Spiritual Xeroxing, Reproduction

Spiritual Xeroxing, Reproduction




 






                               Bible Verses

1Pet 2:21  For to this you were called, because Christ also
suffered on your behalf, leaving you a model so that you may
follow in His steps;
John 13:15  For I have given you an example so that you also
may do even as I have done to you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Words of Ministry~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Part 1 of 3)
Verse 21 clearly says that we have been called to suffer
unjustly because Christ suffered on our behalf and left us a
model so that we should follow in His steps. Literally, the
Greek word [model] means a writing-copy, an under-writing for
students to use in tracing letters as they learn to draw
them. In ancient times teachers would write letters on
writing material, and those letters became a master copy.
Another piece of writing material was put upon the master
copy. Then the children would practice writing by tracing the
letters from the master copy onto their copy. The Lord Jesus
has set His suffering life before us as an under-writing for
us to copy by tracing and following His steps.

The making of xerox copies may be used to illustrate what
Peter means by Christ being a model for us. In 1973 I gave a
message on this entitled "Spiritual Xeroxing." Christ's
living revealed in the four Gospels is the master copy used
in this spiritual xeroxing. For xeroxing, we must first have
a copy. The xeroxed copy made from this original is a
reproduction, not an imitation. We know from experience that
trying to imitate Christ does not work. We are not able to
imitate Him. What we need is not imitation but reproduction.
There is a great difference between imitation and
reproduction.