Ephesians 5:1-2 "Imitators of God"

Introduction:

It has been a while since we were in the Book of Ephesians.

You may recall that Ephesians chapters 1-3 are heavy on the doctrinal emphasis while chapters 4-6 tend to be more on the practical side.

So what we see in Ephesians is how the doctrine of chapters 1-3 translate into the practical Christian life being lived out in chapters 4-6

As we pick up in Ephesians 5:1 there is a Principled Basis being established by the Apostle Paul for the practical Christian life. Look back at your text to verse 1:

I. The Principled Basis (1).

Being imitators of God is consistent with a life that is submissive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I bring this up because of the context. “Therefore” ties us back to what we saw some time ago in Ephesians 4:30-32*.

As Christians we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit as we strive to live out the practical aspect of the gospel in the world.

Therefore we are to imitate God. We get our English word “mimic” from the Greek term being used here. It denotes the idea that we are being commanded to act in such a way that reflects God as our example.

Being imitators of God is reflective of the Christian’s identity as children of God.

Children are often reflective of the actions of their parents.

I recently saw a video of a young child setting next to his dad watching football on TV. He was cheering and acting in such a way that mimicked his Father’s actions.

I don’t think the small child knew what a touchdown was but he knew how to act like his dad did when their team favorite scored.

Now we can have our theological understanding of the doctrine of God down pat, but where do we see God as our Father Personified in real life? Look at your text to verse 2:

II. The Personified Example (2).

When we walk in love we live out God’s reflection in the world.

The example on what this looks like is living sacrificially in our love for others and for God.

Not mutually exclusive ideas but they are lived out in an inclusive manner. To love God is to minister the love of God to others in a sacrificial manner.

“Christ loved us gave Himself up for us” this tells that He lived out His ministerial love on our behalf as His covenant people.

But this was a practical expression of His obedient service of worship before God.

The language of a “fragrant offering” and “sacrifice” takes us back to the Old Testament sacrificial system which has been fulfilled in Christ.

Christ offering of Himself as a sacrifice to God on our behalf has rendered animal sacrifices under the OT system nullified and void.

Christ met us at the deepest level of our need in obedience to God in laying Himself down for our benefit.

Living out sacrificial love like Christ is not about self exaltation. It is not to increase our reputation as a humanitarian so that others will thank well of us or that we can feel good about ourselves.

When we minister in love like Christ then that means that we have the sincere ambition to please God above all else. That is the only way we can do it without grieving the Holy Spirit.

This is demonstrated in the institution of the Church and in our families and in the world.

There are relational implications of this truth in the body of Christ, the Church. We are bound together as one and in this connection when one rejoices we all do. When one suffers we all do.

This is the context where the body ministers to one another. And in that ministry there are personality conflicts and tensions that exist but over-arching all of that is the covenant community where sanctification and the ministry of grace is taking place.

It is taking place to make us all reflect

There are relational implications of the truth in the family too. Husbands and wives who make their marriages primarily about themselves and their own subjective happiness instead of primarily being about the glory of God grieve the Spirit.

Such a context is not consistent with a lifestyle of sacrificial love. Instead there will be a cultivation of human pride because if God and His glory is not primary then some aspect of self will dominate.

There are relational implications of the truth in how we live among pagans in the world too. If our lives look like their lives we are in no place to minister the gospel. Because our message won’t match the conviction of our lives and the world will see right through us.

Such a contradiction grieves the Holy Spirit. But a life that has been transformed by the gospel takes sanctification seriously and it will show in how we live. We desire to reflect godliness to an ever-increasing degree in our lives.

And Christian this doesn’t come by increasing our self-reliance. It comes by increasing our God reliance upon His covenant grace.

Illustration of stock:

Let me try to illustrate this: Several months ago I opened a stock account and I bought my first shares of a stock.

I bought it while it was going up. Once I bought it the stock market in general took a hit and my stock started to sink.

So I bought some more because now it was such a great deal. And it sunk more down close to its all time low. That is a financial perspective. At this point why should I buy more?

From a spiritual perspective in contrast to this physical material world; Why would I continue to invest in something temporal that is slated for destruction instead of investing in something eternal that can’t loose?

Jesus Christ was fully vested in the things of God and His life was reflective of this.

And He is our primary example. You want to know how to imitate God?

Then we should strive in obedience to live like Christ and be sacrificially committed to being all in for God and His purposes.

The problem is that this world system offers us cheap stock at bargain prices that our flesh craves and we think that lasting happiness and joy can be found in worldly bargains instead Christ who is seated at the right hand of God.

Psalm 16:11 -“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

In the presence of God and at His right hand is the fullness of lasting joy. Everything else is a bad investment.

Why would you continue to invest in something temporal that is slated for destruction instead of investing in something eternal that can’t loose?

Conclusion:

Unbeliever you need a Savior. Everything this old fallen world has to offer will crash and burn never to be heard from again. Only that which is in and through Christ will remain.

Christian this table reminds us of the glorious value of Christ and the extravagance of God’s grace to us. We are in Christ and held secure by Him. And our inheritance is certain.

Come away from the world, eat with the pigs no longer. Set down at the Master’s table and dine with and on the provision of Christ.

Let us examine our hearts in preparation for the celebration. Let’s Pray!

No closed, everyone together.