DM#23: Be ye followers of me

Doctrine of the Mysteries #23

Be ye followers of me

1Co 1:11-12  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.  (12)  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

There are two points to extract from verse 12. The first is a truth that babes in Christ will incline to outward attractions over spiritual truth. The second is a yearning that people would choose to follow Paul, or more accurately, Paul’s doctrine, than that of Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), or the earthly ministry of Christ. Let me elaborate on both points.

Outward attractions over spiritual truth

The immature believers at Corinth could not recognize and receive the spiritual truths of Paul’s doctrine. He had to talk to them, “as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.”, 1Cor 3:1. It is this same immaturity that caused them to side with a particular type of minister, attracted more to outward characteristics that met their preferences than the spiritual value of the message taught, 2Tim 4:3.

Until we learn that Paul’s doctrine has got nothing to do with religion, or outward performances, or reforming the flesh, we will never grow past being babes or children in Christ. Paul’s doctrine is spiritual and works from the inside of us to the outside. After we get saved, it is the spirit of our mind that needs renewing. As we grow in knowledge and understanding in our spiritual mind, our natural (outer) lives will reflect this inside change, by bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit as we get more and more influenced by the workings of the Word within us. Paul encapsulates it perfectly in this passage,

Eph 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other [unsaved] Gentiles walk, in the vanity [emptiness] of their [carnal] mind,  (18)  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:  (19)  Who being past feeling [seared conscience] have given themselves over unto carnality, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  (20)  But ye have not so learned Christ;  (21)  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:  (22)  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  (23)  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  (24)  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness [through the light of the Word].

Who to follow

Following Paul is to follow his doctrine which is designed as a curriculum to bring spiritual growth through knowledge and understanding of the mysteries. We are to gain knowledge and spiritual understanding, systematically, from Romans to Philemon, which will guide us into deeper and deeper truth concerning our salvation, our spiritual growth, our purpose, our calling, and our vocation in the coming ages.

It is only Paul’s doctrine that will prepare us for this. This is why Paul tells us to follow him (his doctrine), as seen in these references,

1Co 4:16  Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 

1Co 11:1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

It is important to understand that we rightly divide Paul’s doctrine from the rest of scripture when it comes to application, but this does not mean that we ignore the rest of the scriptures. It is specifically Paul’s epistles that is addressed to us and for our application, but all the Bible is for us and for our learning. It is only when we study the rest of the scriptures that we can appreciate what God is doing in His greater plan of redemption, how we fit into that plan, and what our purpose and destination is compared to Israel and their prophetic scriptures. Paul confirms this at the end of his foundational letter to the Romans, saying that we are stablished by three things, and in this order, (1) his gospel, (2) our doctrine, ‘the revelation of the mystery’, and (3) the rest of scripture, ‘the scriptures of the prophets’.

Rom 16:25-26  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,  (26)  But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

When we study the Bible as prescribed by the Bible, it becomes clear that we follow Christ by knowledge and application of Paul’s doctrine. We will also discover that this is the only way to grow up and mature in spiritual things. If we ignore following Paul, and we ignore the curriculum set out for us in his letters, we will remain babes in Christ, restricted to the milk of the Word, limited in spiritual understanding, and trapped in carnal ways of living.