What Does It Mean When Paul Says, "follow Me as I Follow Christ," and How Does That Relate to Following Jesus Directly?
1) Direct Answer
Paul’s words mean: imitate a true, Word‑led life only as it mirrors Jesus Christ. We follow no man as an absolute. Christ is the Head. When a servant of God stays with the Word and the Spirit of Christ, following that example is following Jesus. If he departs from the Word, we do not follow.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). The condition is clear—only as he follows Christ.
- Paul says, “Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20). So the life to imitate is Christ’s life expressed through a yielded vessel.
- “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample” (Philippians 3:17). The pattern is a Word‑walk, not personality.
- Christ is the Head of the church (Ephesians 5:23). We never trade the Head for a man.
- God set ministers for perfecting the saints (Ephesians 4:11‑13). True ministry points us to Christ, not to themselves.
- We “ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). If any voice clashes with Scripture, we stay with God’s Word.
- “Though we, or an angel… preach any other gospel… let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). No message outranks the Bible.
- “My sheep hear my voice… and they follow me” (John 10:27). We follow Jesus directly by recognizing His Voice in His Word.
- “Try the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and “prove all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Everything is tested by Scripture.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- One Head, one Lord—Jesus Christ. He speaks by His Word and Spirit. He also uses servants as signposts. You follow the signpost only because it points to the destination. If it points off the road, you don’t follow the sign—you stay with the road.
- The Spirit and the Word agree. If a minister magnifies the Word and leads you into obedience to Christ, you’re following Jesus through that example. If he adds to or takes from the Word, you stop right there and hold to the Bible.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice: it’s not following a man; it’s following Christ in the man—as long as it is Christ. Stay with the Word. Christ remains the absolute, and every true servant merely points to Him.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The flashing red light of the sign of His coming
63-0623E §118
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An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 1:E-43
But let us not stop there. Read now in Revelation 3:21, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." Also read Hebrews 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Notice that according to Jesus, Himself, Who wrote the Revelation, He is set down WITH the Father. The Spir...
Questions and Answers
54-0515 §92
Every person in the Bible was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul ... I mean, John's disciples wasn't baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; they were baptized unto repentance. Let's turn over to I Corinthians... I mean, let's turn over to Acts, the 19th chapter, just a moment. And read this just a minute so you'll see, my friends, that it's not ... the Scriptures doesn't contradict itself. Well, look here: And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul ... passed through the upper coasts of .....
Leadership
65-1207 §104
What do you look like? What are you following? What have we done? You must choose your leader. Choose today. You choose life or death. Your choice will determine your eternal destination, what you choose. Remember, Jesus said, "Follow me." And you're invited tonight to do so. And to follow Him to eternal life, you must come on His terms (that's right), the Word. Not upon the creed, not upon the public opinion, not upon what anybody else thinks about it, but on what God said about it. You say, "Well, Brother Branham...
The believer's position in Christ
55-0116A §31
Oh, you might believe it, you might accept it, you might say, "Yes, I believe the Bible's right. I go to church, too." But have you ever died to yourself and be born again? Leaving all the outside off and brought through the blood into this fellowship and set in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. What God can do! How the revelation of God can move through an audience like that, when we've all been partakers of this same fellowship, see. Now, that's who Paul's addressing this letter to. (And just a moment or two longe...