Ephesians 5:1-14

Are You an Imitator of the Heavenly Father?

When we started our study of Ephesians. We learned that Christians are adopted into the family of God through Jesus Christ. Christians are God’s children. That is the great privilege that we received from God. Eph. 1:5

With that in mind, here in Chapters 4, 5, 6, Paul is giving practical applications of how should a child of God lives and behave in this world.

Here in our passage, Paul is commanding the believers (children of God) to imitate God on how they live their new lives in Christ as adopted children of God, and on how to treat other people.

This is about practical Christian living...

I. Paul’s command to imitate God (v1)

What is an imitator?

imitator — a person who copies the words or behavior of another.

Why must we imitate God?

We imitate God because we are his children. (v1)

we have been adopted into God’s family/household

idiom - the fruit does not fall far from the tree.

As children imitate their parents, we too are to imitate our Heavenly Father

A firm knowledge of God’s love and of one’s place in His family (1:5) motivates the self-sacrifice necessary for Christian living (cf. v. 2).

II. How to imitate God(v2-4)

a. To Imitate God is to walk in love (v2)

example of Jesus’s love and offering of sacrifice as a fragrant aroma.

Christ provides the model for how Christians are to live in love; His sacrificial death is the definition of love.

b. To imitate God is to avoid immorality and impurity (v3-4)

sexual immorality - porneia (porn)

greed - consuming desire to possess more, not the actual need.

filthiness and silly talk - unwholesome talks, abusive speech

c. To imitate God is to have a heart of thanksgiving (v4)

III. Consequence of those who reject God and Christ (v5)

they will not inherit eternal life.

IV. A warning not to imitate those who are walking in darkness (v6-14)

a. Stand firm in the truth (v6-7)

b. Remember that God’s wrath is for those who are walking in darkness (v.6)

c. Remember that you belong to God (v7-v8)

d. Walk as children of the light (v8-9).

A common label for those who are in the right relationship with God.

Fruit - refers to the natural results - Christlike character. Matt. 5:14

e. Grow in learning what is pleasing to God (v10).

We are to desire and obey God’s commands.

f. Don’t participate in evil deeds but expose them (v11-13)

Expose or rebuke sin in order to correct people. The Christians’ presence alone may expose sins through contrast, or Christians may openly denounce such sins.

Conclusion:

As children of God, we are to behave and live like our Heavenly Father through the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we imitate God, we are to walk in the light and expose the deeds of darkness.