4. Tlu' actn.il m/ii/ih/ o{ the picture of Christ as example implies the genuine humanness of the life and the adequate fulness and clearness of the picture. Furthermore, the example must be cap- able of universal application. As to the human- ness of the life of Jesus, it is suflficient in this con- nexion to jioint out that the Biblical witness is without a trace of questioning as to its reality. Even the highest confessions of Jesus as the Son of God are never at the expense of the patent fact that He is truly man. As to the pictures of Christ in the Gospels, while these are not biog- raiiliii's, ns that tfrni is commonly understood, tin V ilo :j\v,- a w..n.h.rlnlly himiuous and vivid pniiiaii ol till' |ii'is,.nal life nl' our Lord. Using iln- lii-i.irii'al nialriial tor ilir >aUi' of its Content .,1 irnlli. Ilirv -.h..» n- .l.-n ■ ihr Wilin'ss, in word an.l .liT,l, ,,l 111.- Im.U 1,,x,' ,,t r.,.,\. .and as the llrarrr ,,l l.n,- an.l Irnlli an.l III,' I,, llic world. AHiniinr_. hn.- I.. (;...l an.l man a, ll„. supreme law. He lliiii-.li inllin..l that law, gladly laying down His III.' ihii II.- might glorify the Father and brill- al\aii..ii i.. ihc world. And this life of unimayin.-.l s.-lf sa.riticc He led to the end, in spite of maiiifnld and tremendous temptations, with-
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
out once deviating from the path appointed by the Father. And with it all there was no ascetical denial of the values that are primarily temporal : nor did He lose either joy or repose of soul through His sufferings and conflicts. A marvellous open- ness in word and deed was ever characteristic of Him who came a Light into the world. Besides all this, here is a life that manifestly reached its goal. The course of that life had been one con- tinual renunciation of juott'ered worldly advantage and success ; nevertheless its end was a unique triumph. For the real end was not Calvary, but the exaltation to the right hand of God. However hidden this end may be from the unbelieving world. Christian faith sees in the resurrection and exaltation of Christ the one supreme proof that righteousness cannot fail. This is the ' conviction of righteousness,' because Jesus has gone to the Father (Jn 16"). Without such a revelation of the appointed end of faith and righteousness the ex- ample would be incomplete, and Christian ethics could not maintain its ideal.
This picture of Jesus is capable of universal application. It is true the vocation of Jesus was unique. And yet the principles which controlled that life— perfect trust in the Father, and perfect love to God and man— are manifestly applicable under all possible circumstances. Such love as Christ's is the fulfilling of the Law. In one respect only is there a seeming limitation— for it is only seeming — to the universality of Christ's example : He is without the struggle with inward sin — He can be no model for the transformation of a sinful life. Inasmuch, however, as the processes of renewal are not our aflair— we need only to be joined to our Lord in faith and to follow Him— this is no lack. Although ' a Jew of the first century,' Jesus is the Son of Man, in everything essential to personality free from the limitations of His own time and people. He is not less the kinsman of all peoples ; He is ' the contemporary of every age.
5. We have further to consider the practical relation of the clisci/de /» thr r.ciniiplc of Christ. We are commanded to •follow,' lo 'imitate,' to 'put on Christ,' to 'follow i]i his siciis.' But how are we to conceive the [irolilrm of discipleship ? For, whUe the Church has never failed to hear the call of Jesus, ' Follow me ! ' the conception of discipleship has sometimes been much distorted. In the Middle Ages the dominant thought was asceticism. The ascetic imitation of Christ, of which St. Francis is the most noteworthy example, selects certain traits in His life, and by undue emphasis upon these, together with a neglect of others, produces a distorted image. Then there have been enthusiasts who thought to be able to follow Christ in sharing His redemptorial work — exaggerating and perverting such passages as Ph 3'", Gal 62, 1 Jn 3'«. Again, rationalism has made of Christ simply a model of virtues to be copied. These three are perhaps the most im- portant types of perversion of the NT idea of Christ's exain)ileship ; but the three appear in various modifications and combinations. The only safeguard against such errors seems to lie in a con- sistent emphasis upon the integrity of the Biblical picture of Christ.
Among evangelical theologians the term ' imita- tion ' of Christ is very commonly objected to as implying merely a formal copying of the Lord's example. The word, of course, can be so under- .stood ; but so also may the word ' following.' In any event it must be insisted upon that the words 'imitate' and 'imitator 'in the NT (RV) have no
such unevangelical
meaning.
The believer's practical attitude to the example of Christ may be profitably studied in the light
I of a few characteristic passages : (a) Answering to the frequent declaration of the absoluteness of Christ's authority {e.g. Mt 238- '», Eph l^^, Ph 2»-"), there are many passages which emphasize the obligation of exclusive loijalty to Him (e.g., 2 Co W 11^ Col 3", Eph 4»). (b) We are to have the mind of Christ, and to set the mind on the things above, where Christ is (Col S^«-, Ro 12=, Eph 4=»). ((■) We shall be transformed into the image of Christ by beholding Him, though the energy that produces the result comes from ' the Lord the Spirit ' (2 Co 318— see also Druramond, The Changed Life), (d) Complementing the thought of meditation as a means to Christ-likeness, there are various passages which set forth the more strenuous elements in the following of Christ {e.g. Ph 3'»-i«). (c) Several passages bid us 'ptU on Christ' or the 'new man' (Ro 13", Eph 4"-', Col 3i»ff-)- This relates to the fornmtion of a Christian character. (/) Jesus left us an example, that we should 'follow in his steps' (1 P 2^'). Just as 'the mind of Christ' means inward reneioal, and 'putting on Christ' means character -building, so ' to walk in his steps ' may fairly serve as a motto for the exercise of Chris- tian love in all social relatio7is. {g) The example of Christ in His personal consummation is the be- liever's most glorious hope (Ro S-'-", 1 Jn 3=- ', cf. Eph 3"). And the hope set within us is guaranteed by the earnest of the Spirit. We already have a measure of Christ-likeness — we are now sons of God, and His power is working in us to finish the work begun (Ro 8=^, 1 Jn 3'-2 4", Eph S''*"-", Col 3", Ph 1«).