Imitating Christ

When Jesus calls us to follow him, he wants us to imitate his way of life. The simplest description for Jesus’ way is the single word “love”, and our way of love is to be patterned after his example.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34

The apostles urge us to imitate Christ.

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. 1 John 2:6

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. 1 Peter 2:21

To do this well, we need to recognize that there are two parts to truly imitating Jesus: doing what Jesus actually did and doing it for the same reasons that motivated him. Too often we may think of the imitation of Jesus as consisting of copying his actions, but without realizing the underlying motives need to be the same as well. For the sake of distinction, I call copying the actions without the motivations mimicking rather than imitating Jesus.

To illustrate the difference, the religious tradition in which I was raised sought to imitate the first-century church by carefully studying the New Testament scriptures, particularly Acts and Paul’s letters. However, even if we did replicate the actions of the early church, doing so because it was found in scripture is not why the early church acted as it did. They were not searching the scriptures for what to imitate, but thinking theologically about how to live. The scriptures actually reveal how the early church faced questions and problems, and thoughtfully came to their conclusions. We tended to mimic their conclusions but not their way of thinking. Something similar can affect our imitation of Christ.

While it is better to mimic Jesus than do nothing at all, we need to strive to truly imitate him in action and thought. This Christ-like mode of thinking is what Paul calls having the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). To look at things, to reason, and find our motivation in the manner of Christ’s thinking, is the more subtle aspect of imitating him.

Doing what Jesus did but without his motives is how we can be people who strive to be moral and serve others, while also being judgmental and condescending as we serve “sinners.” Helping the poor is the action of Jesus. We can do that and still inwardly look down on them, which is not the mind of Christ. We have only mimicked Jesus and not imitated him.

When we do not have the mind of Christ, the imitation of Christ, in the fullest sense, is impossible. Fortunately, learning to do the works of Christ and experiencing the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2) are gradual processes. We do not have to be perfect at our imitation, but at least striving to have both his mind and actions. What is essential is recognizing that true imitation flows from new understandings and a new mindset in order to be authentic imitation of Christ.