I have seen people who imitated VPW and other leaders slavishly in an apparent effort to become a VPW or LCM clone, and I've said before that I don't think the purpose of Christ in me is for me to become a clone of anyone. I think the purpose of Christ in me is to magnify the good aspects of MY personality, and allow me to fulfill that unique role that I have in the body of Christ. I have seen people who imitate VPW to the point of imitating his jokes about India paper and drinking Drambouie, but I think that the point of Christ in a particular person is to allow that person to be able to teach the Bible in his or her own particular style and with his or her own particular viewpoint. I happen to enjoy Drambouie and really filthy jokes, but I did those things before my involvement with TWI and I still do them now that my involvement with TWI has ended. I think each person's role in the body is unique and any effort to imitate each other actually diminishes the Body of Christ rather than enhancing it. We don't need multiple Jeaniams running around, it is sufficient (some would say more than sufficient) that we have one; and, if I can say this without causing an uproar and a huge misunderstanding, we don't really need multiple clones of Jesus Christ running around, we had one and he has fulfilled his role in the Body. Now what we need to do is add his good qualities in our hearts so we can fulfill our own unique roles in the Body, IMHO. Yes, I know the Bible tells us to be imitators of Christ, that's not precisely what I was trying to say.
Roy understood me very well. I was remembering a teaching I once heard on the subject of the uniqueness of everyone's gift of holy spirit, along the lines of my gift of holy spirit was uniquely suited to me and wouldn't work for you or any other believer, and the same for yours. I know there are verses that call upon us to be imitators of Christ, and also of Paul, but I don't think that means that we should try to be clones of each other. As Roy said, we should try to imitate their love, but in our own way, and being ourselves doing it.
the Greek word G3402. mimetes, mim-ay-tace'; from G3401; an imitator:--follower.
is were they get imitator I think
1 Cor 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye (followers) of me.
1 Cor 11:1 Be ye (followers) of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore (followers) of God, as dear children;
1 Th 1:6 And ye became (followers) of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
1 Th 2:14 For ye, brethren, became (followers) of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but (followers) of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Pet 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be (followers) of that which is good?
or at least these come from a word that can be imitator
It's interesting to me that most of these verses come from the writings of Paul. Never liked him very much. He is telling us to imitate or follow HIM (Paul) or to imitate those in the church. This sort of copy-cat behavior is what lots of folks did in TWI, and probably still do ... copying leadership, copying VPW, etc. Yuk!
Imitating Jesus would be a different story. Are there any verses in the Gospels where Jesus tells us to imitate him? I remember where he says we will do GREATER things than he, but I don't remember any place where he tells us to actually imitate him. I'm asking, that's all.
It's interesting to me that most of these verses come from the writings of Paul. Never liked him very much. He is telling us to imitate or follow HIM (Paul) or to imitate those in the church. This sort of copy-cat behavior is what lots of folks did in TWI, and probably still do ... copying leadership, copying VPW, etc. Yuk!
Imitating Jesus would be a different story. Are there any verses in the Gospels where Jesus tells us to imitate him? I remember where he says we will do GREATER things than he, but I don't remember any place where he tells us to actually imitate him. I'm asking, that's all.
There are many verses in the gospels where Jesus exhorts people to follow him, but it is a different Greek word (akoloutheo). I think it is significant that Paul encourages us to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1); imitate us AND the Lord (1 Th. 1:6). I assume that means to imitate his walk with God, not his flesh (drinking Drambouie, smoking cigars, dirty jokes, etc.). As I said before, I enjoy Drambouie and risque jokes, but that is who I am, and VPW (or any other leader) have nothing to do with it. Your post makes a good point in that I don't think we are ever encouraged by Paul to 'copy-cat behavior'. I think his meaning is completely different.
Sorry, guys, I forgot to log in again. This is Jean not John.
Been doing some thinking and decided to start a thread in the Doctrine section about Paul. Seems like the Way taught more "Paul-ism" than Christianity. And personally, I think Paul was a conspirator. I don't want to side-track Roy's "Mirror" discussion, so please continue this thoughtful topic, and also join me in Doctrinal if you'd like. -Shifra.
Shifra - yes there are none other than Paul's words - why be there soon to join you
excathedra - yes I like Shifra's reply too
Jean not johniam - yes not 'copy-cat behavior' but the same focus on love - Paul like the rest of us did not allways walk as Christ which is in the love of God
Recommended Posts
Bolshevik
Imitating helps us learn. Imitating twi leadership turned me into something I do not like.
We need to be mindful of what and who we imitate.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
The Guy in the Glass
by Dale Wimbrow, © 1934
When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that guy has to say.
For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Who judgement upon you must pass.
The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.
He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.
You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.
You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.
--
could veepee look himself straight in the eye ? maybe the glass one
Link to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved Bolshevik and excathedra
God loves you my dear friends
Bolshevik - yes me too " Imitating twi leadership turned me into something I do not like"
excathedra - I enjoy that poem - maybe VPW never looked into a mirror without a bag on his head
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
a barf bag ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Link to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved excathedra
God loves you my dear friend
I glad I made you laught
a used barf bag
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hahaha ha ha ha ha ha you made me laugh again, roy !!!!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved excathedra
God loves you my dear friend
I wrote a joke or truth in "way jokes, don't laugh till you hear the rim shot" for you
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jeaniam
I have seen people who imitated VPW and other leaders slavishly in an apparent effort to become a VPW or LCM clone, and I've said before that I don't think the purpose of Christ in me is for me to become a clone of anyone. I think the purpose of Christ in me is to magnify the good aspects of MY personality, and allow me to fulfill that unique role that I have in the body of Christ. I have seen people who imitate VPW to the point of imitating his jokes about India paper and drinking Drambouie, but I think that the point of Christ in a particular person is to allow that person to be able to teach the Bible in his or her own particular style and with his or her own particular viewpoint. I happen to enjoy Drambouie and really filthy jokes, but I did those things before my involvement with TWI and I still do them now that my involvement with TWI has ended. I think each person's role in the body is unique and any effort to imitate each other actually diminishes the Body of Christ rather than enhancing it. We don't need multiple Jeaniams running around, it is sufficient (some would say more than sufficient) that we have one; and, if I can say this without causing an uproar and a huge misunderstanding, we don't really need multiple clones of Jesus Christ running around, we had one and he has fulfilled his role in the Body. Now what we need to do is add his good qualities in our hearts so we can fulfill our own unique roles in the Body, IMHO. Yes, I know the Bible tells us to be imitators of Christ, that's not precisely what I was trying to say.
Edited by JeaniamLink to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved Jeaniam
God loves you my dear friend
I agree "the purpose of Christ in me is for me to become a clone of anyone"
yes "each person's role in the body is unique"
yes "add his good qualities in our hearts so we can fulfill our own unique roles in the Body" his kind of love, joy, peace and so on
yes love like Christ love is what I see we are to try to imitatore his love but in our own way being ourself doing it
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
jeannyam, what are you trying to say ?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jeaniam
Roy understood me very well. I was remembering a teaching I once heard on the subject of the uniqueness of everyone's gift of holy spirit, along the lines of my gift of holy spirit was uniquely suited to me and wouldn't work for you or any other believer, and the same for yours. I know there are verses that call upon us to be imitators of Christ, and also of Paul, but I don't think that means that we should try to be clones of each other. As Roy said, we should try to imitate their love, but in our own way, and being ourselves doing it.
BTW, thanks for the poem. I really enjoyed it.
Edited by JeaniamLink to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved excathedra and Jeaniam
God loves you my dear friend
Jeaniam - yes I understood
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ham
What I wonder.. when God looks at us, is he looking in His mirror?
:)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved Mr. Hammeroni
God loves you my dear friend
I hope so
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jeaniam
Well, we were taught that he is looking at us through what Jesus Christ accomplished on our behalf.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved Jeaniam
God loves you my dear friend
yes Jesus christ must be the mirror of God
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shifra
I love the way Roy thinks. Thanks for helping the rest of us think some of these thoughts too!
Just wanted to say that I tried to look up the word "imitate" in my Young's Concordance, and ... it aint there!
Well - maybe it is, and I'm just not seeing it - still pretty early in the morning - I need another cup of coffee.
I know we sure heard a lot about "imitating" Christ while in TWI. Where is that verse? What's the biblical meaning of "imitate"?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved Shifra
God loves you my dear friend
the Greek word G3402. mimetes, mim-ay-tace'; from G3401; an imitator:--follower.
is were they get imitator I think
1 Cor 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye (followers) of me.
1 Cor 11:1 Be ye (followers) of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore (followers) of God, as dear children;
1 Th 1:6 And ye became (followers) of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
1 Th 2:14 For ye, brethren, became (followers) of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but (followers) of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Pet 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be (followers) of that which is good?
or at least these come from a word that can be imitator
you all ways bless my heart thanks
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shifra
Roy,
It's interesting to me that most of these verses come from the writings of Paul. Never liked him very much. He is telling us to imitate or follow HIM (Paul) or to imitate those in the church. This sort of copy-cat behavior is what lots of folks did in TWI, and probably still do ... copying leadership, copying VPW, etc. Yuk!
Imitating Jesus would be a different story. Are there any verses in the Gospels where Jesus tells us to imitate him? I remember where he says we will do GREATER things than he, but I don't remember any place where he tells us to actually imitate him. I'm asking, that's all.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
i liked your post, shifra
Link to comment
Share on other sites
johniam
There are many verses in the gospels where Jesus exhorts people to follow him, but it is a different Greek word (akoloutheo). I think it is significant that Paul encourages us to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1); imitate us AND the Lord (1 Th. 1:6). I assume that means to imitate his walk with God, not his flesh (drinking Drambouie, smoking cigars, dirty jokes, etc.). As I said before, I enjoy Drambouie and risque jokes, but that is who I am, and VPW (or any other leader) have nothing to do with it. Your post makes a good point in that I don't think we are ever encouraged by Paul to 'copy-cat behavior'. I think his meaning is completely different.
Sorry, guys, I forgot to log in again. This is Jean not John.
Edited by johniamLink to comment
Share on other sites
Shifra
Been doing some thinking and decided to start a thread in the Doctrine section about Paul. Seems like the Way taught more "Paul-ism" than Christianity. And personally, I think Paul was a conspirator. I don't want to side-track Roy's "Mirror" discussion, so please continue this thoughtful topic, and also join me in Doctrinal if you'd like. -Shifra.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved Shifra, excathedra, and Jean not johniam
God loves you my dear friend
Shifra - yes there are none other than Paul's words - why be there soon to join you
excathedra - yes I like Shifra's reply too
Jean not johniam - yes not 'copy-cat behavior' but the same focus on love - Paul like the rest of us did not allways walk as Christ which is in the love of God
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.