The Imitation of Christ

Definition and Meaning

To imitate Christ is to live according to the character and life of Jesus Christ, especially his path of service and suffering, as an expression of faith. In Latin the concept is called imitatio Christi. The term also refers to a fifteenth-century devotional book of the same title. Protestants generally understand it as one aspect of sanctification, the process by which a believer is progressively made holy.

Biblical Background

• Paul wrote, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).
• 1 Peter 2:21 says that Christ suffered, "leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps."
• After washing his disciples' feet, Jesus said, "I have given you an example" (John 13:15).
• Other passages commonly cited alongside these include the call to deny oneself and take up the cross (Luke 9:23) and the statement that believers are changed into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Historical Background

The Imitation of Christ is a fifteenth-century devotional work that emerged from the Devotio Moderna ("Modern Devotion") movement in the Low Countries. It is widely attributed to Thomas à Kempis, although other views on its authorship exist. The book addresses humility, the renunciation of worldly desires, inward prayer, and the Eucharist. It has long been read in both the Catholic Church and Protestant churches.

Protestant assessments of the book have been divided. Martin Luther is reported to have stressed that Christ must first be received as the gift of salvation and that imitation must not be treated as a condition of salvation. John Wesley acknowledged that the book had a profound influence on him and published an abridged English edition. In the twentieth century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in The Cost of Discipleship (German Nachfolge), criticized "cheap grace" and emphasized a life of following Christ.

Practice in Korean Churches

The book has been translated into Korean by several publishers. It frequently appears on recommended lists of devotional books across denominations. The expression "a life of becoming like Jesus" is widely used in sermons, discipleship training, and quiet time materials. Some churches reflect on this theme by holding a foot-washing service during Holy Week.

The emphasis varies by denominational tradition. The Reformed tradition, including Presbyterians, regards imitation as fruit that the Holy Spirit produces after justification, and it is therefore careful to ensure that imitation is not understood as a work by which salvation is earned. The Wesleyan tradition, including Methodist and Holiness churches, more actively emphasizes a life of perfect love and holiness shaped by the mind of Christ ("Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," Philippians 2:5). Both traditions hold that imitation is accomplished not by human strength alone but with the help of the Holy Spirit.