What does it mean to be an imitator of God?  What a question!  As a child I remember the commercial “Be like mike”.  It was advertising some sort of something that Michael Jordan was promoting.  It became a slogan throughout society.  Be Like Mike.   I was never a great basketball star but I loved the game and so if I were going to be like Mike then that meant I needed to wear a certain kind of basketball shoes, dribble between my legs when I came down the court, and even have my tongue hanging out when I drove the lane.  Now you certainly don’t have to do any of those things in order to play the game of basketball, but if you were going to be like Micheal Jordan then it was certain that you absolutely had to do these things.   One could say that whole campaign was built on imitating Micheal Jordan. This tactic has been used many, many times throughout the years in marketing, because it is effective! I have spoken at length over the years about the influence of that my papaws have had on me. For example, my Papaw Lonnie wore overalls and loved horses. When I was young, we rode horses all over the mountains.  He would often say, “there is nothing better than riding a red Tennessee walking horse and finding a beautiful place.”   A few years back I was riding through the deer woods, and it just dawned on me, I was riding a big red Tennessee walking horse while wearing overalls. If someone that knew my papaw Lonnie were to see me, I am certain they would say, “you look like your papaw Lonnie”.  Why?  Because I was doing the same things that he liked to do.  One could also say that I was imitating him.    It’s really a very simple concept that is so often overlooked in our daily Christian lives.

Ephesians 5:1 says, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.” 

Scripture teaching us how we ought to live as a child of God, but there is not anything clearer than this passage in Ephesians.  It simply states to imitate God.  How is this possible?  He is God, we cannot possibly imitate that?  Let us take a closer look at what it means to imitate God.

This word translated as “imitators” or “followers” in English versions of the Bible is mimētai in the Greek, the root of our word mimic.

Simply put, it means to do the things that God does.   Live as Jesus does. Act as Jesus does. 

Acts 11:26 says “And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

They were first called Christians because the things they said and the things they did were the same things that Jesus said and did. They were imitating Christ and therefore people started calling them Christians because they were like Jesus! Would someone be able to look at your life and say that you are imitating Jesus? That is a very sobering question.   So, what would mimicking, or doing the things Jesus did look like? How do we do that? Let’s look at scripture.

Philippians 2:5 says “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”

Have the mind of Christ or think like Jesus.  This seems impossible.  We are flesh.  

Galatians 5:17 says “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”  

Romans 8:7-8 says “Because the [a]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Scripture makes it very clear that a carnal, or fleshly mentality makes it impossible to please God.  You can’t live a life of sin and not be at odds with Jesus.  It just doesn’t work that way.  The enemy would love for us to believe that we can just ascribe to follow our emotions or feelings and do the things our flesh seeks to do and it be ok, when the reality is that flesh wars against the Spirit.  Flesh is against the way of the Lord.  You can’t be like Jesus and live like the flesh. 

So how is it possible for a person who is flesh, a human being, to be an imitator of Jesus?

God’s Word makes it clear that this is absolutely necessary and God gives us clear instruction how to attain the mind of Christ. 

Romans 12:2 is clear, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

We must allow our mind to be renewed.  Allow the Spirit of God to shape our thoughts.  The Word of God is the key to this.  Junk in-junk out, or God in- God out.  We consume God’s Word and it won’t be long and we will begin to act and react the way Jesus did!  For example, as Jesus tells us to love our enemies. 

Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”

Now our first instinct would be to get revenge on someone that did us wrong or maybe that someone we didn’t like very much didn’t receive much of a blessing.  That doesn’t seem much like something that Christ would do.  If that is our thoughts or actions then we are certainly not imitating Jesus.   To live as Jesus would be to love them anyway.  Bless them anyway.  Why?  First because Jesus said to and secondly that’s what He does.   To be a “Christian” we must be Christ like.  To be Christ like we must do the things He says. 

Just as being like Mike meant driving to the goal with my tongue hanging out  because that’s what Jordan did, in the same manor being like Jesus means laying my flesh aside in order to be in right standing with God.  Jesus loved the sinner, so shall i.  Jesus humbled Himself to the lowly state of a servant, so shall i.  Christ didn’t cast the first stone, loved the unlovable, was kind to those who were unkind to Him, blessed with no intention of ever charging a fee etc.  If Christ did these things so shall I.  I want to be like Christ.  I want to be an imitator of Jesus. 

This is the main point…Galatians 2:20 reads” I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Jesus living in us.  His Holy Spirit.  I get Holy Ghost bumps just thinking about this.  We can truly be like Jesus because we have the opportunity to have Jesus live within us.  His Spirit leading us In all truth. 

John 16:13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

Surrender to Jesus, and His will.  Allow the Holy Spirit to lead your life.  Intake as much of God’s Word as you possibly can.  Humble yourself before the Lord daily.  As you begin to do these things you will begin to see Jesus working in you.  Your lives will begin to look like a person following Jesus, and even more specifically, a person who is imitating Jesus.  Living like Christ because it is Christ who is actually living in us!!