Do you know the difference between an impressionist and an impersonator? I didn’t! But an impressionist simply imitates the voice or actions whilst an impersonator assumes the character and appearance of a person. Now, armed with that revelation, watching Britain’s Got Talent will never be the same!! Don’t judge me, I do love a good talent show. Impressionists and impersonators do have one thing in common though, they put on an ‘act’. When they finish, they return to their true self. Their identity never changes, it’s just a persona, often one of many characters they can choose to portray.
The Apostle Paul wrote, ‘be imitators of God’ (Ephesians 5:1), but he wasn’t encouraging us to be impersonators or impressionists. Yes, we are called to follow the example of Jesus, the ‘exact representation’ of God on earth (Hebrews 1:3). The Apostle Paul even challenges the followers of Jesus in Corinth to imitate his example as he follows Christ (1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1). In Hebrews we’re told to ‘imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised’ (Hebrews 6:12). We’re encouraged to imitate the faith of leaders, but there is a word of warning: we must first consider ‘the outcome of their way of life’ (Hebrews 13:7). The implication is that we are looking for those who consistently, over time, live lives worthy of imitation. We are not looking for those who can put on an act or wear a mask. We’re looking for those who are ‘being transformed into his image’, the image of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). Those who are willing to surrender their lives to ‘be conformed to the image of his Son’ (Romans 8:29). Those who through the trials of life and the tests of faith have persevered, matured, and grown in godly character. We don’t need impressionists or impersonators because they are no more than imposters, wolves in sheep’s clothing.
2000 years ago, Jesus called the Jewish religious leaders ‘hypocrites’ (Matthew 15:7). In other words, Jesus called them actors. Sadly, the same accusation is often aimed at the church today. According to the research ‘Talking Jesus 2022’, 26% of non-Christians think the church is hypocritical. They see us as actors, impressionists, and impersonators. Those who just put on an ‘act’ or simply wear a mask. Surely, this isn’t the church that Jesus imagined and died for?
In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul reminds us that we ‘were once darkness’! Not that we were capable of dark ‘acts’, but our identity was darkness. However, when we put our faith in Jesus we are rescued from the dominion of darkness and given a new identity, ‘light in the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:8). The Apostle Paul goes on to urge us to therefore ‘live as children of light’ and to ‘have nothing to do with fruitless deeds of darkness’ (Ephesians 5:11). Light is our new identity, but it is an identity we must ‘put on’. We must ‘put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness’ (Ephesians 4:24). But before we can ‘put on’ we must first ‘put off falsehood’ (Ephesians 4:25). We must actively ‘get rid’ of all those things we did when we lived in darkness, ‘bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice’ (Ephesians 4:31). The world needs to see a new mature Church. A Church made holy by the washing and cleansing of God’s Word. A radiant Church without stains, wrinkles, and blemishes. People who have become the Bride of Christ ready for the return of Jesus.
As individual members of the Church, we must take personal responsibility to examine ourselves. No longer can we simply impersonate Jesus; we must allow Christ to be formed in us. It is not enough to put on an ‘act’ when the eyes of the world are watching. We must once again bury our old lives and live new lives hidden in Christ. If we don’t, our identity remains the same. We may learn to act, to become good impressionists or impersonators but really, we’re imposters. As Jesus became God on earth, it’s time His Church became Jesus in the eyes of the world. It’s time as disciple makers, we lived lives worthy of imitation.
Featured photo by Ahmed Zayan on Unsplash
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