Imitating Christ is not the same as drawing close to Him in faith. We imitate the faith of others. (cf. Hebrews 13:7; 1Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 2Thessalonians 3:9). The only thing that we need to imitate about Christ is His faith and unconditional trust in the Father. When we apply this type of faith to Christ, who embodies the Godhead, we receive the mind of Christ through His Spirit within us (cf. 1Corinthians 2:9-16). This is what gives us spiritual discernment.
I don’t really understand what you’re saying. Do you mean we shouldn’t imitate Christ’s charity, as when He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another”? (Jn 13:34) And does this imitation of Christ’s love, in obedience to His commandments, not entail growing closer to Him and to the Father, since He said, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him”? (Jn 14:23) Christians have always sought to imitate every aspect of Christ, since He is true God and true man, so that we can grow closer to Him.
I believe that we primarily draw close to the members of the Godhead by humility toward God (cf. James 4:8-10; 1Peter 5-5-7). Then we are guided by the Holy Spirit towards works of charity or agape love. I don’t necessarily view this as obedience to Christ’s commandments. We are energized by God to will and to do of His good pleasure. I don’t view this so much as obligation, but as a spontaneous willingness on our part. I find that many people are afraid to draw close to God because they fear that He may ask them to do something that they don’t want to do. I haven’t found it this way.
That is certainly an interesting perspective, though I still don't entirely understand it, and it doesn't seem to match up with Christ's statements in the Gospels like those I quoted above, where obedience to His commandments is a central aspect of growing in communion with Him and through Him to the whole Trinity by the power of grace. I can see your final point, though I would say that this is precisely the type of fear that Christ and St. Paul say are inappropriate for a Christian, (Jn 14:27; Rom 8:15) as opposed to authentic fear of God rooted in love, especially since true Christian discipleship often leads to mortification of the flesh, persecution and even martyrdom, all of which are things God asks them to do 'that they don't want to do.'
If the Greek word for commandment or commandments is translated as instruction for how to draw close to God, it would take the emphasis away from performing certain acts to draw close to God, in favor of faith in God.
But we aren't only called to have faith, but "faith working through love." (Gal 5:6) The commandments of God, in the OT and NT, tell us how to do this correctly.
I do believe that it is faith unto good works. In Galatians 5:6, the Greek word for ‘working’ is ‘energeo’; and the Greek word for ‘love’ is ‘agape’. Agape is a fruit of the Spirit. In light of verses 4 and 5, it doesn’t sound like verse 6 refers to the OT Mosaic Law. Verse 5 speaks of righteousness by faith. In the NT, we are not under the OT 10 commandments as a legal requirement with a legal penalty. The commands in the NT are instructions for how to draw close to God by faith.
Imitating Christ is not the same as drawing close to Him in faith. We imitate the faith of others. (cf. Hebrews 13:7; 1Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 2Thessalonians 3:9). The only thing that we need to imitate about Christ is His faith and unconditional trust in the Father. When we apply this type of faith to Christ, who embodies the Godhead, we receive the mind of Christ through His Spirit within us (cf. 1Corinthians 2:9-16). This is what gives us spiritual discernment.
I don’t really understand what you’re saying. Do you mean we shouldn’t imitate Christ’s charity, as when He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another”? (Jn 13:34) And does this imitation of Christ’s love, in obedience to His commandments, not entail growing closer to Him and to the Father, since He said, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him”? (Jn 14:23) Christians have always sought to imitate every aspect of Christ, since He is true God and true man, so that we can grow closer to Him.
I believe that we primarily draw close to the members of the Godhead by humility toward God (cf. James 4:8-10; 1Peter 5-5-7). Then we are guided by the Holy Spirit towards works of charity or agape love. I don’t necessarily view this as obedience to Christ’s commandments. We are energized by God to will and to do of His good pleasure. I don’t view this so much as obligation, but as a spontaneous willingness on our part. I find that many people are afraid to draw close to God because they fear that He may ask them to do something that they don’t want to do. I haven’t found it this way.
That is certainly an interesting perspective, though I still don't entirely understand it, and it doesn't seem to match up with Christ's statements in the Gospels like those I quoted above, where obedience to His commandments is a central aspect of growing in communion with Him and through Him to the whole Trinity by the power of grace. I can see your final point, though I would say that this is precisely the type of fear that Christ and St. Paul say are inappropriate for a Christian, (Jn 14:27; Rom 8:15) as opposed to authentic fear of God rooted in love, especially since true Christian discipleship often leads to mortification of the flesh, persecution and even martyrdom, all of which are things God asks them to do 'that they don't want to do.'
If the Greek word for commandment or commandments is translated as instruction for how to draw close to God, it would take the emphasis away from performing certain acts to draw close to God, in favor of faith in God.
But we aren't only called to have faith, but "faith working through love." (Gal 5:6) The commandments of God, in the OT and NT, tell us how to do this correctly.
I do believe that it is faith unto good works. In Galatians 5:6, the Greek word for ‘working’ is ‘energeo’; and the Greek word for ‘love’ is ‘agape’. Agape is a fruit of the Spirit. In light of verses 4 and 5, it doesn’t sound like verse 6 refers to the OT Mosaic Law. Verse 5 speaks of righteousness by faith. In the NT, we are not under the OT 10 commandments as a legal requirement with a legal penalty. The commands in the NT are instructions for how to draw close to God by faith.