In one first-trimester class I was teaching at the Christlike Disciplemakers’ Movement Bible College, I labored to emphatically impress the superiority of the pursuit of Christlikeness on the hearts of my hearers by explaining that while we can—and definitely should—look to various characters in the Bible worth modelling, it is on Jesus that our eyes ought to be fixed (Hebrews 12:2). My goal was far from disparaging the eminent cloud of witnesses, but to explain that each Bible character, regardless of the impressive noble traits s/he possessed, is, ultimately, supposed to (I hope Paul won’t mind my borrowing his metaphor) be a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). This point was met with unexpected dissent: a gentleman in the class insisted on the needlessness of the distinction between (or hierarchization of) Christ and other Biblical saints, since we can learn as much from, say, Elijah as we can from Christ.  

This fellow’s argument is not novel. It is, to my mind, only one expression of the protean argument that Christlikeness is an exaggerated ideal since it is in reality impossible, a point which is often underscored by appealing to verses such as Psalm 14:1-4 and Romans 3:10, 23 to show that even the Bible acknowledges our imperfection—which is even further reinforced by pointing to certain characters in the Bible who attracted God’s favor despite pursuing apparently un-Christlike lifestyles.

This text is an apologia for Christlikeness in the light of these seemingly plausible arguments. To do this, I explain that a steadier grasp of the ways of God includes moving away from the simplistic and dangerous assumption that God’s silence on an issue is proof of his endorsement. More importantly, rather than recklessly modelling certain Biblical characters as they are described (but in some cases, not prescribed), we ought to (in fact, God expects us to) rigorously subject them to the spiritual litmus test of Christlikeness. In the end, I show that it is possible to pursue (a distorted kind of) being Biblical, but miss Christlikeness.

"Rather than recklessly modelling certain Biblical characters as they are described (but in some cases, not prescribed), we ought to rigorously subject them to the spiritual litmus test of Christlikeness."

There are many things I am uncertain about. But the beau ideal of life is not one of them. It is my firmest conviction that no purpose or ambition can ever outweigh—in nobility or (eternal) worth—the life consciously dedicated to daily becoming more like Christ. And this is not a naïve argument. The onus probandi lies on those who claim otherwise. The Christian’s eternal destiny has long been sealed: “we know that when we see Jesus, we will become like him” (1 John 3:2), taking his very glorious heavenly image just as we have taken the lowly image of the man of dust (1 Corinthians 15: 49; Philippians 3:21). Lest it should be imagined a quick-fix remedy by God, Paul explains that Christlikeness has been on God’s eternal agenda (Romans 8:29). This is in perfect harmony with the story of the beginning of things: God created man in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26)—an image which was compromised until all people everywhere became deficient in God’s glory (Romans 3:23). The story of life can be summarized into three major timelines: first, God created man in his own image; second, man lost this image due to sin; and, third, God, through Christ—who is the image of God (Colossians 1:15)—is working to restore man to his image. Unless we associate deception with God, imagine him as Pharoah (i.e., a hard taskmaster who demands the loftiest standards from others without giving them the necessary resources), or attribute impotence to the Holy Spirit (despite 2 Corinthians 3:18), the argument that Christlikeness is impossible or an exaggerated ideal is at best specious.  

But the pursuit of becoming like Christ has never implied that no other person apart from Christ can be modelled. Since we are not the first people to have a relationship with God, it is in our best interest to learn as much as we can from the host of saints who have gone ahead of us. If you want to be a friend of God and walk in great faith, you would find helpful resources in Abraham’s School of Faith and Intimacy with God. If you would like to explore the boundless possibilities of prayer, there are a host of mentors: Joshua, the man who dared to ask what seemed impossible and stupid—that the sun stand still (Joshua 10:12-14)—or the man to whom Apostle James points as a stellar example of an earnest pray-er: Elijah (Jas. 5:17). There are Gideon, David, Deborah and Esther, from whom we learn that regardless of gender or social standing, God is able to use anyone for his purposes. Daniel and his colleagues serve as a perpetual testament that if people take a stand for God, even in the face of severe persecution, God comes through for them, whether they be put in a burning furnace or in a lions’ den. We learn from Enoch that God can be walked with (Gen. 5:24).

The point is that if the things written in the Scriptures are indeed for our edification (Romans 15:4), we can be sure that the characters in the Bible, particularly the godly ones, are for a purpose: to be of help to us in our journey to heaven. Experience may, in some cases, be the best teacher, but wise people know that it is needless to learn everything by experience. This is especially true in our relationship with God: a lifetime is distressingly infinitesimal to fully know the eternal God. Paul, even, despite all the mysteries that was revealed to him, tells us that the ways of God are inscrutably deep (Romans 11:33). Precisely because of this, modelling godly Biblical characters is crucial and necessary. 

"Experience may, in some cases, be the best teacher, but wise people know that it is needless to learn everything by experience."

But this should not mean that modelling cannot be careful, intentional and selective. Nowhere has the Bible implied that we have to copy everything about a particular person. The Bible, instead, tends to point to specific things to model from specific people: the faith of our leaders (Hebrews 13:7); patience, hard work and faith of those who inherited God’s promises (Hebrews 6:12); discipline and hard work of preachers, specifically Paul, Silas and Timothy (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9); the sufferings of Paul because of the gospel (1 Corinthians 4:9-16); Paul’s example in pressing on to win the heavenly prize (Philippians 3:14-17). 1 Corinthians 11:1 sums it up: we can imitate godly characters, but since they are not flawless, our imitation of them should only be to the extent to which they themselves imitate Christ.  

What this suggests, also, is that in certain cases, it might even be possible to model specific traits of ungodly people (in this sense, people who were not necessarily followers of God or who dabbled in explicitly un-Christlike lifestyles). This is because role modelling does not necessarily mean that the role aspirant ought to have similar motives or objectives as the model. One may model another’s skill, for example, but for a different purpose. I have explained elsewhere my admiration of the resoluteness of the people of Israel when Jeremiah was sent to warn them about impending disaster in hope of triggering repentance. They were so defiant as to tell Jeremiah not to waste his breath because they had stubbornly decided not to repent (Jeremiah 18:12). If anyone attempts to draw my heart away from my God, I should like to be as resolute and ask them not to waste their breath and time speechifying, since on that matter, my mind is inflexibly made up. Do you also realise that when God wanted to bring home a point on obedience, he chose to do so through a non-religious practice of the sons of Jonadab (Jeremiah 35)? Rahab was a prostitute, but her child-like faith is “imitate-able”. It is also the case that Paul premises his arguments on points made by heathen poets (1 Cor. 15:32; Titus 1:12; Acts 17:23). Finally, consider the rare moxie of Satan. How many of us conceive awesome projects but lack the staying power to bring it to fruition! Yet, the diligent devil, since ages and ages past, and as if oblivious of his certain fate, has remained steadfast with his primary business of opposing the kingdom of God. We know, even, that at the end of Christ’s millennial rule, sedulous Satan will marshal his clique to stage a final attack against the kingdom of God—the Battle of Gog and Magog. Such diligence could easily deceive the credulous into thinking that there is actually a possibility that Satan might defeat the kingdom of God. Because modelling, thankfully, is not equivalent to cloning, such diligence can definitely be safely modelled—but for godlier ends. 

Because modelling, thankfully, is not equivalent to cloning, it might even be possible to model specific traits of ungodly people (in this sense, people who were not necessarily followers of God or who dabbled in explicitly un-Christlike lifestyles)—but for godlier ends.

The tweaked version of this argument is that some of the heroes of our faith displayed traits which are not worth modelling. Only an uninformed person would challenge the positions of people like Abraham, David, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Peter and Paul. As we know, when it comes to faith, Abraham is a pacesetter. David has to his credit the enviable insignia: “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). Moses was not only the meekest man on earth in his days (Numbers 12:3), but spoke with God face to face, as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). Elijah was a fiery miracle-worker and so was Elisha. Aside that, there was no lying-in-state for Elijah; the man of God transitioned to heaven live (2 Kings 2:11,12). Elisha’s bones were soaked with miracle-working power even after he had died (2 Kings 13:21). Peter played a crucial role in the early church, as did Paul. Yet, each of these characters at certain times displayed certain qualities which Christians would do well to stay away from. This is easy to do in instances where such qualities received express disapproval from God. Consider David, for example, when he killed Uriah and took his wife. Or Moses, when he hit the rock instead of speaking to it. Peter’s betrayal of Jesus, although not explicitly rebuked (perhaps since Peter soon repented) has been the subject of many a sermon. The more challenging cases are those in which there is no apparent disapproval from God. One of these is the case of Abraham’s lying to Pharaoh and Abimelech that Sarah was his sister (Gen. 12 and 20). Although Sarah was indeed his sister, evidently, Abraham’s intentional omission of the fact that Sarah was his wife was calculated to deceive. When one examines Elijah, Elisha and David (i.e., Elijah’s calling of fire on the 100 soldiers who had been sent by the king to fetch him in 2 Kings 1:9-12; Elisha’s cursing of the children who mocked him in 2 Kings 2:23,24; and David’s imprecatory psalms) in the light of the teaching of Christ (i.e., Matthew 5: 44; Luke 9: 54,55), one wonders if these men of God did not, perhaps, go overboard. Or if the case of Elijah and Elisha are examples of actions God winked at (Acts 17:31). We also feel that instead of Paul and Barnabas splitting up (although it was the Holy Spirit who teamed them up), they could perhaps have re-visited the portion of Scripture that Paul himself, through the Holy Spirit, had written: “love is not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:5).  

Learn from Elijah, Paul, Shakespeare, Edison, or Nkrumah, if you have to (with Christlike caution), but, Christian, your standard is Christ!

Absent of God’s explicit disapproval in the Scriptures, un-Christlike behaviors appear legitimized, following which it easy to argue, for example, that a lie every now and then does not hurt, that it is okay to curse one’s enemies, and that nothing is wrong with polygamy. Learn from Elijah, Paul, Shakespeare, Edison, or Nkrumah, if you have to (with Christlike caution), but, Christian, your standard is Christ! Don’t you see that your very name suggests (“Christian”) it? Don’t you see how the Bible offers no caveats when it tells us to imitate Christ? We are unapologetically told to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:2), to love as he loved (John 15:12; 13:34; Eph. 5:1), to have his mindset (Philippians 2:5; 1 Cor. 2:16), to walk as he walked (1 John 2:6), to forgive as he forgave (Col. 3:13; Eph. 4:32), to suffer as he suffered (1 Peter 2:21), to accept one another as he accepted us (Romans 15:7), to minister as he ministered (John 17:18; 14:12).

That is why we share in his nature (2 Peter 1:4), why we are united with him (Gal. 3:27; 2:20; Rom. 6:3-5), and why we have the same Holy Spirit that he had (Romans 8:9-11). Therefore, we should not think it ignoble to rigorously test others (Biblical saints inclusive) by Christ’s standards (i.e., his life, his ministry and his doctrine) and discard behaviours that do not match up. Put all the Biblical saints on one side and Christ on the other and the verdict remains firm: in everything, Christ has the supremacy (Colossians 1:18). It is a false Scriptural revelation that does not progressively lead us to this truth (John 5:39).