The Great Imitator of God

To Be Like the Most High
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:
I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will be like the most High.
Isaiah 14:13,14

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Preface to the Series

An imitator is NOT a follower.  An imitator is a copy - a phony.  Being an imitator of God is to be like God, only that you would be a phony!

What is it the Devil told Eve? Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:4,5.  The Devil has always tried to get people to think they can be as gods.  He himself says that He will ascend into heaven, exalt his throne above the stars of God, will sit upon the mount of the congregation, will ascend above the heights of the clouds and will be like the most High.

It has been the desire of the Devil to be God! He is, however, just a phony - an imitator, and he is getting people to 'imitate' him as he gets them to try to 'imitate' God.  Sadly, more and more people are buying it 'hook, line & sinker' and all the time, thinking they are pleasing God!  People want to be their own god, and so they find it exciting to find someone preaching to them to be as gods in a manner that they think is God approved.

Wouldn't you think that a person who imitates God could also grant forgiveness - (a catholic priest).  A person who imitates God could grant a person their salvation by their baptizing them in THEIR particular baptist church (briders) or they choose whether or not they 'accept' their baptism from another church (briders).  An imitator of God will make a miracle and/or will perform a healing, etc. etc. etc.

I Cor 4:16 -  Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.  NIV: Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
So, according to the devil, we should all be little Paul's walking around. Do you know what Paul went through?  Do you know what Paul did?  In fact, Paul wrote most of the New Testament.  Hmmm, there are some people out there imitating Paul? - ya right!  Unfortunately, there ARE folks who believe they are as good as Paul - as scholarly as Paul, in fact, MORE scholarly because they are re-writing Pauls books.

Ephesians 5:1 - Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;  NIV:  Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.
There ya go - be an imitator of God Himself.  As a saved born-again washed in the blood son of God - a child of God by my faith in Christ Jesus, now I am suppose to imitate my Father?  Can I heal like my Father?  Can I 'save' others like my Father can?  Can I give someone MY righteousness like My Father gives me?  Can I become sin for someone else?  Can I hear a confession of sin like my Father can and grant forgiveness to that sinner?  Can I give my body and blood for someone else like my Father did?  Can I give MY faith to someone else, like my Father did to me?  I trow not, and neither can you!

I Thessalonians 1:6 -  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:  NIV: You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
Ok, so now I am suppose to be able to do what the Apostles did, eh?  Hey, maybe I am suppose to heal others like the apostles did?  I can drink poison and pick up poisonous snakes, too?  (Mark 16:18-20).  I can cast out devils, eh?  I can speak in tongues, too, I bet!  Again, there are actually those out there who think they can - and do!  Boy, isn't the Devil powerful!  (see Signs & Wonders)

Do you see that today's Christianity is mostly built on imitations - people today think and act like they are gods. They think they can actually imitate Paul - the apostles - Jesus Christ - God Himself.  An imitation ambassador of God is really an ambassador for the devil.  American's Christianity has become an imitation of the real thing.  Isn't that something!!!!

I Thessalonians 2:14 - For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:  NIV:  For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus...
Now we have imitation churches.  An imitation church is NOT the body of Christ.  The Roman Catholic church is an imitation church - a phony.  A brider/landmark Baptist church is a phony church.  All the denominations are phony churches.  The true church is the body of Christ - it is impossible to imitate that but there are certainly thousands who are trying!

Hebrews 6:12 - That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  NIV: We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Slothful replaced with lazy!  You can be slothful and not be lazy - boy, such a thing to do - change God's words!  Anyway, imitate the great Christians of the past?  I wonder if that also means to imitate their sins, too?  We are also told to follow that which is good - righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, charity & peace. ( I Thess 5:15; I Tim 6:11; II Tim 2:22).  I suppose we should 'imitate' their sins, too?  I wonder why they didn't change II Thess 3:8?  or II Pt 2:2?

Hebrews 13:7 -  Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. NIV:  Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Oh sure, don't you all just want to 'be like Mike'?  (hmmm, and the commercials get our kids to always want to be LIKE someone instead of just follow our heroes - sly little critter, ain't he - people have just been set up for the kill - and the killing fields have already begun today.)

Take special note of the process that makes a person think they have a salvation, but who eventually finds out they really did not receive Christ.  Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.