Paul did not insist people to blindly follow him. He said in 1 Cor. 11:11, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” NKJV

How did Paul imitate Christ? Paul was blameless according to the overseers’ qualifications (Tit. 1 & 1 Tim. 2) and:

“Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:16).

Paul considered the Bereans more noble because they eagerly received what he taught them, and they checked the scriptures daily to make sure what he told them was true (Acts 17:11).

And Paul said we are to judge those in the church. 1 Cor. 5:

9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

Jesus said in John 7:

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

From my Paul’s elders’ qualifications revisited article, where I quote the verses where Paul says overseers must be blameless and holy:

Blameless and holy must at least mean that overseers are going-to-heaven Christians, which means they must be in the Galatians-5 “Those who are Christ’s” list and not in the “will not inherit the Kingdom” list.

Galatians 5

[…]

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

I also show in my Paul’s elders’ qualifications revisited article that an overseers must not be a liar or have a root of bitterness, must have a pure heart and be a peacemaker, etc..

“Is It Right: To Judge, To Expose Error & To Name Names? — Those who are faithful in exposing error according to the Bible are now being widely denounced, and are accused of being unloving and unkind

Paul’s elders’ qualifications revisited: What does ‘BLAMELESS’ mean? — Most pastors are biblically disqualified

Naming Names? Is that Biblical?: Paul did — Those who teach “any other gospel” are “accursed” of God and to be marked

Greg Laurie: Don’t Judge? — We are to judge, but we are not to condemn. In fact, a better translation of Matthew 7:1 would be: “Do not condemn others, and you will not be condemned.”

Meekness is Not Weakness — Jesus got angry at the right things at the right times. Meekness is power under control, part of the fruit of the Spirit.

(video) WHEN “JUDGE NOT” IS NOT BIBLICAL — The mantra “judge not” is grossly misapplied today. As Christians we are told in God’s Word to judge all things spiritually, in righteous judgment, because we have the mind of Christ

The Didache (70-100 AD): Reconciliation was required to attend early church meetings! “Let no one who is at odds with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned.”

The Sheep Stealers Rob the Sheep—Hypocrites Cannot Lead

Leadership: How it is Supposed to Be

Leaders Who Have Hurt People But Refuse to Repent

Failed Churches — Hate that Destroys the Yoke of Unity

Many Curse Others From Their Hurts Deep Within