Be Ye Followers of God as Dear Children

Introduction

The "follow" feature on social media is used frequently, with users often indicating their interest in content creators, brands, or topics they find engaging. The frequency of using the "follow" feature can vary based on individual preferences and the type of content being followed. However, the overall trend shows that social media platforms are designed to enhance user engagement and connection, making the "follow" feature a common and essential part of the user experience. 

The term Christian means little Christ. If you have asked Christ as your Savior, your life should reveal what Christ is like to others. Christ beckoned the twelve come to him.

Ephesians 5:1 “1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;”

D. God wants us to follow Him.

P. Since God has shown believers such mercy and grace we ought to follow him closely.

1. A command to be obeyed in the present.

Explain

“Be ye”

A present command

It is directed at believers.

If you profess to know Christ as your Savior, listen up. God wants to get your attention.

Now what is the next word, “therefore”

Therefore

This is a connecting word.

In grammar we would call it an inferential conjunction.

That means because of A we should do B.

Because God has forgiven and loved us we should seek to be a follower of God.

A simple Bible interpretation principle: When you see a therefore, look to see what it is there for.

Ephesians 4:32 “32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Ephesians 5:2 “2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

Paul has been moving the Ephesians to walk a certain way.

Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God. You are part of God’s family

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,” You have a high calling.

Ephesians 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles in the vanity of their mind,” You should be different from the unsaved.

Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

The book of Ephesians can be divided into half. Three chapters describe what God has done for us in Christ. The last three chapters tell us what our response should be to God’s saving us. Grab your Bible and turn to Ephesians 1. We are going to look at reasons why we should obey this command implied by the “Therefore”.

Ephesians 1

Blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ in heavenly places 1:3

Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to holiness and blamelessness in love 1:4

Predestinated to the adoption of children 1:5

We are God’s children according to His good pleasure 1:5

We are made to the praise of the glory of His grace 1:6

We are accepted in the beloved 1:6

We have redemption through Christ’s blood 1:7

Forgiveness of sins by his rich grace 1:7

We have God’s wisdom and prudence abound towards us 1:8

Know the mystery of his will because of God’s good pleasure of his own purpose 1:8

Obtained an inheritance 1:10

We will be gathered in one in Christ 1:10

In Christ we have obtained an inheritance 1:11

We will be praise of his glory 1:12, 14

Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise 1:13

The Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance 1:14

May be given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge in Him 1:17

Enlightened eyes 1:18

We know the hope of our calling 1:18

We know the riches of his glory of his inheritance in the saints 1:18

We know the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe 1:19

We know the working of his mighty power 1:19

We see His power in our resurrected Christ 1:20

We see His power in his position at the right hand of God. 1:20

We see His power in our Christ who is exalted above all 1:21

His headship of the church 1:22

Ephesians 2

Quickened 2:1

Rich in mercy to us 2:4

Great love to us 2:4

Quickened us with Christ 2:5

Saved us by grace 2:5, 8

Raised us up together with Christ 2:6

Made us sit together in the heavenly places with Christ 2:6

Make us know the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness through Christ Jesus 2:7

Recipient of God’s gift by faith 2:8

God’s workmanship 2:10

In Christ are made nigh by blood of Christ. 2:13

Christ our peace 2:14

Broken wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles 2:14

Abolished enmity 2:15

Abolished the law of commandments 2:15

Made of twain one. Jews and Gentiles are in one body 2:15

Made peace between Jew, Gentile and God 2:15

Reconciled together by the cross 2:16

Slain the enmity - Jews and Gentiles are accepted alike in Christ 2:16

Access by one Spirit unto the Father 2:18

Fellow citizens with the saints 2:19

Of the household of God 2:19

Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone 2:20

Grow unto a holy temple in the Lord 2:21

A habitation of God through the Spirit 2:22

Ephesians 3

We are partakers in this period/dispensation of grace to the Gentiles 3:2

Know the mystery of Christ 3:5

Fellow heirs with the Jews 3:6

Of the same body 3:6

Partakers of the promise in Christ by the Gospel 3:6

Unsearchable riches of Christ 3:8

Made known the fellowship of the mystery 3:9

Know the manifold wisdom of God 3:10

Boldness and access with confidence by faith in Christ 3:12

Named in his family 3:15

His power works in us to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think 3:20

Because of these many blessings the expected response is one of love and gratitude.

Argue

Paul has been building the case in Ephesians 1-3 for obeying the ethical and moral commands regarding our personal lives, husband, wife, children, and employer relationships as well as the spiritual battle in which we are in.

Christian, God has shown us great love and kindness in Jesus Christ. Doesn’t it make sense then that if he desires us to a live a certain way, we should do our dead level best?

Ephesians 1:4 “4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”

Yes, we are made positionally righteous because of Christ.

But, here Paul is revealing that God purpose is to make us holy and blameless.

Ephesians 2:10 “10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

He fleshes this out how by doing good works.

Ephesians 2:21–22 “21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

You and I are dwelt by our holy God. So we ought to be holy.

Illustrate

Great

Apply

When you see a command in God’s Word. We ought not to halt and figure out if it is one we want to obey or not, but be all in to do whatever God asks of us.

Are you eager to obey your God no matter what he asks of you? We are four days into 2026. I want us to desire to follow God. Be followers of God as dear children. It is so easy to follow our own passions and interests. Yet, because we have become God’s children our passion shouldn’t be our own desires, but to mimic our God’s example to others.

2. A command to mimic God’s goodness.

Explain

Followers of God.

The word means to mimic. A little child mimics their parents.

Illustrate: I remember when Jane was about a year and she would he see her older cousins she would be in awe of what they could do. You could tell by looking at her eyes that she wished she could move and do what they did. When she got old enough to run and talk as they. We would could see the mannerisms of her older cousins played out in her life.

Illustrate: A little child makes heroes out of those they look up to. Dixie loves her mommy, so she is always practicing with her babies being a good mommy. She changes their clothes and diapers, feed them, and take her babies for walks. How does she know how to do this? She watches her Mommy. She copies what she sees.

In the same way Jesus has left us with biographies of his life which describe how he lived and served while on this earth. Let us look to the preceding and proceeding verses of our context to help us know how to love each other.

Ephesians 4:32 “32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

His kindness is seen to us in Christ. In like manner, your kindness is seen by your love in Christ to others.

Perhaps someone ridicules you or mocks you. What do you do? Gossip about how mean they are, get even?

What did Christ tell us to do? Matthew 5:44 “44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

In Christ you have been forgiven.

Christ’s substitutionary atonement for you. If Christ did not die, you could not be forgiven.

It is only in Christ, coming to the Father, through faith in his Son Jesus we are forgiven of our sins.

You are not forgiven because you’re sorry. You’re forgiven because Christ died for your sins. When you confess your sins to God he forgives because Christ shed his blood in payment for your sins.

Ephesians 5:2 “2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

God is made of up of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

When Jesus Christ the Son of God gave his life for you, it was a willing and loving sacrifice to God.

While we do not and cannot be an offering exactly like Christ, we can give ourselves willingly to do God’s will as Christ did.

Argue

Illustrate

Apply

3. A command to be followed like a dear child.

Explain

As

A metaphor depicting how a child should follow. The dear child is one that is loved of God. Because of God’s rich kindness to us we ought to love and care for others.

Dear children

As agapew children

We are the objects of God’s undeserved love.

Argue

A child who is beloved of their father loves to mimic their father. They want to do what Dad does. Whether it be driving a tractor, working on the car, mowing the grass, or doing house repairs. A beloved child is there seeking to learn what he can from his Father.

Illustrate

Apply

Conclusion