Is There A Good Role Model In The Bible?

In this regular feature Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.Here is this week’s question:Dear Dave and Tom:I am a young married, and about to start a family.I’ve been looking through the Bible for a role model regarding raising a family, and I can’t seem to find one. Who would you recommend?

Tom:

Dave, that’s an interesting question, and there are not a lot of them in there.You think about David, he had problems, certainly those who were kings, and so on, had many wives, and so on that led to problems,Abraham and so on.I guess one person that I think about is Elkanah and Hannah, and their first child, Samuel.And Samuel certainly didn’t have a role model for himself with Eli.Eli’s sons were despicable, but then Samuel didn’t do too well in that category either, his sons weren’t that great.So, who would you recommend, Dave, you know the scripture better than I do.

Dave:

Well. Tom, I don’t believe the Bible tells us about any role model except Jesus Christ.And Paul is the one person I know of, I could be wrong, but he said, Be followers of me as I am of Christ.

Tom:

Even to the point of, That which you see me do, you do.His pattern of life was a pattern for us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.But he wasn’t married, Dave, so I don’t know how far you can go with him.

Dave:

So, where does this person, this young man, get the idea that we must have a role model?I don’t follow a role model, because human beings are not perfect, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”That’s kind of a psychological term, Oh, you need a role model.Then you even go so far as to say, Well, I didn’t have a good father, so how can I believe that God is a good loving father because I didn’t have one.

Tom:

Dave, we also have the influence of, Focus on the Family, and maybe this is a cultural thing, certainly within evangelical Christianity, that Christians get in the habit of thinking.Yeah, we do need a role model, we do need somebody to tell us what to do.

Dave:

Well, Jesus called 12 disciples, one of them failed, Judas. He said to the 11 who were left, Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations and you teach them to observe everything that I have taught you.Now, it doesn’t say, become role models, although we are supposed to live a life that is above reproach.

Tom:

A reflection of Him, in living His life through Him.

Dave:

Right, but the only example, the only authority we have is Jesus Christ himself, I don’t know of anything else.Now, Paul writes to Titus, I think it’s Chapter 2:8, or somewhere around there, we may have quoted it before, it’s something that I pray for myself all the time.He prayed, well, he’s exhorting Titus:“In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works:in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”Now, that’s just saying this is what the Christian life is supposed to be.The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.So, I’m supposed to be indwelt with Christ, He’s my life, he said he would be our life, because I live you will live also, indwelt with the Holy Spirit, led of the Spirit of God.Now why do I need a role model?Whom am I following God, am I following Christ, or am I following some role model out here?So Tom, I don’t quite see the legitimacy in this question.

Tom:

But again, Dave, from our culture, from being influenced by the world, this is the way we tend to think.Your mentioning the fact that the Bible, which we love, does not present a good picture of humanity, and so on. I remember, I don’t know who it was, someone once said, The Bible is not a book that a man could write if he would, or would write if he could.Because it doesn’t show a very flattering picture of humanity.It’s God’s Word about man and man’s fall and his fall in this, but his redemption through Christ.

Dave:

So, when Paul says, Be ye followers of me, he says, As I also am of Christ.The only role model I know of is Christ, and He was not married, but you don’t have to be married to be a role model for living.Whatever it is, whether you’re married or single, whatever job you have, you’re a manager or an employee, we always are to express the life of Christ wherever he is put.And that would be the only way, the only advice that I could give to that young man.

Tom:

In addition, the Bible is the Manufacturer’s Handbook, so it’s all full of instructions on how we are to live our lives.And again, it’s not by might nor by power but by God’s Holy Spirit we do these things.

Dave:

Amen.