Should We Imitate Christ?

By Matthew LaMaster
Aug 13, 2024

A few decades ago, a trend swept the nation which has been much lampooned since. The phrase, “What Would Jesus Do?” (WWJD), was plastered all over bracelets, bumper stickers, t-shirts, and anything else on which Evangelicals can make a buck. The phrase and trend caused some concern: Jesus died on the cross to save sinners. Do we also die on the cross to save sinners? This side of glory, will we ever live as blamelessly as Christ did? Jesus is wholly God and wholly man; the rest of us are wholly man and wholly not-God. Could we ever truly imitate him? In essence, to teach the imitation of Christ might endanger the whole idea of the gospel and salvation.

This is why Marguerite Shuster says, “What we need, and what the NT offers us, is first and foremost, not an example, but a Savior,”¹ to which we might add similar statements by Alister McGrath.²

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Biblical Foundations for Imitating Christ

The problem with these objections is, of course, that the New Testament repeatedly seems to frame Jesus’ example as the ultimate example.³ Consider the following:

• When pointing to his own example for imitation, Paul refers both the Corinthians (1 Cor 11:1) and the Thessalonians (1 Thess 1:6) to the ultimate model presented by Christ. The implication is not only that Paul wants them to imitate Christ, but that he himself is doing so.
• After recounting the heroes of faith (Hebrews 11), the author of Hebrews presents Christ as the climax of the example list (Heb 12:1–4). “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered...” (Heb 5:8–9).
• If the Gospels function similarly to ancient Greco-Roman biographies, as Richard Burridge argues,⁴ then part of their purpose is to encourage imitation of their subject—Jesus.
• Paul's moral imperatives often refer back to Christ’s example. E.g., Galatians 5:22 speaks of love as fruit of the Spirit, and Gal 2:20 frames it in Christ’s love: “who loved me and gave himself for me.”
• Romans 15:7: “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you.”
• John 13:34: “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” Similar statements appear in John 13:15, 15:12, and 1 John 4:10.
• Peter uses Christ’s suffering as a model in 1 Peter 2:18–25, based on Isaiah 53.
• Jesus himself, in Matthew 26:20–28 and Mark 10:35–45, presents himself as a servant model: “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.”

Clearly, the New Testament puts forth Christ as the ultimate example of the Christian life. Imitation is impossible to avoid for honest readers of the Scriptures. The question is not “should we imitate Christ?” but “how should we imitate Christ?”

If not carefully articulated, imitation can eclipse the gospel and drift into works-righteousness. So how can we be faithful to Scripture without undermining salvation by grace?

Three Guardrails for Imitating Christ

1. Discontinuity Between Christ and Us

New Testament authors assume some discontinuity between the imitator and the imitated. Paul says, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1), but he doesn’t assume total likeness. Likewise, Jesus’ words in Matthew 26 show a clear distinction between himself and his disciples.

2. Imitation Is Empowered by the Atonement

True imitation flows from the cross. Galatians 2:20 roots our life in the love of Christ who died for us. We manifest Christ’s character because he first saved us. Our obedience is enabled by the new covenant (Jer 31:31–34).

3. Imitation Happens Through Union with Christ

We imitate Jesus because we are united to him. Hebrews 3:14 says we are “sharers in him.” Without union, there is no true imitation.

Conclusion

The imitation of Christ is a Biblical concept—but not the shallow, Pelagian one found in WWJD slogans. That we can leave behind. But for those longing to live a life pleasing to God, full of grateful response to the gospel, a life of true service—we say, look “to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb 12:2).