Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.

Romans 15:4

Christianity is built not on precepts alone but on concrete examples. One of God’s methods of instruction is through history. It tells us how men knew and did his will, so that by observing their lives we may not only discover that will for ourselves, but learn also how we too may do it. His hand in their lives produced his desire in them, and he bids us to take note, so that we may better understand what he designs to do in us.

Is it necessary for a child to be told explicitly how to do everything? Must each item be specifically permitted or forbidden? Is there not much he can discover simply by watching his parents?

We can learn more readily by what we see than by what we hear, and the impression upon us is deeper, because of course precepts are abstract, whereas examples tangibly demonstrate their outworking. In principle the ways of God are the same today as in Bible days. He has given us so much history in the Old Testament in order that through patience and comfort of the scribe too may have hope

Watchman Née

The whole idea of Christianity is that of discipleship. Our issue lies in the fact that many Christians have no idea what that word means. Some think that it’s learning catechisms or creeds given by pastors and teachers in group sessions. For many Christians their idea of discipleship is gathering with other believers once a week and engaging in a few rituals before returning to their daily lives.

But biblical discipleship is far more than memorizing or learning how to properly practice a given set of rituals. This biblical discipleship requires patterning one’s life after someone who is demonstrating a life that reflects Christ.

Jesus defined discipleship in answer to Phillip’s request to see God. Phillip apparently thought that Christ and the Father were somehow separate and different. His thinking stemmed from Old Testament precepts that taught that God was unapproachable as He was holy and humans were sinful. The best one could do was to worship afar off and hope that their rituals were acceptable. He has observed that Christ was extremely approachable. As a matter of fact even those who were sinners and lepers could approach Him. Phillip no doubt saw Christ as a great teacher or prophet, but he didn’t quite grasp that Christ was as much God as the Father.

I have no doubt that Christ’s reply shook Phillip’s precepts about God for there is a vast difference between reading about God and actually being in His presence. But in truth God never intended to be the subject of books, lessons, or lectures. His desire was and still is to make Himself known personally to every human being. While the priests and religious leaders hid God behind a curtain for only a select few, Christ openly made Him known. Let’s read that story: “Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not say on My own initiative authority, but the Father, abiding in Me, does His works [His attesting miracles and acts of power]. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe [Me] because of the [very] works themselves [which you have witnessed].”

John 14:8-11

And for three and a half years, the disciples walked with Jesus, listened to His words, watched Him work, and learned to copy His life. This became obvious after Christ went away and the disciples were on trial for their actions:

“Now when the men of the Sanhedrin (Jewish High Court) saw the confidence and boldness of Peter and John, and grasped the fact that they were uneducated and untrained [ordinary] men, they were astounded, and began to recognize that they had been with Jesus.”

Acts 4:13

Why did they make such a statement? Is was simply that what these men were saying and doing was the exact replica of what they had observed in Christ. Discipleship defined.

Lest we think that discipleship stopped here we fast forward to the apostle Paul who himself had become not only a disciple of Christ but also one who learned from the original disciples:

“and he took some food and was strengthened.Saul Begins to Preach ChristFor several days [afterward] Saul remained with the disciples who were at Damascus. But Saul increased in strength more and more, and continued to perplex the Jews who lived in Damascus by examining [theological evidence] and proving [with Scripture] that this Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). So he was with them, moving around freely [as one among them] in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.”

Acts 9: 19, 22, 28

Finally, he writes these words to the

“Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”

1 Corinthians 11:1

Again discipleship defined. This is the biblical pattern and requires that each believer learns from those who model in both word and deed, Christ. There is no place for saying, “Do as I say, not as I do.” The truth is that everyone, children, new believers, and even sinners do more of what they see than what they hear. If we wish new believers to become worshippers then those of us who are supposed to be seasoned saints must first worship. If we expect new Christians to develop a healthy prayer life then they must hear us pray. If we desire they live righteous lives then we must stop “excusing our French@ and live so that we are the models of Christ pleasing lives.

It just could be that if there were more living examples, we would need less instruction. As the father of adult children now I’ve come to realize that the habits of my children stem for the most part from what they saw than what they heard.

It’s time for a revolution of the church. It’s time that the most powerful sermons are those preached without words but instead through the visible conduct and actions of the people of God. When that occurs we will discover that those who do not know Christ will say to us what Phillip said to Jesus, “Show us God.” And we will respond as Paul did: “Follow me as I follow Christ.”