Take a good look at little children: how they act and talk. Look at how they imitate their beloved parents. A little girl loves to wear mom’s make up, mom’s shoes, and mom’s clothes. A little boy usually loves to pretend that he’s older and talk like his father, or imitate how his father drives.
God says that we should imitate Him like beloved children imitate their father (see Ephesians 5:1). The Greek word that was translated as “to imitate” is mimeomai that means “a mimic, an actor.” This verb is always used in exhortations, and always in the continuous tense, suggesting a constant habit or practice [Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1996]. Having the given explanation, “to imitate God” is then strongly related with “being transformed by the renewing of our mind” (see Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 4:23).
Hollywood film producers are always willing to pay grand sum of money for actors and actresses who take their roles very seriously. And when they’re in casting, we think that they are the kind of character that they’re playing.
Most actors and actresses always say that they meditate on the character and script. In some cases they add close observation over the character or situation that they’re supposed to play. In some true-story movies an in-depth interview with those involved in the real life situation is also conducted by the actors and actresses. On top of all that, they must spend an ample time to practice using the result of their meditation, observation and interview until they “master” their lines and characters.
All these efforts are done in order for them to play the characters well as if they’re going through the situation themselves. Some role expect the actor or actress have a certain physical change (gain/lose some weight, build muscles, cut/grow hair, etc.). That means they have to deny their flesh even though they may not like it personally, but they do it anyway.
However, is it spiritually-correct if we imitate God? A lot of Christians are taken aback with the idea that they are to talk and act like God. Religion has taught that there is no way man, the creation, can talk and act like God, the Creator.
There is nothing like Christianity! Check this out:
“Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]” (Ephesians 5:1, The Amplified Bible).
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (I John 2:6).
“As he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).
The above verses should settle the dispute whether it is right or not for us to act and talk like God. Some people may say, “Sister Maggy, it isn’t Jesus who says it but it’s the Apostles.” Well, let’s find out what Jesus says about being imitators of God.
Akolotheõ, the Greek word that Jesus most frequently used when He called the first twelve to follow Him. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (1996), says that the word is used metaphorically of “discipleship.”
Most people can’t relate the word “discipleship” with Christianity. However, when they hear the word in relation with a Hare-Krishna cult or black magic, it suddenly makes sense and acceptable. It is acceptable to see how followers (imitators) of Hare-Krishna act and talk like him. But not for Christians. The devil has twisted the truth in such a way that most Christians refuse to imitate God because they think that it’s blasphemous.
Well, NO! It’s time for us to get to the bottom of the matter and get to know the real thing so that we may cast down the twisted truth and freely imitate God until we become exactly like Him.
So, let’s consider ourselves as imitators (actors and actresses) of the Kingdom of God. When we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord, i.e. born again, we spiritually commit ourselves to an acting class in the Kingdom of God. When we were born again, God has given us the Instructor, i.e. Holy Spirit God, to indwell us and guide us in all our ways so that we can live like Jesus. God also has provided us with the perfect Script[ure] where we can find all kinds of things concerning Jesus – His characters, the way He reacts in life situations, what He says, etc.
Now, the Holy Spirit is the BEST INSTRUCTOR you can get if you want to imitate God. The Holy Spirit was there when God created the world (see Genesis 1:2). The Holy Spirit will teach us, guide us, remind us what we have to say and He will show us things to come (see John 14;26; 16:13). Besides that, He will give us the inside story of the Character, Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
Well, this is the kind of instructor we will never find in the natural. I mean, think of an instructor that will live with us and not take advantage of us, will not give up on us no matter how long it takes for us to get the job done and not receive payment, will give you all the secrets to succeed – to name some of the qualities that the Holy Spirit has. I believe NO ONE in the world will do like what the Holy Spirit does. All we need to do in our case as imitators of God is to yield to the written Word of God and His Spirit.
YIELD is probably the hardest thing do for a lot of Christians. Why? Because they think so. That’s why. As Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Remember the twelve spies who Moses sent to spy on Canaan? Those who gave bad reports told Moses and the congregation: “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:33).
This is how it applies to nowadays Christians. Say, we read a commandment of God to forgive other’s trespasses so that we can receive our forgiveness from the Lord (see Mark 11:25). Instead of yielding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to forgive someone who did us wrong, we shower Him with a dozen of excuses why we can’t [yet] do so. See what’s happening here: we think we can’t because of the pain the person has caused us. As we think we can’t, then we’re unable to do accordingly.
Another example. We read that when we desire something, we should pray, believe that we receive, then we’ll have it (see Mark 11:24). However, this is what most of us do. When we have a desire, we pray and pray and pray without believing that we receive. That’s why we never have it – because when we pray, we don’t believe that we receive it. Read the verse again, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24). Do you see that? We have to believe that we receive our desire come to pass while we’re praying, but we think that we should believe after we pray.
Our natural mind needs to be trained to yield to the Scripture and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Just like a movie actor putting on the mind and attitude of the character he’s playing, Christians are to do the same. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).
Let’s take this process one step at a time. We are in our acting class with the Scipture in our hands. Having read the Scripture, we are to meditate – picture ourselves in the situation so that we can understand the things involved: the emotions, the intonation, the facial expressions, etc. Then we practice our part. Having the understanding in mind, we practice the line, intonation, gestures and facial expressions. Of course, if we’re first-timers then we perhaps won’t get it right. But the more we practice, the more we perfect our playing the part.
When we continue in our obedience to the Word of God and Holy Spirit, that means we will have continual practice acting like God and talking God’s Word. When we discipline ourselves to act and talk a certain way, then after awhile the action and talking will become our nature. Then when a test or trial of our faith comes, we will immediately act and talk like God.
You know something? An actor is not called a good actor only because he says he’s good. He’s also not called a good actor only because he’s so good during rehearsal. An actor is proven good only when each time (not sometimes) the movie director shouts “Action!” – in faith walk, we call it a trial of faith – he plays well without any flaw.
God says that when we’re being faithful over a few things, then more will be given to us (see Matthew 25:21,23; Mark 4:24). In this case, what we do NOW about the knowledge and understanding of the Word of God that the Holy Spirit has revealed to us, will determine how far we can go with the Lord. If we diligently and faithfully do the Word, then more knowledge and revelation of God’s Word will come, in addition to our reward (see Hebrews 11:6).