Imitate God

You have probably heard the expression, "Like father like son." Many sons take on characteristics of their dads and want to grow up to be like them. When I was a boy, I had a toy shaving kit so I could shave 118like my dad. I had shirts that matched my dad's shirts. On Fridays my dad and I would go to the bowling alley and stop at McDonalds, where I would order exactly what he ordered: a Big Mac.

Sadly, many children are fatherless or have a father who is absent or abusive. This generation has been called the "fatherless generation." But thankfully, every believer gets to call God "Father." In 5:1 Paul urges us to imitate our heavenly Father.

Paul paints a glorious picture of the Father in Ephesians (1:3, 17; 3:14-15; 4:6). Now he adds that we must take on the Father's character.

In other places Paul holds himself up as an example saying, "Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ" (1 Cor 11:1; cf. 1 Cor 4:16; Phil 3:17; 1 Thess 1:6; 2 Thess 3:7, 9). Paul also tells congregations to imitate other congregations (1 Thess 2:14). Only here in Ephesians are we told to "imitate God."

Of course, we cannot imitate God in everything. For example, we cannot create the world out of nothing, and we cannot know all things. But we can reflect God's character in some ways as His image bearers who have been changed by the gospel. Paul described this already in Ephesians 4:24: "You put on the new self, the one created according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth" (emphasis added). In 5:1-17 we find many of the same themes found in 4:17-32. Paul continues describing how we may live holy and compassionately like our God.

This passage is heavy, like the previous one. Paul does not hold back. Though it may feel like a right-left combination, we need this passage. Paul answers how we should imitate God with three "walks." He urges us to walk in love (5:2), walk in light (5:8), and walk in wisdom (5:15).

Walk in Love

Walk in Love

Ephesians 5:1-2

In verses 1-2 Paul highlights the love of the Father and the love of the Son. Of course it is the Spirit who enables believers to love in such a way (Gal 5:22). Paul tells the Romans, "God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Rom 5:5). The Spirit empowers us to love like the Father and the Son.

Love like the Father (5:1)

We are told to imitate God "as dearly loved children." How did we become His children? Paul answered this already: "He predestined us 119to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will" (1:5).

God adopted us. He made us His sons and daughters. He sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, enabling us to cry out "Abba, Father" (Gal 4:6). God has given us a family called the church, filled with brothers and sisters. He has given us family chores to do as members of the family. Consider these amazing privileges and this sacred responsibility.

Therefore, an appropriate application of Ephesians 1:5, is Ephesians 5:1. These two verses belong together. Amazingly, the Father has loved us in the Beloved (1:6). We share in the love the Father has for the Son. Believers now show God's fatherly love by great acts of compassion and mercy. Jesus said, "Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful" (Luke 6:36).

God's people should be known for practical acts of mercy, like caring for orphans and widows (Jas 1:27), practicing hospitality (Rom 12:13), and caring for the poor (Eph 4:28). They should also give particular attention to meeting the needs of those within their own fellowships (Gal 6:10), as well as showing kindness and forgiveness to one another (Eph 4:32).

Love like the Son (5:2)

Paul moves to the cross of Christ in verse 2 to talk about love. He just stated that Christ's forgiveness of us is the motive for our forgiveness of others (4:32). Now he goes back to the cross again to talk about love. To understand the Father's love more clearly, we need to look at Christ, who is the ultimate imitator of the Father (John 14:9). Consider the power for love, the pattern of love, and the perfume of love.

The power for love. "Love others like Jesus" sounds good, but everyone fails at it. Non-Christians generally can't grasp the concept of sacrificial love, and they certainly have no interest in submitting to God by loving Him with their whole being. But even Christians have not loved God and neighbor perfectly. Paul shows us that we need not only Jesus' example; we also need His redeeming grace. We need a Savior who forgives us, and we need the Holy Spirit in us to empower us to love the world, demonstrating the fruit of salvation.

We still fail—frequently! We would be crushed today under the weight of guilt were it not for the cross. We would give up in frustration. But Jesus loved the Father and others perfectly, and He died in the place of lawbreakers like us. What a Savior!

120A Christian brother was ministering at a local university and began speaking to a Jewish student about the gospel. He began, "Now, I'm sure you've been told that one of the main beliefs of Christians is that Christ died for us, right?" His Jewish friend, who grew up in the heart of the U.S. Bible Belt, looked stunned and said, "No. I didn't know that." After a good conversation, the Jewish student started attending this Christian's Bible study. One of the guys made a passing comment during the study, "I just wish Jesus would come back." The Jewish friend said, "What? Jesus is coming back? OK, put that aside; I've got to figure out the first coming first."

I assume you know this, but if not—Christ Jesus came to earth and lived a perfect, sinless life. He kept the law perfectly, and then He died the death we deserved, as a substitute for sinners like us (cf. 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13). He rose on our behalf. If you have faith in Him, He will receive you. He will save you. Once people come to know Jesus, the Spirit of God then indwells them and empowers them to love sacrificially.

The pattern of love. How did Jesus love? This verse provides a marvelous description of genuine love. Love involves giving ourselves away for the good of another. Paul says Christ "loved us and gave Himself for us." He repeats this idea when he talks about marriage: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her" (5:25). Christ gave us the ultimate pattern of love.

Love is not just sentimentalism. It is not merely feeling sorry for someone. It involves sacrifice and action. John writes, "Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action" (1 John 3:18). Jesus demonstrated His love with flesh-and-blood action (Rom 5:8). Some of these actions include loving one another (John 13:34-35), forgiving others (Eph 4:32), giving financially (2 Cor 8:9), spreading the gospel (2 Cor 5:14-21), being patient with others (1 Cor 13:4; Eph 4:2), loving those who annoy you (Eph 4:26), repenting of racism and displaying love to different people groups (Eph 2:11-22), and aiding those in need (Eph 4:29).

How can we grow in our love for others? We must think on Christ's love for us. Paul says Christ "loved us and gave Himself for us" (v. 2). He says a similar thing in Galatians as he describes his sacrificial life:

121In light of Christ's love for him, Paul lived a life to the glory of God and for the good of others. Meditate much on the love of Christ, and may it compel you to love like the Savior.

The perfume of love. Christ's death was a "sacrificial and fragrant offering to God." In the Old Testament, sacrifices were placed on an altar. A "pleasing aroma" was an Old Testament description of God's acceptance of a sacrifice given from a sincere and wholehearted worshiper (Gen 8:21). Here in Ephesians, Christ's offering of Himself was the ultimate acceptable sacrifice. It gave the perfume of grace and glory, the most pleasing aroma of sacrifice ever.

Notice Christ gave Himself up for us, but it was an offering to God. This is the pattern of love for us. While we cannot love like Christ in an atoning sense, we can love in this "horizontal-vertical sense." Let there be a holy fragrance of love in your life as you care for others practically, sincerely, and generously for the glory of God. An example of this horizontal-vertical love is in Philippians. There the church gave an offering to Paul, and Paul said their offering to him was a "fragrant offering" to God (Phil 4:18). They gave to Paul, but God received it as worship.

Amy Carmichael exemplified this type of love. She was a great missionary to India who spent much of her ministry caring for ill-treated children, and she saved many from forced prostitution (which took place in the temples). She founded the Dohnavur Fellowship, which became a refuge for more than a thousand children. She died in India in 1951 at the age of 83. Before dying, she asked that no stone be put over her grave. But the children she cared deeply for decided to put a birdbath over her grave, with the single inscription "Amma," which means "mother." Carmichael lived out her saying: "One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving." Sherwood Eddy said of her, "Her life was the most fragrant, the most joyfully sacrificial, that I ever knew" (Pathfinders, 125). May God make us a people that love others like Christ loves us, and may our love be a pleasing aroma to God.

Walk in Light

Walk in Light

Ephesians 5:3-14

In this section Paul describes the themes of light and darkness by contrasting the works of darkness and the fruit of light. Notice in verse 8 Paul states, "For you were once darkness." He does not say that you "were walking in darkness." Rather, "you were once darkness." But through the 122gospel, he says, "You are light in the Lord." So your identity has changed. Because you are light, Paul says, "Walk as children of light." Once again Paul calls believers to become what they are! You are light! (cf. 1 Pet 2:9; 1 John 1:1-5).

Now, the question for the believer is, How do we walk in the light? We can answer this by observing three exhortations: exalt God and not idols, exhibit the fruit of light, and expose the darkness.

Exalt God, Not Idols (5:3-6)

Paul mentions several sins here to describe a dark life: sexual immorality, impurity, greed, and filthy speech. These sins grow out of a heart that has replaced God with functional saviors. Paul says that these sins should "not even be heard of among you" (v. 3) and that they are "not suitable" for a believer (v. 4).

Sexual immorality and impurity (5:3a). One might think we are advanced in the twenty-first century. But when you read this, you see that we have the same sin issues faced by the first-century church.

Impurity is a broad word that refers to any type of filth. It is sometimes combined with sexual immorality, but when Paul says "any," it should not be limited to sexual sin (cf. 4:19). It basically means we should live lives of pervasive holiness, following the command, "Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Pet 1:16).

Sexual immorality is at the top of Paul's sin lists elsewhere. In the parallel text in Colossians, he states, "Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry" (Col 3:5; cf. Gal 5:19; 1 Cor 6:9-11). The word used here for sexual immorality is pornei, which Snodgrass defines as a "broad word covering any sexual sin" (Ephesians, 268). Scripture condemns particular types of sexual sin (homosexuality, fornication, adultery, bestiality) and also lustful thoughts (Matt 5:27-30).

People will try to work around this teaching of Scripture, but remember what Paul says: there should not be even a hint of sexual immorality in a believer's life. Paul's words are clear. You were darkness. Now you are light. Become what you are!

We must resist the temptation to rename sin. Popular illustrations of this abound: "It's for mature audiences" or "The Gentlemen's Club." We must not redefine sin. We often hear, "If it feels good, it must be good." We must not merely try to manage sin. I saw an in-flight magazine promoting a particular club this way: "It's just the right amount of wrong." 123God's people must seek to kill sin (Col 3:5) and flee from sin (1 Cor 6:18; 1 Thess 4:3).

Ultimately, pornei is idolatry. Much of the ancient world had sexual practices wrapped up in their idolatry (as in Ephesus). Paul does not specifically call pornei "idolatry" as he does with the sin of greed, but sexual sin is the result of not honoring God. Paul shows us this progression in Romans 1:18-32. Your life is an overflow of your heart. Your sexual sin problem is fundamentally a worship problem. To be clear, the Bible is not antisex. Rather, it is pro-intimacy within the covenant of marriage. But if you do not get the worship problem solved, you will never enjoy the beautiful gift of sex the way God intended.

Though this is not a new sin, the fact is, pornography is more accessible today than ever. Some have told me that it is regularly played on the TVs where they work. It is viewed in the dorms at universities. Pornography is viewed on the smart phones of middle-school boys as they sit in the cafeteria before class begins. It is everywhere. Paul's words are timely and timeless.

We should add that churches should be known for restoring those who have fallen into deep sexual sin. However, people cannot have healing apart from repentance. Repentance involves acknowledging the sin, believing that you need to change, experiencing the grace of Jesus, and then changing your life. Let us humbly repent and call others to repentance.

Greed (5:3b). Greed (or covetousness) is the insatiable desire for more. Paul identifies it as idolatry in verse 5 and in Colossians 3:5. The tenth commandment addresses coveting (Exod 20:7). Breaking this commandment means you are not keeping the first commandment, "Do not have other gods besides Me" (Exod 20:3).

So greed is about the heart. It is about desiring something more than God. Jesus told His followers to "watch out and be on guard against all greed" and not to become a rich fool (Luke 12:15-21). Perhaps Jesus had to tell us to "watch out" because none of us thinks we are greedy. Greed is sneaky.

I once heard Tim Keller describing a sermon series that he decided to present on the seven deadly sins. His wife predicted, "Your lowest attendance will be for the message on greed." Keller said she was correct. And of those who did show up for the greed sermon, no one was observably moved or upset. Why? It is because few think the topic applies to them. Keller went on to say that no one has ever confessed, "Pastor,124 I think I may be greedy" or "I think I love money too much." Why? Is it because no one is guilty or because we are not "watching out" for this blind spot? I think we know the answer. In materialistic cultures greed is the air breathed. We must seek to put this idol to death.

Jesus' command is to delight in God and store up treasure in heaven (Luke 12:32-34). Echoing these words, Paul states, "But godliness with contentment is a great gain" (1 Tim 6:6). The apostle says greed kills (1 Tim 6:9-10) and the rich should not "set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy" (1 Tim 6:17).

Ultimately, the god of money will not satisfy. It is empty. The call is for believers to find their satisfaction in God alone. Christians are to make money, thank God for money, and use money for the right purposes while worshiping God alone.

Corrupt speech (5:4). Christians must also avoid "coarse and foolish talking or crude joking." Those walking in the light will not use language that is shameful or disgraceful (cf. Col 3:8). Some suggest that "foolish talking" may be associated with sexual sin and drunkenness (Thielman, Ephesians, 330). And while there is nothing wrong with humor and laughter, humor can be abused in malicious and vulgar ways. Therefore, Paul forbids "crude joking."

Paul says that in place of corrupt speech, the Christian should be known for "giving thanks" (cf. 1 Thess 5:18). Let us cultivate a heart of gratitude and adopt a vocabulary of thanksgiving. Here again the issue is worship. Thanksgiving, not sinful speech, will come out of your mouth when gratitude fills your heart. Snodgrass says it well: "Thanksgiving is an antidote for sin, for it is difficult [impossible] to both give thanks and sin at the same time" (Ephesians, 276).

Sexual sin, greed, and corrupt talk are about self-centered ways of thinking. We sin in these ways when we seek to gratify our sinful desires. But thanksgiving is the attitude that says, "Thank You for Your generosity, Father. You have given me everything I need. I don't need to go looking to substitute gods for pleasure and joy."

Paul reiterates this note of thanksgiving in 5:18-21. He says thanksgiving is a result of the Spirit's work in the believer. Here is where we find the power for replacing idols with true worship: the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Warning (5:5-6). Paul says those who persist in this dark lifestyle will not inherit the kingdom of heaven (cf. 1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21). 125Hughes is instructive here: "Do Christians fall into these sins? Of course! But true Christians will not persist in them, for persistence in sensuality is a graceless state" (Ephesians, 159). Paul told the Corinthians, "And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor 6:11).

This warning emphasizes how foolish worldly pursuits are from a kingdom perspective. Consider Jesus' words: "For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world and lose his life?" (Mark 8:36). Indeed, this warning is instructive to the believer as it calls him or her to pursue the kingdom and its righteousness over fleeting pleasures.

Paul strengthens his argument by speaking of the fate of the unrepentant: "Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God's wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things" (Eph 5:6; cf. Col 3:6). Paul says God's wrath is coming on the unrepentant and people had better not listen to the scoffer who mocks God's judgment.

Believers have a God more satisfying than sexual sin and greed, a God worthy of endless thanksgiving, a God who has given them a kingdom. Worship the triune God alone, not cheap substitutes.

Exhibit the Fruit of Light (5:7-10)

Paul reminds us of our new identity and gives us four instructions on how we can exhibit the fruit of light amid darkness.

Display light by not joining those in darkness. He says, "Therefore, do not become their partners" (v. 7). To the Corinthians he says, "Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?" (2 Cor 6:14).

Paul calls Christians to be salt in society, to love and befriend those outside the faith. However, our mission does not involve participating in the sins of unbelievers. We must flee from, and not share in, the world's greed, sexual immorality, and corrupt speech.

Display light by living out your identity. He says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" (v. 8). Snodgrass highlights the force of this statement: "No text is as strong in its explanation of conversion" (Ephesians, 271).

Paul makes an important distinction here: Christians are not light in themselves; they are light in the Lord. Because He is light and we are in Him, we are light. And because the Christian is light (a fact), we are 126now called to "walk as children of light" (an imperative). We are to pursue total holiness before the eyes of God, who has made us new people.

Display light by doing all that is good, right, and true. Paul says, "For the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth" (v. 9). The phrase "fruit of the light" describes the result of dwelling in God's light. God is good and right and true. As His imitators, Christians are to do that which is good and right and true. Here this trio of virtues seems to be a summary of the ethical content previously covered in Ephesians and resembles the fruit of the Spirit. Those who walk in light do "good works" (2:10), they live righteously (4:24), and they speak truthfully (4:15).

Display light by pleasing the Lord. Paul says, "Discerning what is pleasing to the Lord" (v. 10). As a believer, you may not please everyone. You may be mocked for following Jesus. Some may think you are living in the Stone Age because you believe the Bible. But we must keep coming back to this fundamental question: What will please the Lord? Walking in the light pleases the Lord.

Expose the Darkness (5:11-14)

Paul goes on to say that believers must not only avoid participation in darkness but they must also actively expose the darkness. The latter is the positive counterpart to the former negative exhortation. Believers are to let their light shine as Jesus said and did (Matt 5:16). Notice two effects of shining the light.

Light exposes the sin of unbelievers. The word expose carries the idea of correcting or convincing someone. Walking in the light does not mean avoiding contact with people. It means living a holy life, and it means confronting darkness.

Though the text does not tell us how to do this specifically, it surely means with words and deeds. We need wisdom, discernment, gentleness, and courage to know how to confront and expose the works of darkness. Paul says the light illuminates darkness (these secretive and shameful deeds), as evil is seen for what it is. Here the life and actions of the believer expose the works of darkness in the world.

Verse 12 notes these works done in secret are too "shameful" to mention. Do not participate in that which is shameful. Expose that which is shameful, and live a life that is honorable.

Light transforms unbelievers into the realm of light. Paul says, "For what makes everything clear is light" (v. 14). This verse seems to speak of the 127transforming power of the light of truth and purity. O'Brien summarizes it well:

The disclosure of people's sins effected through believers' lives enables men and women to see the sinful nature of their deeds. Some abandon darkness of sin and respond to the light so that they become light themselves. This understanding is confirmed by verse 8, which speaks of the transformation that had taken place in the readers' experience, and by the confession of 14b. (Ephesians, 372-73)

J. B. Philips's paraphrase is helpful: "It is even possible (after all, it happened to you!) for the light to turn the thing it shines upon into light also."

The believer is called to expose the darkness in the corrupt places of our world—like where young children are trafficked, enslaved, and forced to work against their will, and where power is abused in other ways. We must bring the light of justice, exposing shameful, secretive sins, and bring the transforming light of the gospel to everyone—including the guilty enslavers themselves.

The last part of verse 14 is about the transforming light of Christ. It seems to combine passages on the resurrection and light such as Isaiah 26:19; 60:1; and Jonah 1:6. These words are probably a hymn or an early confession that was used at baptism. Those baptized would be reminded to "rise and shine." Paul says, "Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you" (v. 14).

To summarize 5:7-14, when awakened Christians, who were once darkness but are now light, shine the light of truth and righteousness in a dark world with their words and deeds, they make visible the shameful and secretive deeds of darkness; they may also be used to help those in darkness come to the light themselves.

Walk in Wisdom

Walk in Wisdom

Ephesians 5:15-17

In the same spirit of verses 7-14, believers must wake up and live wisely. Paul exhorts us to walk carefully, to make the most of our time, and to understand the Lord's will.

The verses that follow explain what it means to pay attention to how you walk. Those who walk carefully do not walk foolishly, like an unwise person. In the Colossians parallel Paul says, "Act wisely toward outsiders, 128making the most of the time" (Col 4:5), with speech that is "gracious, seasoned with salt" (Col 4:6). The believer is to "walk" in front of outsiders in hopes that they may see the life-changing power of the gospel.

"Not as Unwise People but as Wise" (5:15)

With regards to walking in wisdom, Proverbs is instructive (Prov 1:7; 9:10; 10:1; 12:15; 13:16, 20; 14:16; 28:26). The fool lives recklessly. He flaunts folly, hangs with fools, and despises wisdom. The wise man, in contrast, values wisdom and pursues it diligently (Prov 2:1-5).

How does the believer gain wisdom? The writer of Proverbs tells us to walk with the wise in order to become wise (Prov 13:20). James says God gives wisdom if you ask for it (Jas 1:5; cf. Prov 2:6). Further, Paul states that in Jesus all the treasures of wisdom are found (Col 2:3). Jesus says fools build their lives on sand, but the wise build on the rock of His Word (Matt 7:24-27). Let us follow these instructions.

"Making the Most of the Time" (5:16)

Paul reminds the Ephesians that they, like us, are living in the last days. Therefore, how we live matters. This text calls us to identify the things that fritter our time away and to prioritize everything relentlessly.

Christians should make the most of their time because they do not want to waste their lives. The phrase "The days are evil" refers to the idea of "this present evil age" (Gal 1:4) in which all are living. We must passionately shine our light in this dark world while we have breath. When we see the King, we will not regret having spent our lives wisely.

"Understand What the Lord's Will Is" (5:17)

Usually when Christians talk about God's will, they are referring to God's will regarding major decisions about things like their careers. But I do not think that is what Paul has in mind here. He is referring to God's already revealed will, and for us today that means understanding the Bible.

Believers need to understand what God has called every believer to pursue and what He has called every believer to avoid. In short, understanding the Lord's will means to pattern our lives after Jesus (cf. Rom 8:29).

We should remember today that Christians are new creations because Jesus submitted to God's will. He cried out, "It is finished," after doing God's will obediently. He rescued those who did not love 129others perfectly, those who committed these dark, shameful deeds, and those who were living a life of folly. Now the Spirit indwells His people, enabling them to imitate God by walking in love, by walking in light, by walking in the Spirit. Let there be thanksgiving to God for His Son, Jesus.

Reflect and Discuss

Reflect and Discuss

1. Explain the relationship between Ephesians 1:5 and 5:1.
2. Paul commands us to love others as Jesus loved us (5:2). Does that seem like an unreachable ideal, or does Jesus' example give you hope?
3. How did Jesus model both horizontal and vertical love (v. 2)?
4. To walk in light we are called to exalt God, exhibit fruit, and expose darkness. What about these points resonates with you?
5. How would you explain to a youth Sunday School class that immorality, greed, and corrupt speech each amount to idolatry?
6. Explain the relationship between sin, God's wrath, and salvation in this passage. How can one escape the wrath of God?
7. What virtues and practices from this passage should we pursue as people of light?
8. What does it mean to expose the works of darkness (v. 11)? How might we do this today? How does the Holy Spirit provide wisdom and boldness for this task?
9. What does it mean to walk in wisdom (v. 15)? What are your sources for this kind of wisdom?
10. What does it mean to make the most of the time (v. 16)? Are you doing this?