Imitate God

Imitate God

Ephesians 5:1-5

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, [2] and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. [3] But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. [4] Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. [5] For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Who is God?

How can we imitate God? Can we be practitioners of infinite wisdom and knowledge? Can we foster skills that help us create life with only our words? Can we develop such metaphysical mastery that we can transcend space and time and exist in all places at once?

Well, of course, we cannot.

Luckily, this is not what the text calls us into. Paul doesn’t ask us to imitate characteristics or attributes of God, instead, he invites us to imitate God Himself.

So, who is God? John helps us in 1 John 4:8 where he tells us that God is love.

You see, as astonishing and utterly unfathomable as those abilities I listed are, even the greatest ability cannot transcend to the identity level. Actions, and even patterns of actions in and of themselves are insufficient to define us. God is so intrinsically kind, patient, merciful, and generously so. God is remarkably generous. He loves to give good gifts. In fact, He doesn’t withhold any good thing from us, even if it comes at a great cost to Him; even if it requires sacrifice. God isn’t loving as an adjective, but He is love as an identity. God is love.

Notice the adverb that I tacked in because this is the driving distinction that sets the foundation for my caveat - God is kind, patient, merciful, and generously so.

You see, it is one thing to be generous, but it is another thing altogether to be so radically generous that you would not withhold good from someone even if it meant detriment to you; it is a whole separate category that would see someone so completely sold out for the prospering of another that they would so fiercely, even recklessly, pursue it, even if it brought on suffering.

If I may offer an analogy - If you had desperate need, and I, having 1 billion dollars, gave you a penny, this would virtually mean nothing, it would not impact your situation, and in fact, it would likely even be offensive. But if you had desperate need, and I, having only a penny to my name, offered you my very last penny that you might find satisfaction or help, even though this wouldn’t financially make a dent, this would make such an impact that it would be profound.

Consider the story about the woman who gave her last penny from Mark 12:41-44 (CSB):

"Sitting across from the temple treasury, (Jesus) watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning his disciples, he said to them, 'Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had—all she had to live on.'”

Now, one obvious application here is about the profound worship from the selfless giver who wants to return what God has provided, and it calls the audience to go and do likewise.

But today I offer you a slightly alternate thinking of this text - if the generosity of this widow, who gave out of her poverty, was so profound, and to be sure, it was, how much more profound would the generosity be of the wealthy who gives so much that it puts them into poverty? And then, how much more, the first who would become last so that the last might become first? Or more still, a king who becomes a servant, so that a servant can have an inheritance of royalty.

This is why God is intrinsically, at the identity level, love. Because he gives and gives, and gives, and gave even to the point of great loss and unimaginable suffering. And my dear and precious family, this love, which was so fervently, wildly, fiercely, and passionately poured out, was intentioned, purposed, and directed directly right at you. Thanks be to God for He loves you with such distinction that it defines who He is!

Imitate God

So, I ask again, how can we be imitators of God?

Kindness is not a Christian distinctive.

Or to say another way, kindness is not in and of itself unique to Christianity.

The world knows kindness. Kindness permeates all facets of our modern culture. I may even go so far as to say that kindness is often the religion of our secular culture. Consider this popular quote from novelist Henry James that I’ve seen several times online over the years,

"Three things in human life are important.

The first is to be kind.

The second is to be kind.

And the third is to be kind."

I personally believe, and submit to you, that people are generally good. Not meritoriously righteous, spotless, or blameless, but good. Even if you subscribe to the doctrine of total depravity, the teaching there is that we are totally depraved, but not completely depraved - distorted as it may be, we still contain the image of our Holy God.

Some examples of kindness around us are truly beautiful, where we see the image of God on display. But because we live in a fallen world, her nature is corrupt. And what we often see is that some acts of kindness can be rather deceptive and self-serving. Consider these examples:

Many movements, such as "random acts of kindness" campaigns or "pay it forward" initiatives, encourage people to do good for others. These campaigns promote kindness as a social ideal, where kindness is both the end and the means. And often, these are beautiful expressions of kindness and love, but other times, the participant uses these, not for the good of the cause, but to feel better about themselves, and these are often accompanied by both the implicit and explicit heaping on of guilt and shame to anyone who refuses to pay it forward or play along.

On social media, people often engage in what is called "virtue signaling"—showing public displays of kindness or generosity to project a good image of themselves rather than out of genuine concern for others.

Large corporations often engage in charitable giving and humanitarian work, not out of a sincere moral obligation, but to enhance their brand or as part of a marketing strategy. The motivation here is often profit or public perception rather than genuine care for others.

In many secular contexts, kindness is seen as the highest good. The belief is that if everyone is simply "kind," the world will become a utopia, almost replacing the need for spiritual redemption or deeper ethical reflection.

In the broader self-help and wellness culture, kindness is often advocated as a means of self-fulfillment and self-care. People are encouraged to be kind because "it feels good" or because it improves mental health, making it a tool for personal benefit.

So you see, the kindness that is often known by the world is nothing more than a tool for self-gain.

Dear family, we cannot imitate the world. We must imitate God.

This is why the scripture doesn’t say that the world will know us by our kindness, rather, the world will know us by our love. The same type of love that I just talked about moments ago. The way of the Father, the way of the Lord Jesus - real love. Self-denying, self-sacrificing, outward-facing, costly love, where we lay down our time, talents, efforts, resources, preferences, and even our own lives if necessary, all for the good of another. In the same way that God loved the world, in the same way that God loves us, so to are we to love the world.

We pray, “God, not my will but yours”, and we live and relate, “Neighbor, not for my good, but for yours.” The world doesn’t know this type of kindness, the world doesn’t know this type of love.

How do we practically do this? Jesus helps us here:

When one cheek is struck, offer the other one. When someone asks you to go with them one mile, go with them two. When someone steals your tunic, give them your cloak also. When someone asks to borrow, let them keep it without debt. When others curse you, bless them. When you are wronged, forgive seventy times seven. When you see someone hungry, feed them. When a stranger needs shelter, offer them hospitality. When you see someone in sorrow, mourn with them. When you have more than enough, share with those in need. When you face persecution, endure it joyfully. When tempted to judge, extend mercy instead.

The world knows kindness. But being sold out for these ideals, laying your life down for another, the world knows nothing of this. And it is this pure and undefiled love that they so desperately need. Friends, we can’t imitate the world. We must imitate God. When we imitate God, not only to share His love, but we beg others to come and follow. We must imitate God and in doing so, we bear witness to the Gospel, bearing witness to the genuine kindness of God in such a way that will draw the world to taste and see that God is good and that Jesus is Lord.

When we walk in this self-giving love, we live as 'dearly loved children' (Ephesians 5:1), reflecting the heart of our Father to the world. Walking in this type of love is not what makes us ‘dearly loved children’, but because we are ‘dearly loved children’, this is the way we walk. And this is the fragrant offering we bring to God—a life poured out for others, just as Christ gave himself for us.

God, help us. Amen.