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.
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ
63-0717 §41
And today, as servants of Christ, we become harnessed---hooked up. We can't go anywhere without it being with us---harnessed to the Word! No matter what anyone else says; you're harnessed to it. There is something about it that you just can't get away from it. You've been yoked up with it by the Holy Ghost, has yoked you to the Word. No matter what anyone else says, It's the Word that's always harnessed up with it; put in the yoke with it. To the Word by the Spirit; he was harnessed. He had learned on the backside...
Come, follow Me
63-0601 §38
Kids, you each one seem like mine. You each one seem like just my sons and daughters, and in one way you are, see. Spiritually speaking, that's right. The Lord God has put your souls into my care because you come listen to me. You believe me, see. And in one sense of the word you are my sons and daughters. That's right. And always remember, keeping the commandments of God is a great thing. Being raised in a good home is a heritage from God. And to be fine kids with personalities as you have, good. Wonderful to have...
Leadership
65-1207 §89
Let us follow this Christ for a few ... this Moses for a little while, that did that. Let's watch his life. The first thing, when he had accepted to take the reproach of Christ and forsake his education, forsake all of his wisdom---He was taught in all the wisdom of the Egyptians---and all of his popularity, his throne, his scepter, his kingship, his crown, everything he had, he rejected it! And this other fellow wanted it, and refused Christ; and this man refused that, and accepted Christ. And quickly what happene...
Position of a believer in Christ
55-0227A §30
Now, in Ephesians, let's hear Paul's speaking, now, as you read, everyone if you will, and try to be just as reverent as you can as we're speaking the Word. Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God... The first introduction shows how he is apostle: Paul an apostle of God by ... apostle by the will of God. In one place he said he wasn't called of man, neither was he sent of man, but God sent him. Now, the first thing, he was the apostle... The word apostle means "a missionary" or "one sent." Missionary mea...
From that time
60-0302 §62
But that light is hanging over the woman. I'm looking right at it. And if that light be the same light that followed the children of Israel... When it was here on earth, it was made manifest in a body of flesh called the Son of God. That was Jehovah in the light. Jehovah was manifested, or tabernacled, in His Son, which was the creative Son, Jesus Christ. He said, "I come from God and I go to God." A little after that, Paul was on his road down (after His death, burial and resurrection), was on his road to Damascus...