. We have taken a role as a church. Of instructing others. We have that unusual.

52:41 Responsibility of the instruction. That goes on. In the academy. And then that larger instruction.

52:49 That goes on. As the life of this church spills over. To the ends of the earth. Through the tape ministry.

52:57 And these other means. God has put at our disposal. And all fellow believers at trinity. What an awesome.

53:05 Awesome responsibility. We have as a church. What right do we have. To send the word of God.

53:14 To the ends of the earth. Well in one sense. We don't have a right. But in another sense.

53:22 The only justification is. That to some degree. We can say. The imitators together of us.

53:33 While acknowledging. That there is imperfection. At every level of our attainment. While acknowledging.

53:41 That we are not anywhere near. Our own standards. Let alone God's. Seriously at every level.

53:50 That it speaks to us. And with every fiber of our being. We're seeking to obey it. Well you say pastor.

Empowerment for Obedience: God Works in You

53:59 If that's the standard. That's enough to beat a man into the ground. And bury him. I didn't set it.

54:09 I'm not responsible for writing. Philippians 3.17. But thank God.

54:15 Neither was I responsible for writing. What should be our great encouragement. Back in chapter 2. Verse 12.

54:21 Beloved. Even. As you've always obeyed. Not as in my presence only.

54:31 But now much more in my absence. Work out your own. Salvation. With fear and trembling.

54:39 For it is God. Who works in you. Both to will. And to work.

54:47 For his good pleasure. As you sit here this morning. Do you find your will inclined. To the awesome standard.

54:56 Do you find your will inclined. To say oh Lord Jesus. I do love you for loving me. In all of my filth.

55:04 And uncleanness. In all of my vileness. And undone-ness. I thank you for loving me.

55:12 I thank you for dying for me. And Lord with all my heart. I do want to please you. And even when I hear the call.

55:20 To godly imitation coming. This command. This command. To take selective models.

55:28 Who reflect the pattern of Paul. And his associates. Lord you know. That with all my heart.

55:36 I will to obey it. My friend. If God has worked in you to will. He doesn't stop there.

55:44 Notice the text says. He works in us both to will. And to work. Now you can trust him for his grace.

55:52 If he has overcome the native. Indisposition of your will. That same power. That is worked in you to will.

56:00 Will work in you to perform. And this is where. You must go to the throne of grace. And cry to God.

56:08 And find the grace. At the same place. Where the apostle found it. For remember this is the same man.

56:16 Who wrote these words. When I would do good. In my members. Oh wretched man.

56:24 That I am. The man who wrote those words. Could say be imitators of me. And there is no contradiction.

56:32 Because in all of his. Felt weakness. He went to the throne of grace. And found strength in his savior.

56:41 He said I can do all things. Through him. Who strengthens me. And oh dear fellow believer.

56:49 Don't be driven back. Through your felt sense of weakness. Go to him. Who is committed to work in you.

56:57 Both to will and to work. For his good pleasure. And tell him Lord. You've got every right.

57:05 To set before me no less a standard. Than your son. And no less a standard. Than your eminent servant Paul.

57:13 And no less a standard. Than those men and women around me. In this very church. And I feel if I lived a hundred years.

57:21 I'd be like them. But Lord you said. I'm to mark them. I'm to engage in spiritual.

57:29 Follow the leader. Now Lord I'm not going to argue with your standard. But I'm going to come to the throne of grace. And seek from you the strength I need.

57:37 To be what I cannot be of myself. But what I must be. Because you command it. That's the response of a Christian.

Prayer for Grace and Obedience

57:45 May God grant. That it will be our response. Let us pray. Father we thank you.

57:53 For the word of God. We thank you. For every word. Breathed by the spirit.

58:02 Through your servants. And we pray. That you would give us a heart. To embrace this word.

58:10 Upon which we have meditated. This morning. We plead with you Lord. Against the dark backdrop.

58:18 Of so many. Who name your name. Who in reality. Are the enemies of the cross.

58:26 Or against that backdrop. May we set our vision. Upon the standard set. By your servant Paul.

58:35 And all those. Who reflect that standard. That he and his companions set. And pray.

58:43 That you would give us. The needed grace. As individual Christians. As fathers.

58:51 As mothers. As fathers. Help us in the selection. Of our intimate friends.

58:59 May we mark those. That so walk. As to be a true pattern. And example to us.

59:07 Gracious God. Have mercy upon those. Who sit amongst us. Who are not included in your family.

59:15 Who cannot be addressed. As brethren. We pray that if indeed. There is any hunger and thirst.

59:23 You would lead them. To embrace your beloved son. And show them. That only in union with him.

59:31 Then can they begin. To live the life. That you call your people to live. Seal then your word to our hearts.

59:39 And may it bear holy fruit. Even until the day. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.