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 Queen of Sheba
60-0401E §1
[Pastor introduces Brother Lamsa.] ... he speaks the language and can read the language and read the original documents in which the New Testament was written. So with him, it is so wonderful that he can read directly from the original script the very words that Jesus and the disciples spoke and wrote. He felt that these translations that we have are not always correct and true. And that's where the criticism comes in, because he criticizes the King James version, and some people think that St. Paul preached from t...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
55-0806 §38
Now, notice why he did it. Listen. Why did he do it? Listen at him when he addresses Him. "Rabbi (Teacher, see.) ... Rabbi, we know..." We who? The Pharisees, the religious world. "We know that Thou art a teacher come from God." Why? Because You've got a degree? No. Because You speak so eloquent? No. Because that You are an educated man? Nope. Because You belong to a certain deno... Nope. "We know that thou art a teacher come from God, (Why?) because no man can do the things that you do except God was with him." Th...
Hear His Voice
58-1005M §90
There were some people baptized one time by John the Baptist and they wasn't baptized in any name at all. And they were baptized by the same man that baptized Jesus. But Paul, when he met them in Acts 19, told them they had to come and be baptized over again in the name of Jesus Christ or they could not receive the Holy Ghost as yet. When Peter found some that had received the Holy Ghost before they were baptized at all, he commanded them, and stayed with them, till they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. T...
Godhead explained
61-0119A §76
...e present: Matthew said, "Father, Son, Holy Ghost." Now if you'll go get the Emphatic Diaglott of the Greek interpretation (Original Greek interpretation from the Vatican---it happens to be that I have one; it's out of print now, I think.), or any Greek translation, the right translation to Acts 2:38... Peter said, "Repent every one of you and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." The King James version just said, "in the name of Jesus Christ"; but in the Emphatic Diaglott it says, "In the name of the...
The believer's position in Christ
55-0116A §16
Now, for a few moments to find out positionally what we are in Christ Jesus... And I think if the church now can find out what they are, and how to enter, and what to do after they enter, why, it'll be a glorious thing when we learn these things. Don't you think so? Now, in the book of Ephesians, I want to read Paul's letter just a portion of it. Don't know how far we are going, 'cause I'm timing myself by this watch here. Paul, an apostle, of Jesus Christ by the will of God, An apostle: The word apostle means "one...