Next Generation: Imitate the Faith

 “Remember the ones leading you, who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their manner of life, imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7, RecVer)

Footnotes from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version:

This is essential in the church life. The ministers of the word of God should have a manner of life that issues in an example of faith for the church members, the receivers of the word of God, to imitate. Then the church members not only will receive the word that the ministers minister but also will imitate the ministers’ faith, which is expressed in their manner of life. Verse 7 is a continuation of vv. 5-6. Manner of life must refer to the living and behavior pursued by those ministers of the word of God, in which they had no love of money and were satisfied with what they had (v. 5a). Their faith must refer to the fact that they trusted in the Lord, their Helper, for their living (vv. 5b-6). The word that they ministered and the life that they lived must have been entirely Christ, and their faith must have been the faith in Christ, of which Christ is both the Author and the Perfecter (12:2). Such a manner of life and such a faith were surely worthy to be imitated by the believers, who received the word of God that the ministers ministered and who considered the issue of their manner of life.

As the Lord has shown us the vision of God's economy, we must also lead our next generation to see the same vision. Better would be that they see and also live, walk, and work according to the vision. Two examples in the Bible are worth considering. Eli failed to discipline his children and loosely handled his priestly service which resulted in his degradation and his sons not seeing the vision he had seen. Samuel too, in spite of being a Nazarite, priest, prophet, judge, and a man of prayer had failed in appointing his two sons as judges. Here is a holy warning to take care of our lives that our next generation can see, appreciate, and follow. 

The great question now is: Can our next generation imitate us positively? This is an examination of our spiritual lives and services today. If our lives are normal, we will take care of our children, it does not need any reminder. Similarly, if our spiritual lives are normal we will take care of our spiritual offspring. Life is taken care of by God for the next generation, physically and spiritually. If we serve the Lord and do not raise up spiritual offspring, it is a matter of great concern in our service.

We ourselves should be a pattern to our next generation both physically and spiritually.  "Remember the ones leading you," can our spiritual offspring seriously consider this verse regarding us? Can this verse "considering the issue of their manner of life, imitate their faith" be applied to us? So the onus is on us today. What we are will be what our offspring will become. This brings us to the need for a proper God-man living. 

“And when Abram heard that his brother had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, and pursued as far as Dan.” (Genesis 14:14, RecVer)

Where are my 318 men born in my house? There must be many spiritual children begotten and raised up in the church life who could fight the spiritual battle, perhaps one against thousands. This is a matter of raising up the next generation who can imitate our faith.

For our next generation to be able to imitate our faith and manner of life, we also have to imitate the faith and manner of life of the generation who is before us. Thank the Lord for the many God-men who have set up a pattern in the church life. I must be faithful to imitate their faith and learn from the manner of their living. Blessed shall we be if we learn to follow the footstep of our spiritual fathers. Therefore, this verse on imitating the faith could be applied to us and the generation to follow us.