I have heard pastors say
before, “Live as I say, not as I do”—they will say, “Don’t follow me, follow
Jesus,” but is that the biblical pattern for leadership? Is that the model Paul left for us? No; in v. 16 of chapter 4 he calls for the
Christians at Corinth to “be imitators
of (him).” He says, “I’ll set the
pattern…you follow—follow me as I follow Christ.”
Those who say “Do as I say
and not as I do” are guilty of what Jesus accused the Pharisees of doing. In Matthew 23:2-4, he says,
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit
on Moses’ seat…they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens,
hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not
willing to move them with their finger.
The Scribes and the
Pharisees had all of their doctrines in order—they knew the Bible—they could
quote God’s law better than anyone. They,
however, had a major problem—they did not have a lifestyle to match.
Paul doesn’t say here
“Follow my teachings.” He says, “Follow
my life.” Can you say that? Can you tell people, “If you live the way I
live, then you will be living the life Christ has called you to live?” Can you say that? If not, what needs to change? What in your life is out of sync spiritually?
Discipleship is so much
more that teaching principles to people.
Discipleship is living principles in front of people. That’s the way Paul viewed it, and that’s why
he called for people to follow him as he followed Christ.
