Ephesians 5:15-21

Are You an Imitator of the Heavenly Father? - Part 2

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. To imitate God is to walk as wise (vv.15-17)

The command to walk as wise and not foolish (v15)

Wise = skilled, knowledgable...

this wisdom is divine in nature and origin. Not the worldly wisdom.

Able to distinguish and do what is right.

clear thinking and careful diligence

“The Christian life is not that of a carefree, freewheeling attitude, but one that demonstrates clear thinking and careful and conscious effort - Godly wisdom.

What does it mean to walk as wise?

a. To walk as wise means making use of the time (v16)

To make the most of every opportunity means to make a wise use of time, so that the things we are doing are productive and helpful, not destructive and wasteful.

how are you using your time?

Are you using your time to be productive?

Are you using your time to grow in the knowledge of God?

Time is a gift from the Lord. Don’t waste it.

b. The Reason to walk as wise - the days are evil (v16)

Christians are called to live in a context of spiritual crisis. Evil is rampant in the culture around us. As long as the kingdom of God is in conflict with the powers of darkness, it may be said that the days are ‘evil’.

c. To walk as wise means to understand the will of the Lord (v17)

The will of the Lord can be know through the Word of The Lord - the Bible.

That is not to say that you can find the specific answer in the Bible kung mangita ka sa will ni Lord kung kinsa imo pangasaw-on ug unsa negosyo imo sudlan, or asa ka nga school mo enroll this year - In a general sense we can find the will of the Lord, and using these truth, will help us get to know the specific will of God for us Christians.

What is the will of the Lord?

1 Thessalonians 4:3–7 NASB95

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB95

18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:2 NASB95

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

transformed and renewed mind.

II. To imitate God is to be filled with the Holy Spirit (vv.18-21)

The command not to get drunk but be filled with the Holy Spirit (v18)

When a person is drunk, the natural result is to lose of clarity of thought and the ability to function.

Drunkenness not only causes automobile accidents in which people get killed, but is also a manifestation of foolishness precisely because we lose control of our thinking and our faculties

We know that the Holy Spirit indwells in every believer, and the Holy Spirit infills every believer to empower the believer to walk in obedience, and our being Spirit-filled is dependent on our conformity and submission to the Holy Spirit. (filled with wine or word of God?)

The evidence of being Spirit filled (vv.19-21)

a. A mouth that speaks the goodness of God (v19)

The learning of hymns and psalms, and the singing of spiritual songs, how enriching that can be to the soul.

b. A heart that continually gives thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ (v20)

knowing the character, the will, and the purposes of God in our lives will allow us to give thanks to the Lord even in this pandemic, and even in times of tragedies, sickness, or death.

c. A submissive heart toward one another in the Church (v21)

another evidence of a spirit-filled heart is a SUBMISSIVE HEART. a humble heart that thinks highly of others and desires unity, peace, and harmony with other people.

d. A reverent heart for the Lord Jesus Christ (v21)

A heart that fears the Lord ( healthy fear)

It is just right to have a reverent fear before the Lord.

Because He is the giver and taker of life (respect him because you owe your life to God)

Because He gave you eternal life

(honor him with your life)

Because he does not tolerate sin

( God is gracious but He will discipline those whom he loves)

Conclusion:

God has given the believers a new heart empowered by the Holy Spirit to follow and imitate God. We can’t walk wisely on our own using our strength. We need the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God to strengthen us as we walk in this life, waiting for the 2nd coming of Christ.