Paul did not have a formal teaching
process. He did
not teach from a curriculum.
Instead Paul’s life was an open book and he intended
that everything he did would be of value for those who
observed him. 1
Corinthians 10:31 reflects this attitude as well.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do
it all for the glory of God.”
Paul did everything for God’s glory and expected
people to learn from it.
Specifically, Paul talks about the ways
that others are disciple by him in Philippians 4:8-9.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever
you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in
me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with
you.
Because Paul walks the walk and talks
the talk, he can tell people to do as he does and as he
says. This has
implications for every Christian because we are all
examples. Any
time that we go out in public and are around people who know
that we are Christians; we are going to be observed.
Christianity is going to be judged based on how we
act.
You’re well aware that the pastor is in
the spotlight wherever he goes.
People have certain expectations of the pastor.
But it is the same for every Christian.
For better or worse, all Christians are under the
same pressure as the pastor to live the Christian life as
well as they can, most just don't realize the
responsibility. You've probably heard it said as often
as I have that people don't want to have anything to do with
Christianity because they are hypocrites. Fair or
unfair that is the impression that a number of people have
of Christianity.
When pastors fall from grace, it is
high profile.
The media will latch onto the story and carry it wherever
they can go with it.
It is bad publicity for the Christian community.
But the truth is that most people do not judge
Christianity based on the slipups of a few wayward pastors.
They may read about the sins of a pastor but they are
most likely to judge Christianity based on what they have
experienced from Christians.
That means the average person in the pew goes much
further in shaping others opinions on Christianity than a
pastor because the average person knows many Christians but
not many pastors.
Pastors are held to a higher
standard by people who know them. People expect a
pastor to be "holier" than them. But the non-Christian
world isn't basing their view of Christianity on pastors,
they are basing it on the average Christian in the pew.
Paul instructed his readers to imitate
him. Paul writes
just this in 1 Corinthians 4:16, “Therefore I urge you to
imitate me.” As
a pastor, Paul knew that everyone was looking to him as an
example. He
could only set this example as long as he imitated Christ
however. In the
end, Christ is the standard for all of us.
Others will judge Christianity based on what we do
for better or worse, and the best that we can do is to
imitate Christ.
Paul wasn’t a perfect example though.
He was open and honest about his failings as well.
He writes that he is the chief of sinners.
He writes about wrestling with God over his thorn in
the flesh. Paul
was able to balance being a good Christian model and also
acknowledging his faults and that he wasn’t the perfect
model – only Jesus was and is.
