In the well-known book Imitation of Christ, the writer, considered by many to be Thomas à Kempis, taught that the way to perfection was to suffer with Christ. The teaching in that book is very close to the teaching of asceticism, which is taught strongly by Buddhism, by the Gnostics, and by the so-called Christian mystics, including Madame Guyon, Father Fenelon, and Brother Lawrence. Much of the teaching concerning bearing the cross is actually a form of asceticism. However, in Colossians 2:20-23 Paul spoke strongly against asceticism.

The teaching of asceticism seemingly has some ground in the Scriptures, for in 1 Peter 4:1, Peter said, "Since Christ therefore has suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same mind (because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin)." In a sense, suffering does restrict people from sinning. When people are in poverty, they must work hard to earn a living, and they are restricted in their lusts. However, when people are wealthy, the amusements and the entertainments they pursue promote their lusts. If there were no truth to this, no one could have invented asceticism. Asceticism was invented by those who found out that when people become rich, they are often corrupted. The wrong teaching concerning bearing the cross is a form of asceticism.

The main concept of the book Imitation of Christ is erroneous. The Christian life is not an imitation of Christ but a participation in Christ. No one can imitate Christ, just as a monkey cannot imitate a man. We are fallen creatures. Sin has become our constitution. Every member of our body is a part of this sinful constitution. In Romans 7 Paul said that he had been sold under sin (v. 14). One who is sold under sin is a slave of sin. How can such a one be asked to keep the law? It is ridiculous to ask a slave of sin, one who is sold under sin, to keep the law.

The last of the Ten Commandments says, "Thou shalt not covet" (Exo. 20:17). This commandment is not related to outward conduct, but rather to the sin within man, mainly in his thoughts. Who can avoid coveting? Even a billionaire cannot avoid coveting. In Philippians 3 Paul said that as to the righteousness which is in the law, he had become blameless (v. 6). However, in Romans 7 Paul admitted that he was guilty of coveting (v. 7). Thus, Paul's boasting concerning his own righteousness is similar to David's boasting of his integrity in the Psalms (7:8; 26:1, 11; 41:12). Although Paul and David might have considered themselves righteous according to the law, at least for a certain time they were not righteous, for Paul coveted, and David murdered Uriah and robbed him of his wife, Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11), by this one act transgressing all the last five commandments in the law concerning man's conduct toward his fellow man (Exo. 20:13-17).

David is appreciated by many Jews and Christians. However, David committed a gross sin, and the remembrance of that sin remained long after David confessed it to God (Psa. 51). Even in the genealogy of Christ in Matthew, that sin of David's is mentioned (Matt. 1:6). In a sense Paul was good; even before he was a Christian he strove to keep the law. But in Romans 7 he told us that he did not succeed. In verse 9 he said that he was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived and he died.