Muqaddas Kitob shubhasiz Masihdan (1-Butrus 2:21) hamda Ota Xudodan (Efesliklar 5:1) o‘rnak olishimiz kerakligini aytadi. Ammo hayratlanarlisi shuki, Kalom atrofimizdagi xudojo’y odamlardan ham o‘rnak olinglar, Iso Masihning madadi bilan o‘shanday odamlarning namunalariga ergashishga harakat qilinglar, deydi.

Mana Kalom bu haqida nima deydi:

“Men Masihdan o‘rnak olganim kabi, sizlar ham mendan o‘rnak olinglar” (1-Korinfliklar 11:1).

“Sizlar bizdan va Rabbimiz Isodan o‘rnak oldingiz. Axir, ko‘p azob-uqubat chekkaningizga qaramay, Muqaddas Ruh beradigan quvonch bilan Xudoning so‘zini qabul qildingiz” (1-Salonikaliklar 1:6).

“Xudoning kalomini sizlarga o‘rgatgan ustozlaringizni xotirlanglar. Ularning bosib o‘tgan hayot yo‘li haqida fikr yuritinglar. Imonlarga taqlid qilinglar” (Ibroniylar 13:7).

“Birodarlarim, mendan o‘rnak olayotganlarga qo‘shilinglar. Bizning namunamiz bo‘yicha yashayotganlarga e’tibor berib, ulardan o‘rganinglar” (Filippiliklar 3:17).

“Aksincha, hammaning hurmatini qozonish uchun sen so‘zda, yurish-turishda, mehr-oqibatda, imonda va axloqda imonlilarga o‘rnak bo‘lgin ... O‘zingga berilgan in’omga e’tiborli bo‘l, uni ishga sol ... O‘zingni bu vazifaga sidqidildan bag‘ishla, shunda sen Xudoning yo‘lida shaxdam qadam bilan, ildamlab borayotganingni hamma ko‘radi. Hayot tarzingga, nimalar o‘rgatayotganingga e’tibor qil. Bu faoliyatingni astoydil davom ettir, shunday qilsang, o‘zingni ham, tinglovchilaringni ham qutqarasan” (1-Timo’tiy 4:12, 14-16).

“Nazoratingizdagi Xudoning suruvini yaxshi boqinglar ... Shunchaki pulparastlik maqsadida emas, samimiyat bilan ijro etinglar ... o‘z hukmingizni o‘tkazmay, ularga o‘rnak bo‘linglar” (1-Butrus 5:2-3).

“Shogird ustozidan ustun bo‘lmas. Ammo mukammal bilim egallagan shogird ustoziday bo‘lar” (Luqo 6:40).

Shuning uchun ham biz Muqaddas Kitob bo‘yicha yashaydigan (Muqaddas Kitobga ishonadigan) mahalliy jamoatning bir qismi bo‘lishimiz juda muhim. Hamma joyda Xudoning imonda kuchli, sadoqatli xizmatchilari bor va Masih tanasining bir qismi bo‘lib, mahalliy jamoat ishlarida faol qatnashsak, shunday odamlar bilan tanishamiz. Ularning turli sohadagi namunalaridan o‘rganamiz va o‘zimiz ham boshqalarga o‘rnak bo‘lamiz. (Bunday odamlardan o‘rganishning yana bir yo‘li bu sodiq imonlilarning biografiyalarini hamda Masih haqida yozilgan kitoblarni o‘qib muhokama qilishdir.)

Titus 2-bobda yoshu-qari, ayolu-erkakka birdek yaxshi ta’lim berish va shunga ko‘ra yashashga da’vati qanday birlashib ketganiga e’tibor qiling:

“Titus, sen sog‘lom ta’limot asosida nasihat qil. Yoshi katta erkaklarga ayt: ular mayxo‘rlikka berilmagan, hurmatga sazovor, vazmin, imonda mustahkam, mehribon va sabr-toqatli bo‘lsinlar. Yoshi katta ayollarga ham tayinla, ular sharafli hayot kechirsinlar. G‘iybat qilmasinlar, mayxo‘rlikka ruju qo‘ymasinlar. Har qanday xayrli ishda ibrat ko‘rsatib, kelinlarga pand-nasihat qilsinlar, ularga o‘z erlari va farzandlarini sevishni, vazmin, iffatli, ro‘zg‘orga jonkuyar, mehribon, erlariga bo‘ysunadigan bo‘lishni o‘rgatsinlar. Shunda hech kim Xudoning kalomini yomonlamaydi. Yigitlarni ham bosiq bo‘lishga undagin. Har bir ishda yurish-turishing bilan o‘zing ularga o‘rnak bo‘lgin. Ta’lim berganingda samimiy va jiddiy bo‘l. To‘g‘ri ta’lim bergin, shunda tanqidning oldini olgan bo‘lasan va raqiblarimiz biz haqimizda yomon so‘z aytolmay, uyatga qoladilar” (Titus 2:1-8).

Bu parchani ko‘rib chiqar ekansiz, biz faqat o‘zimiz bilgan, o‘z ko‘zlarimiz bilan ko‘rgan yoki eshitgan namunalarga ergashishimiz haqida o‘ylab ko‘ring. Masihning tanasi bu dunyoda boshqa odamlar orasida porlashi kerak va ruhiy tartib-intizomning har bir qismida bizga o‘rnak bo‘ladigan odamlar kerak. Ichimizda mag‘rurlanish xavfi Xudoning hayotimizda amalga oshirayotgan ishlarini sadoqat bilan boshqalarga namoyon qilishdan bizni to‘xtatishiga yo‘l qo‘ymasligimiz kerak. Agar ichimizdagi mag‘rurlik bosh ko‘tarmasligi uchun jim turishimiz kerak bo‘lsa, boshqalar Masih hayotlarining turli jabhalarida sadoqat bilan ishlagani haqida guvohlik berishlariga ularni qo‘llab quvvatlashimiz kerak.

Puritan Uilliyam Beyts shunday deb yozgan: “Ko‘rsatmalar bizning vazifamiz nimalardan iborat ekanini bildirsa, namunalar esa ularga amal qilishning imkoni borligiga ishontiradi ... O‘zimizga o‘xshagan, aynan bizning ahvolimizdagi ojiz bandalar ehtiroslarini jilovlay olayotganlarini, ajib va jozibador ko‘rinadigan vasvasalarni yengayotganlarini ko‘rganimizda, ruhiy jangni davom ettirishga kuch olamiz.”

Rendi Alkorn (@randyalcorn) ellikdan oshiq kitoblar muallifi va Eternal Perspective Ministries saytining asoschisi va direktoridir. 

Maqolaning aslini quyidagi ilovadan topishingiz mumkin: https://www.epm.org/blog/2019/May/17/follow-christ-examples

We’re Not Only to Follow Christ, But Also the Examples of Others Who Do

It’s not surprising that Scripture calls upon us to imitate and follow the examples of Christ (1 Peter 2:21) and God the Father (Ephesians 5:1). It’s more surprising that we are told to follow the examples of the godly people around us, and to strive, by Christ’s help, to be such examples ourselves.

Here’s what Scripture has to say:

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1, NASB).

“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction” 
(1 Thessalonians 1:6, NET).

“Remember your leaders, who spoke God’s message to you; reflect on the outcome of their lives and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7, NET).

“Be imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example” (Philippians 3:17, NET).

“Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ...Do not neglect your gift… Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save [rescue, deliver from bondage] both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:12, 14-16, NIV).

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care…not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3, NIV).

“A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40, NET).

This is why it’s vital that we become part of a Bible-believing local church. God has His faithful people everywhere, and by becoming actively involved in the local body of Christ we can get to know such people and learn from their examples in different areas—and hopefully, be examples ourselves. (Another way we can be inspired is by reading and discussing biographies of faithful believers, as well as the Christ-centered books others have written.)

Notice how the call to good teaching and good living is integrated in Titus 2, among the young and the older, both men and women:

“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.  Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,  and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us”  (Titus 2:1-8).

As you contemplate these passages, consider that we can only follow an example we’re aware of, one that we can actually see or hear about. The body of Christ needs to let its light shine before men, and we need models of every spiritual discipline. We dare not let the risk of our pride keep us from faithfully disclosing God’s work in our lives. And if we must be silent to avoid our own pride, we should support others who can humbly testify to Christ’s faithfulness in various areas of their lives.

Puritan William Bates wrote, “Precepts instruct us what things are our duty, but examples assure us that they are possible… When we see men like ourselves, who are united to frail flesh and in the same condition with us, to command their passions, to overcome the most glorious and glittering temptations, we are encouraged in our spiritual warfare.”

Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash