Yes — believers should follow Paul's example because Paul was as human as we are, yet he followed the risen Christ, making his example one we can actually imitate.
Paul expressly commands believers to be followers of him in I Corinthians 4:16, Philippians 3:17, and I Corinthians 11:1. Les Feldick shows that Paul never sets himself up as the Savior; instead he says, 'be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.' Because Paul faced the same weaknesses, fears, and physical suffering we do, his example is within our reach.
I Corinthians 11:1 — Paul's clearest command to follow him, immediately qualified by 'even as I also am of Christ.'
I Corinthians 4:16 — Paul begs the Corinthians to be followers of him, showing this is a deliberate apostolic command.
Philippians 3:17 — Paul repeats the same command to the Philippian believers and points to his way of life as the example.
Scripture directly tells believers to follow Paul. In I Corinthians 4:16 Paul writes, 'Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.' In Philippians 3:17 he repeats, 'Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.' And in I Corinthians 11:1 he again commands, 'Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.' Paul does not call believers to follow himself as a substitute for Christ; the command is tied to his own faithfulness in following Christ. The Bible never tells believers to walk on water or to relive the earthly miracles of Jesus. Instead, it offers Paul as a fellow-human model of suffering, perseverance, and devotion to the risen Lord.
Les explains why the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to tell the believing world to follow him rather than to follow Jesus. Jesus, as the God-man, went through circumstances we as humans cannot comprehend, while Paul was of the same human make-up as every believer. Paul had the same failures, weaknesses, and fears — he hurt when the whip fell on his bare back, and he got cold on the windswept plains of Turkey just as we would. If he could take it by God's grace, we can too. Les is careful to clarify that following Paul is not following the Jesus of Nazareth who walked on the dusty roads of Palestine and walked on water. Rather, Paul followed the crucified, risen Lord of glory, and we are right at his heels. Paul's repeated 'be ye followers of me' is never self-promotion; it is always 'even as I also am of Christ.' Les also points out that Paul's epistles contain doctrines found nowhere else in Scripture. That is why it behooves believers to spend the best part of their time in Paul's letters and then funnel back and forth throughout all the rest of the Scriptures.
Most people think we are supposed to follow Jesus directly, but Les points out that Jesus went through circumstances as the God-man that we cannot comprehend. Paul, by contrast, was just as human as we are. He says, 'be ye followers of me.' Following Paul does not mean we stop following Jesus — it means we follow the crucified, risen Lord of glory by following the apostle He chose. We do not have to walk on water; we have an example who had the same fears and weaknesses we do.
Les recounts that Paul had persecuted believers, and God told Ananias that Paul would suffer great things for Christ's name. Les sees Paul as the perfect candidate to take abuse because he had handed out so much himself. Paul felt the whip on his bare back and shivered in the cold of ancient Turkey just as we would. Les's conclusion is that if Paul could endure by God's grace, we can endure by the same grace.
Les highlights three verses that say the same thing in three different letters: I Corinthians 4:16, Philippians 3:17, and I Corinthians 11:1. In each one Paul urges believers to be followers of him. He never sets himself up as the Savior of the world; he simply says, 'as I follow the resurrected, ascended Lord, you follow me.'
Paul's Past as a Persecutor
Les shows that Paul had persecuted believers and was therefore the perfect candidate to endure abuse for Christ, knowing he had caused so much of it himself.
Paul's Same Human Make-Up
Les explains that Paul could tell us to follow him because he had the same failures, weaknesses, and fears that every believer has.
Paul Endured Like We Do
Les emphasizes that Paul felt physical pain and cold just as we would, so if Paul could take it by God's grace, we can too.
Following the Risen Christ Through Paul
Les clarifies that following Paul means following the crucified, risen Lord of glory, not the earthly Jesus of Nazareth whom we cannot imitate on the water.
Three 'Follow Me' Verses
Les points to three consecutive Pauline passages — I Corinthians 4, Philippians 3, and I Corinthians 11 — where Paul says 'be ye followers of me,' always as he follows Christ.
The Philippians Parallel
Les cites Philippians 3:17 as a precious reminder that Paul could rejoice in spite of adversity while commanding believers to follow his walk.
Paul's Beseeching Command
Les notes from I Corinthians 4:16 that Paul actually begs believers to follow him, which is contrary to what most people think.
Why Paul's Epistles Deserve Our Time
Les teaches that Paul's letters contain doctrines found nowhere else in Scripture, so believers should spend the best part of their time there.
I Corinthians 4:16: Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
This is the first direct command where Paul begs believers to make him their example.
Philippians 3:17: Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.
Paul repeats the same command and adds that believers should observe those who walk the way he does.
I Corinthians 11:1: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Paul's clearest statement that he is to be followed only as he follows Christ.
Paul told believers to be followers of him, but he never set himself up as the Savior. His command was always 'be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.' Les explains that following Paul is the practical way to follow the crucified, risen Lord of glory rather than trying to imitate the earthly Jesus we cannot follow.
Jesus went through circumstances as the God-man that we as humans cannot comprehend. Paul was of the same human make-up as we are, with the same failures, weaknesses, and fears. He hurt and was cold just like us, so his example, by God's grace, is one we can actually imitate.
Les teaches that Paul's letters contain doctrines that are found nowhere else in Scripture, so it behooves us to spend the best part of our time in Paul's epistles and from there funnel back and forth through the rest of Scripture.
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