Setting an Example as a Christian

(1 Timothy 4:12 – Setting an Example as a Christian)

There are many people in this world who call themselves Christians. But not all of them are living properly or setting an example as a Christian in the way that they live.

Consider this for a moment. Roughly one third of the world’s population consider themselves to be Christians. That’s one person in three. And in some places that ratio is even higher. In Australia, 52% of the population professes some form of Christianity. In the USA about two thirds claim to believe in God while only 47% actually attend a house of worship. And at the last census in the United Kingdom, 56% of people professed Christianity, although experts believe that figure will fall to the low 50’s in the upcoming census.

So in these western societies, roughly every second person professes Christianity of some sort. But it is hard to reconcile these numbers because there are so many people who are not setting an example as a Christian.

Setting an example as a Christian through repentance

The verse I am looking at today is all about setting an example as a Christian. This is what it says.

”Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12)

It is not enough to profess to be a Christian without living your life in a manner that would please the Lord.

One of the earliest teachings we learn as Christians is repentance. The word “repentance” is translated from the Greek word “metanoia.” It literally means to “change your thinking” or to “change your mind.”

The change we are called to make is to stop behaving in the manner of this world, and to follow the example of Christ.

Repentance is the first step in the process of change as a Christian. It is by repenting we show our devotion and desire to live a new life in Jesus Christ. And it is through repenting that we are setting an example as a Christian to the rest of the world.

What example should we set?

When setting an example as a Christian, there are some obvious things everyone expects, but also some less obvious things to remember.

The obvious things are to show mercy, compassion, and love towards others. It also includes those things mentioned in this scripture: love, faith, and purity.

But as we dig into some of these things the less obvious things need to also be considered.

Christians should not judge others in any situations. Our place is not to judge as there is one judge, who is God. When Christians judge others they are standing in the place of God, and no-one should presume to be God.

When we consider purity as setting an example as a Christian, we need to understand what that means. To be pure is to be holy like God. Purity is about the transformation of the spirit so that our thinking aligns with that of God. Basically, purity is about living in holiness and godliness so that we emulate the life of Jesus, who is the image of God.

Purity is a matter of the spirit, not the flesh. It requires a change in the way we think and what we focus our thoughts upon. To be pure in spirit is to set your mind on the things of God, rather than the things of this world.

Learning to live in purity or holiness, requires us to learn how to walk and live in the Spirit.

The spirit versus the flesh when setting an example as a Christian

If we are setting an example as a Christian, one of the main things we need to understand is the essence of the Gospel.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is very different to the laws given to Moses. The Old Covenant and the New Covenant are quite different, even though the Old Covenant testifies and bears witness to the coming of the New Covenant.

The two covenants are not opposed to each other, but they do not mix. They are truly mutually exclusive. You cannot live under both the Old Covenant law, and the freedom of the New Covenant.

To give a simple example of this, the law of the Old Covenant put people into bondage and it showed up sin for what it is. But the Gospel under the New Covenant promised freedom from law and freedom from sin, leading to righteousness. The law was based upon works and the “doing” of the law. But the Gospel is based upon faith and believing in the power and the working of God who raised Jesus from the dead so that we could be set free from sin and the law, to receive the free gift of righteousness.

The bottom line is, you can’t live as a sinner under the law of the Old Covenant, at the same time as you are living set free from sin and the law under faith in the New Covenant. Thus, they are mutually exclusive.

The truth of all of this is that the Old Covenant was focused on dealing with issues of the flesh. It was a covenant to try to check the indulgences of the flesh and to prevent people from sin.

But the New Covenant is focused on changing the spirit of people to align with the ways of God. It teaches us how to live through faith and to change the way we think, rather than just punishing people when they fail.

The Old Covenant was based upon compliance to the law, but the New Covenant is based upon transformation of the spirit. It is aimed at changing us so that we think, and therefore act, in ways that are aligned to God’s thinking. It gives us the ability to overcome those aspects of the flesh that lead to sinfulness.

Through the power of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in us, we can be transformed into the image of Christ When that happens, our human passions, lusts, and desires can be overcome so that we do not desire sin as the rest of the world does. We gain the victory and control over our passions, bringing all things under control to live lives of righteousness and holiness as God desires.

This is the example we we need to set as Christians. We need to learn how to emulate the life of Christ as we are transformed into His image in the Spirit. When we do that we will be truly setting and example as a Christian that the rest of the world will see and hopefully want to know more about.

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