Imitate or Participate? Understanding Paul’s Call to “Imitate” Christ
True humility is not trying to be like Christ but surrendering to let Christ live through you.
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5, ESV)
"Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1, NASB)
At first glance, Paul’s call to “imitate” him as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1) might seem to suggest that the Christian life is about mimicking external behaviors. Many take this to mean that we must study how Jesus acted and then try our best to replicate His actions, mannerisms, and attitudes. However, does this align with the broader message of the New Testament? Does imitation mean mere mimicry, or is there something deeper in Paul’s intent?
By looking at the Greek words Paul uses, along with the theological significance of Philippians 2, we will see that biblical imitation is not about copying Christ externally but about participating in His very life, allowing His mindset to be expressed in us.
1. The Greek Meaning of "Imitate" in Paul’s Writings
In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul uses the Greek word μιμητής (mimētēs), which is where we get the English word mimic. However, while it can mean to imitate in a surface-level sense, it does not necessarily imply mere external imitation. In Paul’s writings, mimētēs carries the idea of following someone's example, not just in action but in spirit and motivation.
For instance, in 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Paul writes:
"You also became imitators (mimētai) of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit."
Here, imitation is not about external mimicry but about walking in the same spiritual reality—receiving the Word with the joy of the Holy Spirit, just as Paul did. The Thessalonians weren’t imitating Paul’s physical actions but his posture of trust and surrender to Christ.
Likewise, in Ephesians 5:1, Paul says:
"Be imitators (mimētai) of God, as beloved children."
How does a child imitate a parent? Not merely by copying gestures but by absorbing their nature. A child resembles a parent not through effort but through birthright. Paul is pointing to a family resemblance—not an external performance.
Thus, when Paul tells believers to imitate him, he is saying, Follow my example of surrender, of yielded dependence on Christ—not just my outward actions.
2. Philippians 2:5-8—A Call to Participation, Not Mere Imitation
One of the clearest teachings on Christ’s humility and obedience is found in Philippians 2. In verse 5, Paul writes:
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 2:5, ESV)
Greek Breakdown of Philippians 2:5
The key phrase here is "have this mind" (φρονεῖτε, phroneite), which means to think, to set one’s mind upon, to have an attitude shaped by something.
This is not an external instruction to behave like Christ.
It is an internal transformation of thinking, based on what is already true in Christ.
The ESV translation gets it right: “which is yours in Christ Jesus.” This mindset is not something we must generate—it already belongs to us in Christ.
What Is the “Mind of Christ” in This Passage?
Paul goes on to describe what this mindset looks like:
He did not grasp at His rights (v.6 – “He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.”)
He emptied Himself (v.7 – “He took the form of a servant.”)
He humbled Himself to obedience (v.8 – “To the point of death, even death on a cross.”)
What does this mean for us? Paul is not telling us to externally imitate these behaviors as a checklist for godliness. Instead, he is saying:
Since you are in Christ, you have His mindset available to you—yield to it!
Since Christ lives in you, let His humility and trust in the Father be expressed in you!
Just as Jesus did not grasp at His own rights but yielded to the Father, so you, too, must yield to the Father in trust and obedience.
This is participation, not imitation.
3. The Right Kind of Imitation: Participating in Christ’s Humility
While Paul does use the word “imitate,” he does not mean that we are to copy Christ’s actions from the outside in. Instead, we are to let His very mind and life be formed in us.
Active Participation in Christ’s Mindset
Many think of humility as something they must manufacture through effort—trying harder to be meek, trying harder to be selfless. But true humility is not self-effort; it is self-abandonment to Christ.
Jesus’ humility was not a performance—it was trust in the Father. He did not come to assert His own will but to yield to the Father’s will. When Paul tells us to “have this mind,” he is telling us to do the same: to surrender, trust, and yield to the Father’s work in us.
Obedience to Death—Not as Mimicry, but as Union with Christ
When Paul speaks of Jesus’ obedience “unto death” (Phil. 2:8), it is a pattern—not for external imitation but for inward participation.
Romans 6:6 – Our old self was crucified with Him, so that we might walk in newness of life.
Galatians 2:20 – We no longer live, but Christ lives in us.
2 Corinthians 3:18 – We are transformed into His image by beholding Him, not by striving to copy Him.
Obedience to death means daily surrendering the self-life, moment-by-moment trusting the indwelling Spirit, and allowing Christ’s obedience to flow through us.
4. Conclusion: The Right Way to "Imitate" Christ
When Paul says, imitate me as I imitate Christ, he is not asking us to copy his external behaviors. He is calling us to live as he lived—yielded, dependent, and fully surrendered to Christ within.
Philippians 2 does not teach that we must strive to be humble like Jesus. Instead, it reveals that His humility is already ours—we must simply yield to it.
This is the difference between trying to act like Jesus and letting Jesus act through us. It is not imitation from the outside in but participation from the inside out.
Thus, the Christian life is not imitation in the flesh but manifestation of the indwelling Christ. As we yield, trust, and die to self-effort, His humility, His obedience, and His life will be seen in us.
Personal Journal Reflection
Lord, how freeing it is to know that You never asked me to try to be like You. You never meant for me to mimic You from a distance. Instead, You gave me Your very life. Your humility, Your obedience, Your surrender to the Father—it is all mine in You.
I don’t have to strive to have the mind of Christ. I already have it. I yield now, trusting that as I walk in You, Your humility will be seen in me. I embrace the reality that my life is not my own—it is Christ in me, the hope of glory.
Unsplash Image Suggestion
Ideal Unsplash Image: A person standing on a quiet mountaintop, arms open in surrender, symbolizing trust and yielding to Christ’s life.