Prison Letters: Pressing On (Pt. 2)

Philippians 3:17-19

“Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.”-Philippians 3:17 

Those are some bold words from a man being housed in prison as he was writing this letter. Prison is most likely not the aspiration of most believers, so words like this may cause many of us to pause and consider whether or not we want to follow the same path that Paul journeyed. 

In another letter Paul wrote:

“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”-1 Corinthians 11:1  

Paul wasn’t trying to blaze his own trail. He wasn’t trying to be an “original”. Instead he was passionately modeling his life after his Lord and Savior. This begs the question, who are you modeling your life after? If it’s Jesus, would people know from watching your life that you’re modeling His? Are you, yourself, living a life worth imitating? 

There are plenty of ungodly examples vying for our attention out there: 

“18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.”-Philippians 3:18-19

 Jesus is looking for more than verbal affirmation that we are committed to live like Him. Rather, it’s our conduct that proves us to be a friend or enemy of the cross of Christ? I love how The Passion Translation describes this passage: 

“My beloved friends, imitate my walk with God and follow all those who walk according to the way of life we modeled before you. For there are many who live by different standards. As I’ve warned you many times (I weep as I write these words), they are enemies of the cross of the Anointed One and doom awaits them.”-Philippians 3:17-18

Modeling Christ means living in accordance to the standards that He modeled for us. Patterning our life after His life. We should reflect His holiness, righteousness, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and compassion. We are to be faithful, loving, courageous and zealous for God. We are to make prayer a priority, the Word of God foundational, and know the Spirit of God intimately. We are to carry on His mission to seek and save the lost and make disciples of all nations. We are called not simply to believe in Christ, but to imitate Christ. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church