Positive
models to emulate:
John 13:15-16: [Jesus said,] "I
have set you an example that you should do as I have done for
you. I tell you the Truth, no servant is greater than his
master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent
him."
1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1: "Do not
cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of
God--even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am
not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be
saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of
Christ."
Philippians 3:17: "Join with others
in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live
according to the pattern we gave you."
2 Thessalonians 3:6-10: "In the
Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep
away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to
the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know
how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were
with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On
the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that
we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not
because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make
ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were
with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, he
shall not eat.'"
1 Timothy 1:16: "But for that very
reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners,
Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for
those who would believe on Him and receive eternal
life."
1 Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone
look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the
believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in
purity."
Titus 2:6-8: "Similarly, encourage
the young men to be self-controlled. In everything
set them an example by doing what is good. In
your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech
that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be
ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about
us."
James 5:10-11: "Brothers, as an
example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who
spoke in the Name of the Lord. As you know, we consider
blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's
perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The
Lord is full of compassion and mercy."
1 Peter 2:20-21: "But how is it to
your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?
But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is
commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ
suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in
His steps."
1 Peter 5:1-4: "To the elders among
you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings
and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be
shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as
overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing,
as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to
the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will
receive the crown of glory that will never fade
away."
Negative
examples used to teach us God's right Ways, and as warnings
to us:
Ezekiel 14:7-8: [God said,] "When
any Israelite or any alien living in Israel separates himself from
Me and sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block
before his face and then goes to a prophet to inquire of Me, I the
Lord will answer him Myself. I will set My face against that
man and make him an example and a byword. I will cut him off from
My people. Then you will know that I am the Lord."
Ezekiel 16:47-48: [God said,] "You
[Jerusalem] not only walked in their [pagan] ways and copied their
detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more
depraved than they. As surely as I live, declares the
Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what
you and your daughters have done."
Ezekiel 28:11-12, 15, 19: "The Word
of the Lord came to me: 'Son of man, take up a lament
concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: "This is what the
Sovereign Lord says: You were the model of perfection, full
of wisdom and perfect in beauty...You were blameless in your
ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in
you...All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you
have come to a horrible end and will be no
more."'"
1 Corinthians 10:1-13: "For I do
not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our
forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed
through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the
cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the
spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was
Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them;
their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things
occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil
things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them
were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink
and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.' We should not
commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day
twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the
Lord, as some of them did--and were killed by snakes.
And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by
the destroying angel. These things happened to them as
examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the
fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are
standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation
has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful;
He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when
you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can
stand up under it."
Hebrews 4:11: "Let us, therefore,
make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by
following their [the Israelite's] example of
disobedience."
2 Peter 4:6, 9-10: "if He [God]
condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to
ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the
ungodly...if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue
godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of
judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is
especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the
sinful nature and despise authority."
Jude 1:5-7: "Though you already
know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered His
people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not
believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of
authority but abandoned their own home--these He has kept in
darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great
Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding
towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They
serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal
fire."
