Imitatio Christi: Our Most Relevant Objective

Thomas à Kempis said once, “We must imitate Christ’s life and his ways if we are to be truly enlightened and set free from the darkness of our own hearts. Let it be the most important thing we do, then, to reflect on the life of Jesus Christ.”

And that is what Christianity is, at its heart--imitating Christ.

I am currently studying the interrelationship of the six (6) broad categories of the Christian faith, and the sum of these is--imitating Christ. It simply facilitates the following of Jesus.

Whether it is the prayer-filled life, the virtuous life of holiness, the Spirit-empowered (charismatic) life, the social justice life of compassion for those less fortunate, the evangelical, Word-centred life, or the incarnational, sacramental life, Christians have a role in imitating Christ through these traditions.[1]

So broad is the Christian faith though, we ‘specialise’ and God has placed a gift or two in our souls to discover our particular flavour and specialty of faith. Let us not become envious of others who have stronger leanings in a direction not entirely ours.

As Paul said to the Galatians, “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.” –Galatians 6:4 (NLT).

We are really apt at envying others with strengths different to ours; let us instead reject this for the ‘good life’ of humbly, peaceably and wisely seeking God:

“A good life makes a man wise according to God and gives him experience in many things, for the more humble he is and the more subject to God, the wiser and the more at peace he will be in all things.” –Thomas à Kempis.

The above quotes by the 15th Century mystic, monk and priest, who authored The Imitation of Christ, refer to the base we must have to realise the full weight of life.

There is the irony stated as simply as this in Jesus’ own words: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” –Mark 8:34b-36 (NIV).

When we are subject to God we are wiser and more peaceful ‘in all things.’

Jesus beckons us to follow him, by imitating him, and it’s the only way to truly know life. To lose our life for Christ is to paradoxically save it. It’s so weird yet so true. There’s no other way.

And what better way is there to imitate the Christ than to immerse ourselves in the gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We must swim into the text, paddle into the deep reaches of Jesus--his birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension and glorification, getting lost in the truth of the gospel--and hope beyond hope that we forever drown to our self and become a marathon swimmer for Christ who loves us.

Jesus beckons, “Follow me.”[2] He is saying ‘Imitate me,’ then you will truly live! Come and experience the fullness of me, is what Jesus is saying. There is more there than anyone can possibly digest, even in a lifetime.

Copyright © 2008, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

S

ENDNOTES:
[1] See Richard Foster, Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith (San Francisco & London: HarperCollins, 1998).
[2] See Matthew 4:19, 8:22, 10:38, 16:24, 19:21; Mark 1:17, 1:20, 2:14, 10:21; Luke 5:27, 9:23, 9:59, 14:27, 18:22; John 1:43, 8:12, 10:27, 12:26, 21:19, 21:22. Revelation 14:4 is further evidence that following Christ is the only way to go.