Follow The Leader

by Charles Wages

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps."

1 Peter 2:21

It has been generally accepted that all humans follow someone at sometime in their lives. This makes for followers and leaders. To the believer in Christ there is only one true leader, the Lord Jesus Christ, "the author and finisher (perfecter) of our faith."

Our Scripture text admonishes and challenges us, "Ye should follow his steps." Can we truly "follow his steps?" Let's consider the very first step, "who knew no sin" (1 Peter 2:22). We all would fail the very first step. The Scripture is very clear on the subject of sin when it says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Surely, it can be seen that this verse did not mean that we needed to follow the Lord in His perfect, sinless life in order to be saved from our sin. Some, mistakenly, imply this when they say "we must follow Him in the beautiful waters of baptism." Is this what our Scripture text was implying? If so, could we follow him in all the Jewish ordinances that He went through, such as those mentioned in Luke 2:21-24? Can we follow Him as He walked upon the waters or raised the dead? The answer, of course, is no!

Why do some try to "follow the Lord?" The answer is not always what God intends. Let's consider a few. In John 6:1-2 we read.

"After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased."

Note, "they followed him because they saw the miracles." The natural man likes to see something spectacular. This is true in the "religious" realm as well as the physical. In the same chapter of John is the account of Jesus feeding the 5000. This was a wonderful, miraculous act by our Lord. Many, no doubt, followed Him because of the food. Men like to eat. The natural man loves money, and many follow Him for riches or personal gain. This is the reason, sometimes, that people "join" large churches. Are any of these true spiritual reasons for following the Lord? Certainly not!

How should we try to follow His example? We know that God understands that we cannot live perfectly as He lived, but certainly we can make an effort to live righteously by His power. For example, there was no "guile found in his mouth." The word "guile" implies deceit or laying a snare. We should strive to be honest, and trustworthy in our speech. We are told that "when he was reviled, he reviled not again." In other words, He was not abusive or threatening in His behavior. Can we follow Him in this type of behavior? We certainly can by yielding to His power. He gave, we can give; He prayed, we can pray; He died for sin, we can die to sin; He loved, we can love. Also, there are many spiritual reasons for following the Lord. For example, we need the companionship. The old hymn, "Trust and Obey" says, "When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way." As we view our lives for Him in this "dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph. 3:2), we are instructed by the apostle Paul to:

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

1 Cor. 11:1

Certainly the apostle wasn't encouraging us to just be "Paulites," but only as God had directed him in the revelation given to him by the risen Lord. The message for the Church of this age, the body of Christ, is principally given to believers in Paul's epistles. In Philippians 3:17, we are instructed, "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample."

By "rightly dividing the Word of Truth" (2 Tim. 2:15), we can make distinctions between how to follow the Lord according to Old Testament principles, and our walk today as members of His Church, the body of Christ, in which the distinction between Jew and Gentile has been abolished.

We can follow the Lord in prayer and praise. We can follow Him in worship and work. We can follow Him in blessings and battles. We know we cannot love enough or live enough to save people from sin as He did. However, we can love enough to help those who are afflicted by the sin of the world. John 3:16 tells us of God's love to save us, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

1 John 3:16 tells us of the love we can show to others because of His great love to us. "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Last Updated: 12/20/1999