Liberating Imitation

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Liberating Imitation------------------------------ Date: 7/21/2001
Keywords: "bondage" "freedom" "imitation"
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Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-6*

2. We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.

3. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

5. because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

6. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

Questions

1. Do you believe doing your own thing is always doing the right thing?

 

2. What's your opinion of being an imitator?

 

Practical help

Our culture(s) today often villifies things for the sake of "liberating" the individual it claims we're oppressing. Take imitation, for example. Many would say that imitation is a mindless attempt to thwart the real you; that you're simply repressing the individuality that wants to come out by trying to be somebody that you're not.

In today's passage (focus on verses 5b and 6) the Apostle Paul would conclude that you've seen the real you and you've seen the example of a life which follows the Lord and by the truth of the Gospel and the power that's evidenced in it, you've decided there's more freedom there than in yourself.

If your individual efforts to fend off porn produce more bondage than liberation then maybe it's time to think like a Thessalonian. By God's grace it's never too late to find yourself a role model. Become an imitator of Jesus and of his devoted followers. (You could search the New Testatment for passages about Paul or Peter or Mary Magdalene or Priscilla and, of course, Jesus.) Before you know it you'll become someone's model of a truly liberated life.

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*Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version © Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.