Imitating God by Walking in Love

BLANK SLIDE TO BEGIN RECORDING (Please don’t wait for Matt to be on podium.)

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Introduction and Scripture Reading

Scripture Introduction

When I was a child I watched my dad closely. I watched him work; I watched him interact with others; I watched him even in the most mundane activities in life. One day I decided I’d imitate him by shaving. “I can do this,” I thought to myself. After all, I’ve watched him do this many times.

I pulled out his razor, put shaving cream on my face, put the blade to my skin, and then managed to cut the skin on my face a few times. Thankfully, my parents were nearby to stop the carnage that was about to unfold.

In Ephesians 4, Paul has just finished talked with his readers—and every Christian by extension through God’s inspired (breathed out), perfect Word to the world—about living in such a way that we speak the truth in love to one another. That means when we see someone living life with a metaphorical razor blade in hand, knowing that they’re about to cut themselves, we’re called by God to step in and say something out of love so they don’t harm themselves and inevitably others.

Most recently, we’ve been learning about living in the School of Christ, how to live in light of the permanent reality that we have:

put off the old self which is corrupt through deceitful desires,

be renewed in the spirit of our minds which happens through intimate engagement with God in His Word in the context of biblical community, and to

put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

The practical outworking of this is the single most important reality for how Christians are to pursue change:

to put off the sin which is the outgrowth of deceitful thinking patterns and beliefs,

be transformed by renewing our minds through God’s precious Word which is:

sufficient for everything we need for life and godliness,

and as Paul’s disciple Timothy put it, for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

to put on right thinking and acting according to everything we see in Scripture.

As we move into Ephesians 5, we are immediately challenged by a passage that demands that we pursue that which is impossible on our own.

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Remember, Paul labors in love to show us what it means to be in Christ, so we eagerly welcome what God demands of us as we walk in Him as a result. As pastor Kent Hughes has said,

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“It is not so much a question of what we will do with Ephesians, but what it will do with us.”

Open your Bible/app with me to Ephesians 5 as we dive into what the Lord has for us this morning.

Scripture reading

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Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

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Proposition

As God’s beloved children, we are to imitate Him by walking in love toward one another, in the same way that Christ has sacrificially loved us.

We’ll see in this passage that Paul first describes the positive truths about true godly love before describing the negative truths about Satan’s counterfeit love and its consequences.

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Paul gives constructive commands to imitate God and walk in love.

Finding our bearings.

Paul’s “therefore” in ch. 5 links back to:

Eph 4:1 where he urges Christians to “"...walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,”

4:17 where we’re to walk differently from the world, “…you must no longer walk as the Gentiles/unbelieving do because of their hardness of heart.”

and 4:32 where, most recently, he’s called us to put off bitterness, anger, wrath, and slander and walk in kindness, tender-heartedness, and forgiveness are characteristics of God, who is love. God Himself is infinitely kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving, and we achieve those virtues by imitating their Source.

In upcoming passages, Paul will also call for Christians to walk in light (5:8) and a walk in wisdom (5:15).

Mimētēs (imitator) is the term from which we get mimic, someone who copies specific characteristics of another person. As imitators of God, Christians are to imitate God’s characteristics, and above all His love. The whole of the Christian life is the reproduction of godliness as seen in the person of Christ. God’s purpose in salvation is to redeem men from sin and to conform them “to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). To be conformed to Christ is to become perfect, just as God is perfect (Matt. 5:48). “As obedient children,” Peter tells us, “do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ ” (1 Pet. 1:14–16; cf. Lev. 11:44). The great hope of believers is, “We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). Imitating His love is possible because “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5).

We are to be imitators of God, and walk in love. [WHY? We are beloved children of God, and Christ gave himself up for us.]

A. Be imitators of God

1. Since we have been made a new creature in Jesus, we are to live as new creatures in our daily lives.

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1 John 2:6 ESV

6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

2. The pattern: Christians are to copy the specific, characteristics the Bible reveals to us about God and says he shares with us (communicable attributes).

Mimētēs (imitator) is the term from which we get mimic, someone who copies specific characteristics of another person.

3. In order to imitate God, you must be a Christian…a beloved child!

Contrary to much popular thought, all people are not children of God. There is a general sense in which we all are God’s children by virtue of the fact that He created us (Acts 17:28 “...for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’” )

But the Bible is clear that we become children of God when we are born into His family through a spiritual new birth.

In his classic, Knowing God, J. I. Packer writes,

“What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God for his Father.” (IVP, p. 181)

3 SCRIPTURE SLIDES

John 1:12–13 ESV

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Or

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Also, as we saw in Eph. 1:5

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

As imitators of God, Christians are to imitate God’s characteristics, and above all His love. And it cannot go without saying that we must be his children.

B. Walk in love

1. Our daily lives are to be characterized by love as we imitate God, our Father.

Growing in love, as God defines it in the Bible, is a continuing need for every believer, since love fulfills all of God’s law. Rom. 13:8–10.

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Romans 13:8–10 ESV

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

2. The Pattern: “as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us...”

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Ephesians 5:2 ESV

2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The whole of the Christian life is the imperfect, though sought-after, reproduction of godliness as seen in the person of Christ. God’s purpose in salvation is to redeem men from sin and to conform them “to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29).

To be conformed to Christ is to become perfect, just as God is perfect (Matt. 5:48 “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”).

“As obedient children,” Peter tells us, “do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ ” (1 Pet. 1:14–16; cf. Lev. 11:44).

God’s pattern of love.

Steven Cole defined biblical love as a self-sacrificing, caring commitment that shows itself by seeking the highest good of the one loved.

There are five elements of this definition:

• God’s love is a costly love.

He gave His own Son. Christ willingly laid down His life for His church. While we seldom have to go so far as actually to die for others, we often have to lay aside our selfishness, our pride, and our rights in order to practice God’s love towards others.

• God’s love is a caring love.

“Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him” (Ps. 103:13). God cares for us more than any earthly father ever could (1 Pet. 5:7). If we think about someone, “I couldn’t care less what happens to him,” we do not love him. Love cares deeply.

• God’s love is a committed love.

Christ didn’t go to the cross because it felt good! Rather, He was committed to do the will of the Father and He was committed to save His people from their sins. Feelings come and go, but commitment is the glue that makes love endure. “Love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8).

• God’s love is a conspicuous love.

It “shows itself.” In other words, it is not just nice thoughts, but also evident deeds (1 John 3:17).

• God’s love is a consecrating love.

It is committed to seek the highest good of the one loved. Because Christ loved the church, He also purposed to sanctify her, “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot of wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:27). This means that love must sometimes exhort and correct and impose consequences for sinful behavior. But I’ll warn you: if you confront a professing Christian who is in sin, you will very likely be accused of being unloving. But it is unloving to allow anyone to go on in his sin. To imitate God by walking in love, we must begin with this biblical definition.

Application

Conclusion and Transition to Communion

How on earth are we to do this? It seems to be too tall of an order.

II. Main Point

We must look to the future and take our focus off our present reality.

The great hope of believers is, “We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2).

Imitating His love is possible because “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5).

Illustration

History tells us that when Alexander the Great discovered a coward in his army who also was named Alexander, he told the soldier, “Renounce your cowardice or renounce your name.”

Those who carry God’s name are to be imitator’s of His character. By His grace it is possible to reflect Him even in our present limitations.

Four commitments

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1. Commit yourself to living to the glory of God.

2. Commit yourself to learning God’s ways a little every day.

3. Commit yourself to asking for God’s help.

4. To love others, commit yourself to the active participation in the local church.

Closing Prayer

Communion

The word “therefore” again calls our attention backward to the last verses of chapter 4. We are reminded that the saints of God have been saved by the grace of God, and because they have been saved they are are to be different in the way they walk, the way they talk, and the way they think. They are to be different in every area of life. The “old man” of sin, with all his evil desires and appetites is to be “put off,” Eph. 4:22. The “new man,” created in righteousness, with his appetite for righteousness and the glory of God, is to be “put on,” Eph. 4:24. Since we have been made a new creature in Jesus, we are to live as new creatures in our daily lives, 1 John 2:6.

Having challenged us to bring our tongues, our anger, our work ethic, our bitterness, and revenge seeking under the control of God, and having challenged us to be forgiving, kind and compassion toward one another, Eph. 5:1 poses the greatest challenge of all. Let’s examine this challenge.

• God’s purpose in redemption is to make us more like Him. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren,” Rom. 8:29.

• To be conformed to the image of Christ is to become holy like God is holy. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,” Matt. 5:48.

• That is God’s plan for each one of His redeemed children. “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy,” 1 Pet. 1:14–16.

• Ultimately, that is how we will become. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is,” 1 John 3:2.

We are not mere slaves following in the footsteps of a demanding master. We are the sons and daughters of God. Redeemed by His grace. Adopted into His family. Partakers of His very nature, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust,” 2 Pet. 1:4. We are the temples of God, indwelled by His Spirit, and made able to walk in imitation of our Father.

Where do we learn these things? We learn them from His Word. We learn them from observing Him. We learn them by watching Him work in the lives of others. We learn these things from simply walking with Him. Ill. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8.

We have just been told to be an “imitator” of God. Now, we are told to imitate His “love.” After all, God is love, 1 John 4:8b. That is, His very nature is defined by His love. Everything He does, He does out of love. The overriding characteristic of God’s Person is His love. His people have experience that love. Since He is love, and since He has placed His love within us, Rom. 5:5, we are to walk in love as well.

The “Law of Love”, or God’s expectation of His people, is laid out in Matt. 22:37-40. That passage says: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.This is the first and great commandment.And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

This is not a new notion. Deut. 6:4-9, 11, 13-21 and Num. 15:37-40 both declare the obligation for the people of God to love the Lord. Deut. 6:4-5 says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” The Jews recited this text twice every day. This is the same command Jesus gave to His people in the New Testament. God has always wanted His people to love Him.

• “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” John 14:15.

• “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him,” John 14:21.

• His love for us caused Jesus to leave Heaven above to come to this world to live and die for us, Phil. 2:5-8. He is called an “offering.” His life was poured out on the cross that we might have life in Him.

• His love for us caused Jesus to bear our sins on the cross, Isa. 53:4-6; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24. He is called a “sacrifice.” Because, like a sacrifice, He was slaughtered for our sins. His love caused Him to suffer unspeakable cruelty for us, Isa. 52:14.

• His love for the Father caused Jesus to “give Himself” as “a sacrifice to God.” Yes, Jesus loves us, but He loves His Father far more. When Jesus died, He died for us, but He died primarily for the glory of the Father. We benefit from the Son’s love for the Father. God’s love for Christ, and for us, caused the Father to accept the offering and sacrifice of the Son on the cross, as a “sweet smelling savor.” God was pleased when the love of Christ sacrificed itself to redeem lost sinners for the glory of God. If you want to know what love looks like, go the Calvary and behold the Lamb of God dying for sinners, Rom. 5:8.