Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 6/30/2005

Question
Recently I have felt the magnitude of Pauls' exhortation in both Corinthians and Galatians, for his readers to "imitate" or "be like" him. For them to "follow his example". Then in Thessalonians he describes himself, as living a holy, blameless, faultless, righteous life while among them. He of course attributes this all to grace and the power of the Holy Spirit living in him. In 2 Cor. he is clear that it is not he himself who commends, but that God has approved him as an example, and of course he could not have written such a thing except by divine inspiration. Christ was our "perfect" example, but clearly Paul must have been living the closest example of perfection to which we should aspire. My question. Did any of the other patriarchs or prophets of the Old Testament, in their writtings, declare themselves so openly as examples of holy living to be followed (copied) by believers? Again, I think this is a huge claim, and one obviously approved by God. Paul must have indeed been living as close to a completely sanctified life as one can achieve on earth. Anyone else?

Answer
Hi Glen,

I think that you have a valid point and observation.  God trusted the Apostle Paul with writing about half of the entire New Testament.  He indeed was close to Christ.  THe only other example I could thing of would be David.  God says that he was a man after His own heart...but not even David made that claim for himself.  With that in mind...it is interesting to read just how human Paul was in his struggle with sin and the fles.... he is made of the same stuff that we are!

Romans 7:14-25
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.  16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that this helps.

In Christ
Pastor Don