“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)

And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” (Acts 26:29)

What character traits made Paul special and worthy of imitation?

Dedication & Passion

· Paul gave all of his energy to what he believed to be right.

· Half-hearted, lackadaisical effort was unacceptable.

· Even when he was wrong, he was passionate (Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-2).

· This was part of the reason he could live with a clear conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16).

Humility

· He was humble enough to change when he saw that he was wrong.

· He went from being the man who wanted Jesus’ disciples punished, to being the man who wanted Jesus’ disciples protected.

· Instead of silencing those who preached in the name of Jesus, he became the loudest voice among the throng of those sharing the Gospel (Acts 9:17-22).

Courage

· He was bold enough to speak up when he knew he was right.

· He knew Jesus was the Christ—he had seen and spoken with the Lord!

· His knowledge led to righteous boldness (Acts 24:24-25; 26:24-29; Gal. 1:6-10; 2:11-14; 4:16).

Hope

· He was confident he was going to Heaven!

· He trusted the Lord to keep His promises (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

May we all imitate Paul as he imitated Jesus the Christ!

—Bart