“IMITATE THEIR FAITH”
A. Roy Steven
I have an impression in relation to imitation. Scripture seems to support that thought. The apostle Paul said, “Be my imitators, even as also am of Christ”, 1 Corinthians 11: 1. In this book from which we have read there is the exhortation
to imitate the faith of leaders who have been faithful in their own lives, having walked in relation to God. The word is to remember such and to imitate their faith, (Hebrews 13: 7). We are thankful—that there have been found among us faithful persons, persons of worth, persons who have continued in the testimony in faithfulness to God, persons whose faith we do well to imitate.
There is much imitation in the world, much of which is not according to God. The enemy would work to bring in the spirit of the world amongst us, especially in this day of extreme outward weakness in which we are. It is a time when many, alas, are doing what is right in their own eyes. Persons have their own standards and do what is pleasing to themselves. We would do well to remember that, in spite of the breakdown and outward weakness, God’s standard remains. God is not, in any way, changing His standard. Christ has set out God’s standard and He is going on with Christ and what is of Christ. We do well to keep our eyes in the right direction, looking off unto Jesus.
There are some who are ready to imitate what is wrong. Persons who take on the truth casually tend to become unfaithful and worldly, and others seem ready to imitate that kind of thing. I do not have anyone specially in mind, but there is such an element at the present time.
God would keep what is pleasing and delightful to Him before our hearts. We are thankful that we are finding encouragement; as we gather together from time to time we have a conscious sense of divine support; God is keeping what is very precious and delightful to His heart before us, stimulating and strengthening us in spite of outward weakness and the tendency with some to be casual. Let us go on in faithfulness to God, using the Spirit and all that is placed at our disposal so that there may be spiritual growth marking us and a fuller answer to God’s desires.
The Hebrews were in danger of slipping away. It was a testing time. The writer of the epistle, who we believe was the beloved apostle Paul, was able to remind them of God and of His faithfulness and righteousness—“God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the love which ye have shewn to his name”. It was a dark day in Israel when God, in seeking to serve His people, said, “I remember for thee … the love of thine espousals”, Jeremiah 2: 2. God will never forget our brightest day. So He would come in with encouragement and would strengthen us, so that if we become lax in any way, or discouraged, tending to imitate what is wrong, God would remind us that He is not unrighteous—He remembers our brightest day and would bring us back to it.
I have specially in mind what we get in verse 12—“ … that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience have been inheritors of the promises”. Let us imitate such, dear brethren; we have had such in the past and we have such persons now amongst us; let us imitate them—persons who have suffered, but have remained faithful. In Hebrews 11 we see how persons who did not have many of the advantages that we have at the present time suffered, but their faith was in God. They were marked by faith and hope in spite of outward limitations and suffering, and I am certain they had a conscious sense of the compensation that God would give to those who are committed to His will.
So let us be imitators of such persons and not be of those who are falling out by the way. We need faith, we need patience; we learn these things from Christ; He is the Leader and Completer of faith. Think of the patience that marked Him! Think of the patience God has exercised toward each one of us! Let us be built up in these features and be found moving, here in simplicity and without presumption. As a poor and afflicted people, let us be found here valuing what is of God and keeping to what is right. May it be so.
Word at meeting for ministry, Brooklyn, N.Y.
9 April 1974